Audience embraced the ’80s with Culture Club at Fremantle Arts Centre

WITH a line-up that included Real Life, Pseudo Echo and main event Culture Club, it was all about embracing the ’80s at the Fremantle Arts Centre last night.

There was fluoro, funky hats, leg warmers, crimped hair and daggy dancing as the sun set on a perfect summer’s evening.

Opening acts Real Life and Pseudo Echo proved they still have what it takes to get the party started, with their hits Send me an Angel and Funky Town sending the crowd into a spin making them the perfect entree to the main attraction.

Taking to the stage in typical fashion, Boy George wore a white hat, colourful yellow and black jacket and belted out Church of the Poison Mind and while he sounded a little scratchy to start, his vocals soon warmed up and complemented his entourage, which included guitarist Roy Hay, Mikey Craig on bass and Jon Moss on drums.

Six others made up the band, while the addition of three women vocalists only added to the party happening on stage.

He chose his first interaction with the audience to say Australia still had a way to go when it came to the gay community.

“My audience used to be strictly women and gay men,” he said.

“But we like heterosexuals because they make one of us.”

It was a great segue for the next two hits It’s a Miracle and I’ll Tumble for Ya, which had everyone on their feet dancing Latin American style, while Everything I Own, a Black Money duet and sax solo completed the first set.

More: Sunny days with adults only Avenue Q at Crown Theatre Perth

An understated orange and yellow noughts-and-crosses suit was the next outfit change as George belted out Time (Clock of the Heart) and new songs Like I Used To and Different Man, which he’d hoped his older crowd had checked out on “the you tube” before coming to the gig.

Despite this, it was clear what his legion of adoring fans wanted and that was more ’80s.

Hit after hit with Miss Me Blind, The War Song and of course the one that started it all in 1982, Do You Really Want to Hurt Me, were among the last to be played in the main set, setting the crowd up for the encore performance.

After a quick dash off-stage, George returned quipping “you didn’t think we’d forget Karma Chameleon” and again the crowd went crazy, saving their loudest cheer for the classic track.

The band finished with T.Rex’s Get It On, and with just about every genre covered, the crowd, which was as fun and eclectic as George’s outfits, slowly made their way home.