Review: Berlin, Howard Jones stoke ’80s nostalgia; Boy George stays closer to the present

Neon colors, finger-less fishnet gloves, side ponytails, and T-shirts featuring myriad new wave acts was the norm at PNC Music Pavilion on Wednesday night, when ’80s nostalgia took over for Boy George and Culture Club’s “Letting It Go Tour” with Howard Jones and Berlin.

While the show wasn’t plagued with the traffic and parking problems that hindered fans’ entry to concerts at the venue earlier this season, long lines and overwhelmed security check points at the gate kept many fans outside as Berlin kicked off the show with “Masquerade” and “No More Words.”

Those inside met the aforementioned hits — then practically Jones’ entire set — with loud, enthusiastic and pretty spot-on singalongs (a result, perhaps, of post-Covid crowds being more appreciative of live music than before, or maybe because many spent the pandemic learning to sing).

Berlin vocalist Terri Nunn, 62, sounded fantastic while belting out “Take My Breath Away” from the original “Top Gun” soundtrack, and looked striking in a black mini-dress and sheer coat. Band members also included founder John Crawford, veteran guitarist Dave Diamond, and Charlotte native Carlton Bost, whose been with the band since 2003. During a cover of The Cult’s “She Sells Sanctuary,” Nunn marched through the crowd, pausing periodically to wrap her arms around, dance with and sing to fans, before returning to the stage for the finale of “Sex (I’m A).”

Like Nunn, British singer-songwriter Jones appeared much younger than his 68 years, sporting a block-y neon jacket that cheekily read “Ho Jo” in sequins on the back. He was flanked by a guitarist, two musicians on synthesizers, laptops and electronic drum pads, and renowned prog-rocker Nick Beggs (in leather kilt and vest).

Beggs split his time between slapping bass and tapping an electronic Chapman Stick. In fact, one of the biggest singalongs of the night was “Too Shy” by Beggs’ old band Kajagoogoo, which Jones said wasn’t able to tour the U.S. when the song was an international sensation.

Jones kept the crowd singing (and howling and whistling) with hit after hit — “Life in One Day,” “No One Is to Blame,” “Everlasting Love” and “Things Can Only Get Better. Following Jones’ introduction of the latter — when he stressed the importance of marriage equality — the set closed under a spray of rainbow lights as the song morphed into a thumping dance remix, with Jones hopping up and down like a teenager.

Culture Club’s set, meanwhile, was less geared toward the past, which Boy George noted after performing a handful of newer songs early in the show. The feel of the group’s set was noticeably different feel from the opening acts’, with slightly altered arrangements that gave hits like “Time (Clock of the Heart)” and “Miss Me Blind” less of a rock-concert feel.

With an eight-piece band that featured backing vocalists Roxy Yarnald and Vangelis Polydorou (a one-time finalist on “The Voice”), and that leaned on saxophone whiz Steve Frieder heavily at times, the vibe veered toward Vegas revue.

George was cast as the evening’s ringmaster in an over-sized sparkly yellow hat, baggy black pants and a yellow and black polka-dot jacket reminiscent of late wrestling legend (and one-time Charlotte resident) Dusty Rhodes’ famous WWF ring gear. With the over-sized Pharrell-style hat and platform sneakers, George was a towering figure, and at 62 looks and sounds great belting soulful songs like “Angel of Mercy” and “It’s a Miracle.”

The players — which include original Club members bassist Mikey Craig and guitarist Roy Hay — are complete pros, and George’s voice supported by Yarnald and Polydorou has held up well. A few songs were wisely played a step or two down from the originals, but the change was barely noticeable.

Again, though, it was clear George was more concerned with the present, something he emphasized before launching into the song “Let It Go,” which gave the tour its name.

“Joy is a choice,” he said. “It took me 60 years to realize that one.”

As impressive as the band is, the relaxed arrangements and minimal use of visuals on the backdrop didn’t trigger the same instant nostalgia that got the crowd dancing the way it had earlier in the night. “Miss Me Blind,” for instance, went straight to the verse without the a cappella intro, and the big bass-y bridge was more of a tap than a punch. “Church of the Poison Mind” became a terrific ode to fellow gay icon George Michael by segueing into a cover of Wham’s “I’m Your Man.” But I was waiting for the rippling whine of the harmonica to kick in, and when a sample finally did, it lacked the same drive as the original.

That’s not to say fans left disappointed. Although the ’80s momentum took a different turn as the night drew to a close, in the end Boy George stirred up nostalgia for his own youth — with encores of Rolling Stones’ “Sympathy for the Devil” and T-Rex’s “Get It On.”