Boy George wins over Tel Aviv crowd with music, message of solidarity

“I didn’t choose to be Spartacus,” joked the singer, referring to his outspoken support for Israel and Jews. “There was just a position, and I needed to fill it.”

Boy George delighted fans at a sold-out concert at Menora Mivtachim Arena in Tel Aviv on Wednesday night. 

The Culture Club frontman and solo singer from Britain, who first won the hearts of Israelis four decades ago wearing shirts with the name of his band in Hebrew, had the crowd on its feet from the moment he stepped on stage.

“I didn’t choose to be Spartacus,” joked the singer, referring to his outspoken support for Israel and Jews. “There was just a position, and I needed to fill it.”

Boy George, known for his outrageous outfits as well as his singing prowess, did not disappoint his fans as he sported a black and silver sequined hat, a rainbow sequined jacket, and plaid pants.

He mixed familiar Culture Club hits such as “Karma Chameleon” and “Miracle” with rock and pop classics that included Prince’s “Purple Rain” and the Rolling Stones’ “Sympathy for the Devil.”

Singer Ivry Lider joined him to sing the Culture Club song, “Do You Really Want to Hurt Me.” All the songs received thunderous applause from the adoring audience.

He also added moments of philosophical commentary and explained his decision to come to perform in Israel.

Talking about separating the online world from the real world, he commented, “There are sectors of society that believe in freedom of speech but doesn’t want me to have an opinion.”

Concert includes song dedicated to October 7

The performance also included new songs.

Towards the end of the show, he performed “We Will Dance Again,” a tribute to Nova survivors and the 364 people killed by Hamas there on October 7. The audience cheered loudly when he sang, “If you’re confused/I stand with the Jews.”

The previous day, he had given a press conference at the Nova Memorial site and met with Rachel Edri from Ofakim, who was held captive by Hamas for hours. He also went to the Kotel and met with President Isaac Herzog.

Sylvan Adams, president of the World Jewish Congress Israel, arranged the concerts and the press conference.

Adams announced Tuesday that 1,500 tickets to the November 7 concert, dedicated to the Nova community and featuring a special appearance by DJ Ofer Nissim, had been made available to survivors and their families through a collaboration with the Museum of Tolerance Jerusalem.

The Tribe of Nova Foundation and the Foreign Ministry also supported the concerts and Boy George’s visit.

The crowd floated happily out into the street on Wednesday, arguing about which songs were the best. The T-shirt vendors sold out their entire stock even before the concert started.

Some of those waiting in line for the merch discussed how they were going to see Boy George again on Saturday night.