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New Moon is nothing if not an international advertisement for the hungry virtues of virginity and young people can’t get enough of it
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A smart, prickly and rewarding view of sexual and emotional confusion
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London,
John Aizlewood's rating
Reader rating
Description: The former Culture Club frontman and 1980s icon performs tracks from his back catalogue as well as new material.
Phone: 0870432 5527
Website: www.koko.uk.com
Email: boxoffice@koko.uk.com
Trains: Tube: Mornington Crescent 
Extra info: Pub
Boy George's voice was in surprisingly fine fettle
Sometimes it's difficult to remember exactly who Boy George is, but somewhere beyond the sweeping of Manhattan's streets, the drugs, the dilettante dabbling in DJ-dom and the silly facepaint, lies one a great British soul voice.
As Culture Club leader, Boy George was a national treasure, whose winning way with a chipper tune or grandstanding ballad was allied to a waspish sense of humour and memorable, if unbelievable claims about preferring a cup of tea to sex.
Then came the heroin-assisted crash and, today, the rubble of a career governed by wilful stupidity and the sure knowledge that if there was a wrong decision to be made, George would make it.
George, who is 46 this year, is certainly older, possibly wiser, and undeniably slimmer. Significantly, last night's belated attempt to return to what he does best but cares about least took place at his spiritual heartland, the former Camden Palace ("it still looks quite glamorous," he lied).
Among the curious were Amy Winehouse - who wasn't born when Culture Club split in 1986 - Kelly Osbourne, the Prince Of Brunei plus 20-man security phalanx, and Julian Clary. As the crowds melted away afterwards, Celebrity Big Brother's Donny Tourette arrived.
If George had illusions about just how far he has slipped, Koko's closed top tier and a hardly heaving dancefloor would have soon dispelled them.
No matter, some things never change. He wore his trademark undignified top hat (stop it: we know you're bald) and a jacket festooned in slogans, this time eulogising new best friend Kylie Minogue, abusing both Radio 2 and Diana Ross and declaring in finest double-edged fashion that "gay marriage sucks".
Perhaps swigging from cans of super-strength lager isn't necessarily the ideal way to redemption, but the voice was in surprisingly fine fettle.
George's humbling community service in New York apparently taught him the meaning of the phrase. Where once he sneered at Culture Club and refused to play the songs whose royalties are the primary reason he won't be asking if you'd like fries with your burger for the foreseeable future, now he understands that looking back need not be a tiresome chore.
Church Of The Poison Mind was delivered at breakneck speed and overflowed with joie de vivre. Do You Really Want To Hurt Me? was the very epitome of dreaminess and the beloved Karma Chameleon gained a new layer of loveliness in a new, stately incarnation.
Encouragingly, the slew of new material, from the keyboard heavy Play Me, to the anthem for asylum seekers Inhuman Nature, via a surreal, reggaefied version of Fleetwood Mac's Go Your Own Way were the sound of a man rediscovering his muse and, who knows, rekindling his career.
Details are correct at the time of publication - please check with venue before booking.
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I have to agree with Rebecca of Islington. For both me and the friend I was with (both of us first seeing George with C Club way back in 1983), "lacklustre" summed up the Koko show. The sound system didn't help - standing at the back of the dancefloor, we couldn't hear a word of what George was saying in between tracks, and most of the lyrics were drowned out by the band. A rocky "Church of the Poison Mind" was a highlight, as were a couple of dub reggae tracks but, on the whole, the set was disappointing and a shame, given some of George's wonderful repetiore (the Jesus Loves you material, Il Adore etc). It was also a shame that he didn't perform his new single, "Time Machine", recorded with the fabulous Amanda Ghost. Her website had "confirmed" that she would be the special guest but it wasn't to be. Maybe George had explained her absence, but the echo-y sound system put pay to us hearing him, if the case. Commenting on the closing sentence of John Aizlewood's review, surely George's career would be more likely to be "rekindled" if he played his current single, one of the best things he's released in years. To conclude, a show that held so much promise just didn't deliver. Come on George - we know you can do better...!
- Tim, Streatham, London, UK
Having seen Boy George before I wasn't that impressed with his latest gig at Koko. He didn't seem to be on top form at all and although he was entertaining the sparkle just didn't seem to be there for me anymore. It was still good to hear the older tracks but for me I think I'll stick to listening to the CDs in future.
- Rebecca, Islington
Well, Boy George has certainly entertained us for a long time and I am sure will do for years to come. I have been infatuated with him since 1982 and have witnessed, as many others have, his ups and downs. He has such an amazing voice and presence, I can never quite get over it. I think he should go on caring about this in a very special way. He has so much to give and is a very talented musician (without a doubt). Sometimes though, the most simple things create something incredibly beautiful. Boy George needs to hold on to his naturally stunning looks instead of covering it up with paint, plus showing compassion towards others instead of putting them down. Let your inner beauty shine, Mr O'Dowd, and keep blessing us with your wonderful voice.
- Anya Harvey, Oberthal, Germany
