Culture Club will play their first ever concert in Adelaide this June

POP legends Culture Club have never performed a concert in Adelaide. That will change in June after public pressure has seen them re-route their Oz tour.

Singer Boy George in Brisbane 07 Jul 1984. p/

CULTURE Club have re-routed their Australian tour to perform in Adelaide for the first time in their career.

Their June tour, announced last week, originally bypassed Adelaide; their third Australian tour to do so.

However a backlash from Adelaide fans on Facebook has seen promoters bring the UK chart toppers to South Australia first.

Culture Club will now not only start their Australian tour in Adelaide, it will also be the first show of their entire world comeback tour.

Patience rewarded ... Culture Club will perform in Adelaide for the first time in their career in June.

The band, fronted by Boy George, will play Adelaide Entertainment Centre on Wednesday, June 6.

Tickets go on sale this Thursday April 14 at 9am from Ticketek.

It is not the first time people power has lured Culture Club to Adelaide.

In 1984, their first Australian tour skipped Adelaide due to no suitable venues being available.

Disgruntled fan Pennyanne Garner started a petition, which was supported by radio station 5AD and DJ Greg Clark.

The campaign took off when Molly Meldrum was on a plane to Brisbane and sat next to an Adelaide grandmother.

“She was telling me how her grand kids were so upset Culture Club weren’t going to Adelaide and how much they loved them and how popular they were in South Australia,” Meldrum said yesterday.

“I mentioned it to their publicist for the tour, Patti Mostyn, and asked if she could talk them into going to Adelaide on their day off, just to make an appearance because people really wanted to see them. Then Patti called me and said ‘They’re gonna go’ and I was in shock.”

They’ll Rundle 4 Ya. Culture Club, Molly Meldrum, John Bannon and DJ Greg Walsh in 1984.

Meldrum came with the band to Adelaide for their appearance in the Rundle Mall on July 5, 1984, in front of around 25,000 fans.

“It was like the royal family had arrived in Adelaide,” Meldrum said. “All the way from the airport to the mall people were lined up and waving at the band. When we got to the mall I went up to introduce them and George leaned over and said ‘Do you want me to sing?’ So he sang a few songs and it was truly magical, the crowd went nuts.

“I’m very relieved they’re finally playing in Adelaide, I don’t think I could go through that again — trying to get them over there!”

Do you really want to hurt me? Fans Alison Berge and Sarah Knaggs outside 5AD in 1984.

Culture Club’s hits include Do You Really Want to Hurt Me?, It’s a Miracle, Miss Me Blind, Karma Chameleon, Love is Love, Church of the Poison Mind, Time (Clock of the Heart), Move Away, I’ll Tumble 4 Ya, The War Song and Victims.

Tickets for the Adelaide Entertainment Centre show are priced between $75 and $185.

Cashed-up fans can pay $435 for a backstage after-party that doesn’t include a meet and greet but a VIP set in rows three to five, unlimited wine and beer tasting, and VIP merchandise. Only 40 of these tickets will be sold.

Culture Club will also play HBF Stadium Perth on June 8, Rod Laver Arena in Melbourne on June 10, Sydney’s Hordern Pavilion on June 11 and Brisbane Riverstage on June 14.

Kids in the Kitchen will open on all shows, with Bjorn Again also on the bill in Sydney and Brisbane.

Dannii Minogue will be the special guest on the Melbourne show.

Tickets for all shows go on sale this Thursday, after a strong demand from pre-sales last week.

George hits the beach in Oz 1984.

Boy George in Brisbane in 1984.

Pop and politics: former South Australian Premier John Bannon with Boy George in 1984.

Originally published as Culture Club will play their first ever concert in Adelaide this June