The one and only Boy George took to the stage at the 9:30 Club on Monday to a sold-out and exhilarated crowd. The legendary performer transformed the venue into one of the most delightful and most steadily grooving show experiences that I have attended in quite some time.
It has been quite a while since the English superstar has performed his new wave, reggae-inspired sounds here in the US, and to say he was well-received by his audience would be a dramatic understatement.
It might have been the fact that Boy George pulled some of his most anticipated Culture Club classics from the vault, playing mega-hits such as “Do You Really Want to Hurt Me?” along with “Karma Chameleon” and “Church of the Poison Mind.”
It also could have been that he threw some pretty iconic cover songs into the mix from artists like Bob Dylan and T. Rex. But, over all, I think the amazing show experience can be attributed to George himself. Not only is he dearly loved by his fans, but the man brought all the talent of a true world-class performer to his live show. Boy George delivers all of himself and truly sings with the voice of an angel. He could have performed anything on that stage, and it would have touched the nerves of the entire crowd.
Touring to promote his most current release, 2013’s This is What I Do, it is obvious that George brings all of his love to his performances and the sincerity of the man was apparent through the entire night. Judging by the embrace of the DC show-goers, I think Mr. O’Dowd would be welcomed back to our fair city any time.
Setlist: King of Everything, Live Your Life, Everything I Own (Bread Cover), My God, Church of the Poison Mind (Culture Club), You’ll Loose a Good Thing (Barbra Lynn Cover), It’s Easy, Bigger Than War, Do You Really Want to Hurt Me? (Culture Club), My Star, Nice and Slow, Feel the Vibration, Any Road (George Harrison Cover), It Ain’t Me Babe (Bob Dylan Cover), Second Part, Play Me, Love and Danger, Karma Chameleon (Culture Club), Get it On (T.Rex cover), Bow Down Mister (Jesus Loves You),Turn On a Little Light for Me, Death of Samantha (Yoko Ono cover), To Be Reborn
