Current:Home > ScamsBoy George, Squeeze team for gleefully nostalgic tour. 'There's a lot of joy in this room'-LoTradeCoin
Boy George, Squeeze team for gleefully nostalgic tour. 'There's a lot of joy in this room'
View Date:2024-12-23 18:43:08
VIENNA, Va. – As nostalgia tours go, the pairing of Boy George and Squeeze is a peppy combination.
The reams of hits the flashy-fun Boy George crafted with Culture Club are not only staples on ‘80s-centric playlists, but enduring – and endearing – singalongs that spotlight a brand of pop and soul that should be appreciated more often.
The New Wave-leaning pop of Squeeze – celebrating 50 years with founding members Glenn Tilbrook and Chris Difford fronting a fashionable crackerjack band – absolutely thrives in a live setting, allowing their lush stylings room to flourish.
Since August, the two acts have shared a bill – amusingly dubbed the Squeeze Me Boy George USA Tour - that will scale the East Coast through Sept. 22.
On Sept. 10 at Wolf Trap amphitheater in northern Virginia, fans filled with affection for both acts (though Squeeze might have scored more tipsy dancing devotees) relished a romp through the late-‘70s and ‘80s with three collective hours of taut throwbacks and a few surprises.
Need a break? Play the USA TODAY Daily Crossword Puzzle.
More:Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band still rock, quake and shake after 50 years
Boy George sparkles with sass
A few months removed from a stint on Broadway in “Moulin Rouge,” the always bold Boy George seemed to savor his time onstage. He mixed new tracks (the pulsing “Mind Your Own Existence”) with Culture Club classics (a surprisingly early appearance of “Karma Chameleon,” the irresistible bounce of “It’s a Miracle”) and wry commentary (“I’m looking forward to the (presidential) debate. No opinion. I just want drama!”), usually with some level of a wicked grin.
In his now-trademark rounded top hat with pink stars plopped above green-shaded, glitter-spackled eyes, Boy George snapped his fingers and slapped his thigh as he sparred with his band members during a sprightly mashup of “Church of the Poison Mind” and Wham!’s “I’m Your Man.”
There might be a little bit of dust on his upper range, but the smooth overtones that are a Boy George signature are well preserved, evidenced on the melancholy shades of “The Crying Game” and the poignant “Suddenly I’m Wiser.”
At 63, Boy George has also grown contemplative. He noted that as he’s aged, his thinking has shifted: He no longer has opinions about things he can’t control.
That led to “Mrs. Blame,” a boisterous hoedown by way of Ireland that is easily one of his most intriguing newer works.
A cover of Prince’s “Purple Rain” concluded Boy George’s hourlong set, a choice well-suited to a voice that remains a distinctive, malleable instrument.
More:Sting talks upcoming tour, friendship with Billy Joel and loving Austin Butler in 'Dune'
Squeeze exhibits New Wave exuberance
From the first notes of the opening “Take Me I’m Yours,” Squeeze confirmed that this is a band whose catalog is best appreciated live.
Seven musicians joined Tilbrook, 67, and Difford, 69 – most clad in purple or peach blazers or vests, looking both stylish and era-appropriate – as they rolled through a 75-minute joyride of classics and newly reworked material.
Tilbrook, one of the most underrated guitarists of his time, dug into fierce solos on “Hourglass” and “Up the Junction,” while Difford – Tilbrook’s partner in executing a cool professorial vibe – anchored robust harmonies.
In addition to benchmark songs such as the glide-and-stomp “Pulling Mussels (From the Shell),” performed with neon green and red hues brightening the stage, and “Goodbye Girl,” which somehow makes accordion, mandolin and cowbell mesh successfully, Squeeze shared some new-old material with the crowd.
“One Beautiful Summer,” a song born out of rerecording a “lost” Squeeze album from 50 years ago, was particularly affecting with its multilayered harmonies provided by eight of the nine musicians onstage.
“You Get the Feeling” and “Trixie’s Hell on Earth” also held the crowd’s attention, the former mellifluous and the latter punctuated by jaunty keyboards.
While Tilbrook’s identifiable tenor is mostly intact, the feverish work of the band sometimes overpowered his vocals. But the unvarnished rendition of Squeeze’s biggest U.S. hit, the clever “Tempted,” allowed his voice to gleam.
With the stage outlined in hot pink, Tilbrook strummed the song’s melody on his electric guitar, maintaining a minimalist vibe as the crowd happily sang along until the band kicked in for the final coda.
“There’s a lot of joy in this room,” Difford noted earlier in the set, a statement that could not be doubted.
veryGood! (3)
Related
- Timothée Chalamet Details How He Transformed Into Bob Dylan for Movie
- Nashawn Breedlove, rapper who played Lotto in Eminem's film debut '8 Mile,' dies at 46
- GOP setback in DEI battle: Judge refuses to block grant program for Black women
- Demi Moore Shakes Off a Nip Slip Like a Pro During Paris Fashion Week
- RHOP's Candiace Dillard Bassett Gives Birth, Shares First Photos of Baby Boy
- What happens to health programs if the federal government shuts down?
- Ohio Senate passes bill that would help Boy Scouts abuse victims get more settlement money
- DEA has seized over 55 million fentanyl pills in 2023 so far, Garland says
- Diamond Sports Group can emerge out of bankruptcy after having reorganization plan approved
- Demi Moore Shakes Off a Nip Slip Like a Pro During Paris Fashion Week
Ranking
- Brush fire erupts in Brooklyn's iconic Prospect Park amid prolonged drought
- The Czech government has approved a defense ministry plan to acquire two dozen US F-35 fighter jets
- Usher says performing during Super Bowl Halftime Show is moment that I've waited my entire life for
- Sen. Bob Menendez will appear in court in his bribery case as he rejects calls to resign
- Will the NBA Cup become a treasured tradition? League hopes so, but it’s too soon to tell
- Donald Trump and his company repeatedly violated fraud law, New York judge rules
- 'Home Town' star Erin Napier shares shirtless photo of Ben Napier, cheering on his fitness journey
- Storms batter Greek island as government prioritizes adapting to the effects of climate change
Recommendation
-
Trump announces Tom Homan, former director of immigration enforcement, will serve as ‘border czar’
-
Mandela’s granddaughter Zoleka dies at 43. Her life was full of tragedy but she embraced his legacy
-
Hyundai and Kia recall nearly 3.4 million vehicles due to fire risk and urge owners to park outdoors
-
Wael Hana, co-defendant in Robert Menendez case, arrested at JFK
-
Kentucky woman seeking abortion files lawsuit over state bans
-
Breanna Stewart's Liberty even series with Alyssa Thomas' Sun after 'emotional' MVP reveal
-
Florida Gov. DeSantis discriminated against Black voters by dismantling congressional district, lawyer argues
-
'Wow, I'm an Olympian': American breakdancing world champ books ticket to Paris Olympics