ShareCulture Club performing with special guests Tony Hadley and Heaven 17 at The Motorpoint Arena Nottingham on Tuesday 10th December 2024.
Images and Review by Kevin Cooper
Culture Club were at the Motorpoint Arena on Tuesday night to celebrate the release of their first two albums, 1982’s Kissing To Be Clever and Colour By Numbers that was released a year later.
But starting the evening was Heaven 17, who took to the stage so early that most of the crowd were just arriving. Crushed By The Wheels Of Industry and the still relevant (We Don’t Need This) Fascist Groove Thang warmed the crowd up before Come Live With Me and Let Me Go had the stragglers making their way to their seats. Ending with a massive version of their mega hit, Temptation, they left the crowd wondering about this early time slot.
Next up was the voice of Spandau Ballet, Tony Hadley, who appeared every inch the crooner that he has moulded himself into. With his impeccable vocals he started his set with the 80’s synth classic To Cut A Long Story Short which was followed up with Lifeline, and Only When You Leave.
He was seated for the fabulous Through The Barricades but was on his feet, as was the crowd for Chant No. 1 (I Don’t Need This Pressure On). Finishing with the songs that he must have sung a thousand times, True and Gold, Hadley had showed that some songs really are timeless.
For the main act the stage was filled with big screens depicting 80’s imagery as a red telephone box came up through the floor at the top of a set of stairs from which Boy George emerged singing White Boy, the opening track from Kissing To Be Clever.
But this was a concert that was hard to get going, possibly due to the crowd not being familiar with some of the songs. It was only I’ll Tumble 4 Ya and Boy Boy (I’m The Boy) that grabbed the interest of the crowd whilst Do You Really Want To Hurt Me induced a sing along. But he delivered Love Twist to a very flat crowd, those back screens working overtime because there wasn’t much going on stage up front.
The other original members Mickey Craig and Roy Hay were positioned on opposite sides of the stage, with Boy George commanding the centre, meaning there was very little interaction between the three of them, although the session musicians and singers worked hard to make up for it and the brass section was outstanding.
Trying to keep the tempo up with It’s A Miracle and Church Of The Poison Mind, he certainly tried to wake the crowd up, but they still struggled to get into it with some leaving early, and missing the undoubted highlight of the evening, a stunning version of Victims which saw George, dressed all in black, delivering fabulous vocals on this goose bump inducing single.
Finishing with the title tracks of the two albums and the most recognizable song of the evening, Karma Chameleon, George with his many costume changes, had delivered quite a show that was unfortunately somewhat lacking, and that was such a shame.
