Boy George & Culture Club, The B-52’s, Thompson Twins’ Tom Bailey throw Ravinia a perky pop bash

Photos by Andy Argyrakis

The time capsule on the 1980s cracked wide open when Boy George & Culture Club, The B-52’s and Thompson Twins’ Tom Bailey took over Ravinia in the opener of a two-night stand (continuing Saturday, September 1), but the more than three-hour bash extended well beyond nostalgia. In the case of the Boy who needs no introduction, guitarist Roy Hay, bassist Mikey Craig and drummer Jon Moss, the entirely original line-up (plus five additional musicians and four supporting vocalists) previewed perky tunes from their upcoming long player “Life” to mark the extremely belated follow-up to 1999’s “Don’t Mind If I Do.”

After getting loose with “Planet Claire,” “Dance This Mess Around” and “Mesopotamia,” Boy George & Culture Club bill mates The B-52’s keyed into the joyfully jittery “Private Idaho” and kept the cheerful vibe flowing with “Funplex,” “Roam” and many more.

Newbies such as “Let Somebody Love You” and “Different Man” came across as contemporary in nature, but were rooted in the group’s soulful pop and reggae roots that also permeated the older “It’s A Miracle,” “I’ll Tumble 4 Ya,” “Miss Me Blind” and “Church Of The Poison Mind.” In between, Boy George & Culture Club (who didn’t permit any media photos) brushed off the glorious ballads “Time (Clock Of The Heart)” and “Do You Really Want To Hurt Me?,” covered everything from David Bowie’s “Let’s Dance” to Bread’s “Everything I Own” and Robert Palmer’s “Addicted To Love,” then strutted out “Karma Chameleon” (accented by Aretha Franklin’s “Chain Of Fools”) with all the zest that was expected for its hotly anticipated Ravinia debut.

Venue regulars The B-52’s also consisted of co-founding leaders Fred Schneider, Kate Pierson, and Cindy Wilson (with guitarist Keith Strickland still in the group, but retired from the road) who continue in memory of lead axe man Ricky Wilson. This year, the arty dance rockers are celebrating 40 years together, which meant all of the main hits from the late 1970s through early ‘90s, alongside a nod to the band’s post-millennial whereabouts.

After getting loose with “Planet Claire,” “Dance This Mess Around” and “Mesopotamia,” the colorful collective keyed into the joyfully jittery “Private Idaho” and kept the cheerful vibe flowing with “Funplex,” “52 Girls” (dedicated to the “Queen Of Soul”), “Roam” and many more. Of course, nothing screams The B-52’s louder than “Love Shack,” though it was spiced up with some ever so appropriate snippets of War’s “Low Rider” before blasting off to the beach for the quirky “Rock Lobster.”

Those who turned up early were given a bonus slice of Thompson Twins’ Tom Bailey (backed by an all-female band) who just dropped “Science Fiction,” which marks his first album in the new wave act’s style since 1991. The title track nestled sensibly beside smashes “Lies,” “Lay Your Hands On Me,” “Doctor! Doctor!” and “Hold Me Now,” all of which contributed to Ravinia being the primary party zone for one of summer’s most festive flings.

For additional information on Boy George & Culture Club, The B-52’s and Tom Bailey, visit BoyGeorgeAndCultureClub.com, TheB52s.com and ThompsonTwinsTomBailey.co.uk.

Upcoming concert highlights at Ravinia include Boy George & Culture Club, The B-52’s and Thompson Twins’ Tom Bailey (Sept. 1); O.A.R. and Matt Nathanson (Sept. 2); Jethro Tull by Ian Anderson (Sept. 3); 50 Cent (Sept. 6); Yes featuring Jon Anderson, Trevor Rabin and Rick Wakeman (Sept. 7); Tony Bennett (Sept. 8); Gipsy Kings (Sept. 14); Johnny Rivers and Jimmy Webb (Sept. 15) and Los Tigres del Norte (Sept. 16). For additional details, visit Ravinia.org.

Chicago Concert Reviews

We’ve got the Windy City covered.

Boy George & Culture Club, The B-52’s, Thompson Twins’ Tom Bailey throw Ravinia a perky pop bash

Related Articles