When Donnie was just a wee lad, his mom and dad got him a portable cassette player for his birthday. (Google it, kids.) And with that player, Donnie received his very first cassette tape - Culture Club's Colour By Numbers. Donnie took that tape player EVERYWHERE, playing that album on full blast, burning through batteries like the Golden Girls burned through cheesecakes. (Google it.) That album was the soundtrack to little Donnie's existence (and everyone else's within earshot).
We're going to McDonald's? "I'll grab Boy George." We're going to church? "I'll grab Boy George." George and the boys were even serenading young Donnie while he used shampoo to make his hair look like Alfalfa's in the bathtub. Donnie knew every song by heart and never seemed to tire of them. Surprisingly enough, his parents never complained about the sound of Culture Club echoing off the walls, both day and night. In fact, mom used to say "George has beautiful eyes!" Even dad said the band was "far out".
As Donnie grew, Culture Club was still a part of his life. Whenever their music was on the radio, Donnie cranked it up without shame or apology. He got with the times and bought their MP3s to listen on the go. Sadly, given the rocky history of the band members and the much-publicized drama, Donnie knew he would never fulfill his dream of seeing the world's greatest band in concert. (YEAH! DONNIE SAID IT! World's. Greatest. Band.) Or would he? If our story ended here, it would be quite tragic. Donnie never turns down a "happy ending". Luckily, he's got one for ya...
Fellow Gimme Your Hand Freak, Jay decided to surprise Donnie with an early birthday present, and handed him two tickets to... The Culture Club 2016 concert. THE Culture Club. In 2016. Not a crummy tribute band, not two original members with a couple of stand-ins, NO! Mikey Craig, Roy Hay, Jon Moss and Boy effin' George were all going to be there on stage and in the flesh. There's no way this could possibly live up to Donnie's life-long expectations, right? Wrong. It was incredible, guys.
About the only exposure Jay had to Culture Club's music was that scene from "The Wedding Singer" where Alexis Arquette kept singing, "Do You Really Want To Hurt Me". So, it was nice of Jay to make this little sacrifice and agree to be in attendance for this early birthday extravaganza. A new fan may have emerged in Jay, however, because the band was incredible performing the classics as well as a couple of covers, and even NEW music. Without giving away his age, Donnie has to say this concert was worth the decades-long wait. The band still sounds amazing, and in some instances, even better than you'd remember. Boy George was funny and sassy in between songs, and the group as a whole had great chemistry. If Culture Club's 2016 tour swings by your area, DO NOT miss it. Bring the kids, too. The music is safe for young ears. (Dress them up as little "80's Boy Georges" and get lots of videos to blackmail them with when they're old enough to start dating.)
Here's one of Culture Club's new songs to hold you over until you can see them in person. "More Than Silence" was performed during this concert. You'll love it live, too.
Just a couple of side notes: Donnie still has Colour By Numbers, the very first cassette tape he ever owned.
And Donnie's actual birthday is August 19th, so you still have time to get him something nice.
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