Customer Reviews

Culture Club - Live at the Royal Albert Hall (20th Anniversary Concert)

5 star:		(8)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(3)
1 star:		(5)

 

 

AWESOME Culture Club concert commemorating the band's 20 years together as the most unusual, yet most successful British rock group of the 1980's. Truly classic, Boy George's lead vocals prove him to be the greatest Rock & Roll Queen of all-time! The hits are here, and performed true-to-form: "Karma Chameleon", "Miss Me Blind", "I'll Tumble 4 Ya", "Church of the Poison Mind", "It's A Miracle", "Victims", and "Move Away." Explosive NEW Culture Club hits: "I Just Wanna Be Loved", "Cold Shoulder" and "Starman." Plus Boy George's solo hits "Everything I Own" and "Bow Down Mister." The show opens with a teasingly-exciting rendition of "Do You Really Want To Hurt Me" performed by London & Broadway stage actor (and Boy George impersonator) Euan Morton. Two thumbs up to Jon Moss, Roy Hay, Mikey Craig and George O'Dowd!! AWESOME!!

Boy George music let me dance on the floor some years ago...

I found this DVD in a shop and bought it immediatly..why.. I don't know...maybe for the memories...

I was really surprised about this DVD, the quality, the sound, the really great fans, the enthousiasm musicans..this is really a perfect DVD....played now several times and I am dancing again...

I searched for a new concert from Boy George somewhere in the world, but never found it....

I've been a fan, a true fan, of Culture Club's for 21 years and I'm not one bit afraid to admit it! I finally got around to watching this concert and I'm kicking myself I didn't watch it six weeks ago, when I bought it. This is FANTASTIC! Why is it fantastic? Here's why:

1) The sound quality is amazing. The mixers show they are true professionals. Most of the songs sounded like the studio versions, yet they were live. George's voice is rested and sounds brilliant.

2) It's simply about the music. Sure, George came out in this less than flattering pink and black checkered frock with the illusion of an extreme behind, plus a pointed devil-like headdress that was a little distracting, BUT - the music spoke for itself. His facial expressions were second to none. You could tell he ENJOYED performing. No pressure, no quotas, no nothing...just the music.

3) This DVD comes with extra features that really add the overall production value of this release. Pictures, commentary and some behind the scenes looks at his Taboo musical. One of the definite highlights was the performance of Talk Amongst Yourselves, from Taboo. Lynn Paul delivers a spectacular vocal performance. If you have the soundtrack to Taboo, you'll be amazed at how she nails this.

Even after 20 years, they've still got the magic. George doesn't look like he's aged a single day. The others, except for Mikey Craig, are not aging all that well, but how did you look two decades ago? Viva Culture Club. They will always be remembered as one of the most influencial bands of the 80s and possibly the 20th Century.

I popped this DVD on February 23rd into my DVD player. My dad and I watched it on February 25th. Euan Morton sounds outstanding on ''Do You Really Want to Hurt Me?.'' Then Euan went and George had on a purple spiky headpiece and said with excitement, ''Give it up for the fabulous Euan Morton!'' The band started the show with a DMIID favorite ''Black Comedy.'' Then George seemed to have a problem. When the music for ''I'll Tumble 4 Ya'' began, he went ''Downt-'' and at the end. They played the song for one minute too long. Then they did a rocking version of ''It's a Miracle.'' A BG favorite, ''Everything I Own,'' from the Sold album followed. Then two other DMIID favorites came ''Sign Language'' and ''I Just Wanna Be Loved.'' Lyn Paul sang a beautiful song ''Talk Amongst Yourselves.'' George came back to the stage with a white hat that said LOSE MY NUMBER that was the same hat that was in the ''Out of Fashion'' video. George and Zee Asha did ''That's the Way'' and ''Black Money.'' Another DMIID favorite came ''Cold Shoulder.'' ''Move Away'' came and another DMIID favorite ''Strange Voodoo.'' Then ''Church of the Poison Mind'' followed, which was first acoustic and then electric. ''Miss Me Blind'' came and George was rocking out to Roy Hay's strong guitar solo that he should've said ''Woo!,'' because you know how he gets excited when he's rocking out. I am so disappointed that he doesn't do this song in his clubs. ''Victims'' came and another DMIID favorite ''Starman'' came. Then their biggest hit ''Karma Chameleon'' came with George repeating karma 17 times like he always does when he sings it. Then the Taboo cast came to end with a Jesus Loves You song, ''Bow Down Mister.''

Don't get me wrong. I'm a huge Boy George and Culture Club fan since the 80's and own EVERY single 12" and CD that they have released. Let's face it, George's live performances are nothing like you hear on the CDs. He likes to distort the songs and they never come across as clear and soulful, unlike some performers. I felt the old video "A Kiss Across The Ocean" was so much more magical than this. This totally lacks the impact and power. Sad to say, I skip throughout the DVD. I wish the record company would release, instead, a definitive Culture Club/Boy George music video DVD. George has always been a chameleon and the videos were simply wonderful. Almost every outstanding 80's act already has Greatest Hits DVD, so why not Culture Club?

