The performance of Boy George and the Culture Club was a fruitful culmination of different struggles, and it was all a rewarding experience.

The first struggle was from the fans who waited long and long enough to see in the flesh a band whose heyday was a generation ago. given this fact, it was safe to assume that most of the concertgoers were somebody’s parents or someone’s tito or tita. What wasnt a struggle though was how the fans were able to dance and sing along with the band; it was an almost effortless summoning of hidden youth of a generation who lived to talk about their own Martial Law stories.

Second was a struggle of images of the band: between those projected on the huge LED screen, and those alive and kicking on stage. It was between the pastel grading of Culture Club music videos and the living color of Boy George sauntering onto the stage, and all the glitter and sparkle of sound from every original member onboard. What wasn’t a struggle was how eternal youth sprung from every song like a tributary spilling into the crowd’s own collective summoned youth and memory. The Eighties stayed for a night.

Admittedly, there was some struggle with some technical difficulties, but it only set up more energetic scenes for the rest of night. Drummer Jon Moss responded to such a challenge with a drum solo–a part of his repertoire seldom seen in any Culture Club gig, frankly because they don’t appear to be the kind of band that dedicates a few minutes of set time for drum solos.

After the brief delay, the struggle was for the fans to keep up with the band’s mini resurrection. It was hit after hit after hit, with Boy George never losing step, with the rest of the band keeping pace. Due to the momentary delay, there was no encore even though every fan was expecting one. The final struggle was for the fans to admit that the show was over.

More Photos at Culture Club featuring Boy George Live in Manila Photo Gallery

Special Thanks to Royale Chimes Concerts and Events

By Peter Tolibas

Culture Club featuring Boy George Live in Manila Setlist:
-Church of the Poison Mind
-It's a Miracle
-I'll Tumble 4 Ya
-Move Away
-Everything I Own (Bread cover)
-Black Money
-Victims
-Time (Clock of the Heart)
-Miss Me Blind
-Do You Really Want to Hurt Me?
-Karma Chameleon
-Starman (David Bowie cover)
-The War Song
-Get It On (T. Rex cover)