On Monday night Salt Lake’s 80s music summer continues with Culture Club at Red Butte Garden.
Yes, that Culture Club. “Karma Chameleon,” Culture Club. “Do You Really Want to Hurt Me,” Culture Club. Boy George in heavy make-up and glam style, Culture Club.
Isn’t it funny how much can change in 30 years? Once ostracized and mocked for his androgynous appearance, Boy George now bypasses most of that—reviews of earlier shows say he barely wears mascara these days—just in time for gender-fluidity to finally be accepted by the mainstream.
Culture Club broke up in 1986, buckling under the pressure of George’s drug addiction, his role as a defendant in a wrongful death suit and a variety of other reasons. And since the break-up there have been a few reunions, all of which were ended because of George’s drug abuse and role as a tabloid favorite.
Rock bottom for George seems to have been the nine months he served for falsely imprisoning a man. But now he’s clean, he’s sober, he’s a buddhist. And he’s coming to Red Butte on Monday night.
Tickets still available. Doors at 6:30, show at 7:30.
