Live Review: Culture Club, Thompson Twins, Eurogliders

As we take our seats in Rod Laver Arena, Grace Knight from Eurogliders is cringing while introducing We Will Together, "In the video we were doing... lustful things." Knight's permed half up/half down 'do is stuck in the '80s and their colourful outfits also call to mind the era in which this band's songs first troubled the charts. Their closer Heaven is a joy to sing along with thanks to permanently poignant lyrics. The audience is left to loudly sing out the chorus unaccompanied ("Heaven, must be there/Well, it's just got to be there... I don't wanna live in this place") while the band leave the stage.

It's only multi-instrumentalist Tom Bailey representing Thompson Twins this evening and they open with Lies, which is a Japanese/Latino showtune-esque combo. Bailey lobs out a single, large blue inflatable ball, which is volleyed around GA throughout You Take Me Up, during which Bailey's harmonica playing slays. Those catchy '80s keys during Love On Your Side, with onscreen graphics that replicate a fluctuating heart monitor, take us right back to 15-year-old mindsets and there's a joyous vibe in the arena. Bailey sports an all-white ensemble with one black fingerless glove and clear-framed sunnies, and his all-female backing band also adopt his colour palette. Lay Your Hands On Me boasts a glorious, plucky melody. As we sing along with Hold Me Now's lyrics, their meaning rises to the surface and we're astonished by the beauty of these words that we've always known but suddenly fully comprehend. During this song, we wish for a separate set of pipes to supply the female parts rather than Bailey struggling to contribute both, but it's wonderful to hear these songs again.   

"Tonight we're working with a certain amount of jet lag and optimism," Boy George admits after Culture Club's upbeat opener Church Of The Poison Mind during which it takes three stellar backing vocalists to fill Helen Terry's shoes. "Before we get started, I just wanted to say thank you for saying 'Yes'," Boy George continues. George tells us his niece Molly, who lives in New Zealand, is in the house and dedicates I'll Tumble 4 Ya to her ("Shall we tumble, babe?"). The two-piece brass section elevates this track, which is slower in tempo in this live version compared to its recorded counterpart. There's an extra percussionist alongside drummer Jon Moss, which maximises rhythmic possibilities. After this song, George gives us an impersonation of Bowie singing the chorus. He then asks us whether there are any New Romantics in the house. We all holler. George then admits he's "very difficult to live with, maybe not difficult to love" before Culture Club present the plaintive Time (Clock Of The Heart).

George tells us he wrote Miss Me Blind with bands such as Shalama in mind. During this song, we're reminded how lyrics such as "...just kissing to be clever" got us thinking as teenagers keen to become grown-ups and the old-school videos gracing the giant screens also transport us back to times when our walls were covered in photos cut out of mags such as Smash Hits. He then shares a touching moment from tonight's meet and greet when it was pointed out a young lady chose to see Culture Club tonight instead of Harry Styles. "In fact he might even be here, I think he played a bit earlier," George teases. He then notices a front-row punter's attire, "You're wearing the same T-shirt!" before introducing a song he wrote about Sly Stone ("One of the greatest musicians EVER in the universe!"). Different Man is closed out wonderfully by one of his stunning backing vocalists. He then requests that "those who are actually here in the first person" clap along to the song rather than clutching their phones.

We then score a cover of You Can't Always Get What You Want by The Rolling Stones and a newer track from Culture Club, More Than Silence (2014). "Unfold those arms," George hilariously cautions someone down front. He introduces Do You Really Want To Hurt Me as the song that began the journey for Culture Club, telling us he remembers "storming out of Virgin Records, sitting on the steps and having a proper old strop" because he didn't agree with the label's choice of single. But then this song went to number one in 39 countries. The blues-jam version of Do You Really Want To Hurt Me beautifully showcases George's husky vocal timbre and we wish he'd do some talking books. "Let's have a little swig Of H2O," George, who's coming up on ten years sober, jests.   

Victims is performed accompanied just by Roy Hay on piano until the arrangement fills out toward song's close. George's delivery is drenched in pathos even though he reckons he's a "tough bird" these days. During main-set closer The War Song, lyrics such as, "War, war is stupid and people are stupid," ring just as true now as they did way back when.   

Brass blasts herald our first encore track Karma Chameleon and the singalong is mega-enthusiastic as we get our side-stepping dance on. Nothing could prepare us for the band's Prince tribute in Purple Rain and there are real tears when one of his backing vocalists wails melodically into the mic to close out this song over Hay's lamenting guitar solo. On a cheerier note, Culture Club's expert take on Get It On by T Rex follows. We're then told this evening's trumpet player stepped in at the last minute, which is admirable. Approaching the mic at the end of the show, Moss acknowledges, "I don't get a chance to say much. Thank you, thank you very much, mwah-mwah."