A miracle as Culture Club set for UK tour
SIXTEEN years after their last tour Boy George and original band members of Culture Club have announced their major UK comeback gigs.
Famously flamboyant lead singer Boy George also reveals that the 1980s chart-toppers are set to release their first album in nearly two decades. “A lot of people have been going on at us for quite a few years saying ‘When are Culture Club gonna play the UK?’ Well it’s happening!” says the Karma Chameleon hitmaker, 56, whose band members Roy Hay, Mikey Craig and Jon Moss are all on board. “We’re doing it and we’re in the studio recording a new album [due out July 6].”
However UK fans would be forgiven for being wary about the 11 dates, which promise to kick-off in Nottingham on November 9 this year, including a stop at London’s SSE Arena, Wembley, on November 14.
The group have become notorious for their failed attempts to tour over the years.
In mid-November 2014, just two days before the start of their highly anticipated 21-date US and UK tour, they cancelled citing George’s throat condition as the cause. A mini-version was rescheduled and started
in Vancouver, Canada, on July 17, 2015, then in 2016 they embarked on a 40-city summer tour of Australia, East Asia and the USA, with no stops in the UK or Europe.
No wonder then that the original four, who haven’t played in the UK since their 20th anniversary show at the Royal Albert Hall in 2002, really want to make up for lost time: “We may extend. I don’t think there are enough shows,” adds George, who broke the band up in 1986 because of his drug addiction and his love split from drummer Jon, 60. “Eleven shows isn’t work!”