AWESOME Culture Club concert commemorating the band's 20 years together as the most unusual, yet most successful British rock group of the 1980's!! Truly classic, Boy George's lead vocals prove him to be the greatest Rock & Roll Queen of all-time! The classic hits are here, and performed true-to-form: "Karma Chameleon", "Miss Me Blind", "I'll Tumble 4 Ya", "Church of the Poison Mind", "It's A Miracle", "Victims", and "Move Away." Explosive NEW Culture Club hits: "I Just Wanna Be Loved", "Cold Shoulder" and "Starman." Plus Boy George's solo hits "Everything I Own" and "Bow Down Mister." The show opens with a teasingly-exciting rendition of "Do You Really Want To Hurt Me" performed by London stage actor (and Boy George impersonator) Euon Morton. Two thumbs up to Jon Moss, Roy Hay, Mikey Craig and Boy George!! AWESOME!!

I love this DVD! They played a lot of music from the new album Don't Mind If I Do. His voice sounds better then ever. He is a true gifted talent who is overlooked by the mainstream. I only wish he would put a video concert of his solo career which is when I think he did his best work.

this is absolutely awful. I have been a fan of this band for almost 22 years since I first saw them on Solid Gold back in 1982. I cannot tell you how terrible this DVD really is. Back in 1984 Culture Club had a fabulous concert on VHS titled A Kiss Across the Ocean which featured music from their first 2 albums, Kissing To Be Clever and Colour By Numbers. That was really worth its money but I cannot say the same for this. This is suppossed to be a 20th anniversary and it is ghastly. The show starts with a fantastic Boy George impersonator (you can tell because Boy is really fat now) and then it goes down from there. When Boy hits the stage he is dressed up in a clown outfit to promote Taboo his failed musical about the life of club sensation, Leigh Bowery. He does his best to belt out the classics such as Time, Do You Really,and The Crying Game. Which was nice to hear but then he turns on his fans and yells at them and berrates them to a pulp for talking? Why would you do this George? The band is really remarkable as always but Boy just comes off as a snob! The fact that the DVD was a ploy to promote the TABOO Broadway would have been quite clever if it really was interesting to begin with. I was expecting to see the history of the band or a cool documentary. Unfortunately, this was not a part of the package and it was rather disappointing. I used to really enjoy Boy and the band but those days are over. Who would have guessed that this once amazing band would adopt a circus like atmosphere to eclipse their legacy?

To me, liking Culture Club or Boy George is an all or none sort of thing: you either love them or hate them with no in between.

Myself I guess I am in the former category - I have always liked the songs and the voice of Boy George. His sound is both smooth & craggy at the same time - unique in that sense. And yet his speaking voice so different, so deep.

In a word I liked this DVD, I think the band never sounded better - George has never sounded better. There has always been a difference between the live sound of his voice and the CDs this is true but his voice here is very good in my mind.

I thought Euan Morton did an outstanding job - liked him so much I ordered his own solo CD ... Lynn Paul - there are no words - I love that ballad.

I think I like and admire George for standing up for what he is - love him or hate him - he is what he is and makes no bones about it. That takes courage, courage that most of us do not have.

As for the Statue of Liberty get-up is what I have nicked named it - it is something else in the altogether but that is Boy George ...

Nancy

Culture Club and Boy George are no doubt part of the successful pop trendsetters in the 80s. Although much fascinated by many other English New Romantic bands in the 80s, I didn't pay much attention to their music except that Boy George's flamboyant hairdo and makeup have constantly become the gossips in many tabloids. Later I got a t-shirt with his colourful Karma Chamelon image upfront from my cousin, a schoolmate said I was "bold" but then I was hardly awared of Boy George's notorious reputation as a ...

This show definitely opened my eyes and sort of surprised me that there are still so many Culture Club loyal fans from London today, judging from their fanatic outfit they brought themselves into this show and their warmest support throughout the band's performance in an approximately 1 and a half hours.

As a non-fan I can't really catch up with most of the tracks casted here, as they were all sung by an enhanced free throaty-voice Boy George in rather casual, relaxed manner. Both hits DO YOU REALLY WANNA HURT ME and KARMA CHAMELON remained significantly the most outstanding and crowd-pleasing tracks which are, I would say, one strategically arranged in the beginning and the other in the ending.

Needless to say, Georgie hasn't changed a thing about his image. Why should he? After all these years, various art forms and cakes of makeup has become a salution upon his growing rounder cheeks and neckline, despite the fact that they will not withstand the sweat and energy he put out there to reach and cheer the heart of all his fans!