Boy George's Pro-Israel Song Stirs-Up Controversy for Vancouver Summer Fair

More and more refund requests and complaints are rolling-in for Vancouver’s Pacific National Exhibition (PNE) 2026 Summer Night Concerts series next month after 80’s star Boy George released a pro-Israel, AI-assisted track.

PNE confirmed that since the song, “We Will Dance,” was released, they’ve received complaints about the upcoming concert, including refund requests and calls for cancellation. However, PNE said that they have no intentions of cancelling the event.

“For 116 years, the PNE has been a place where music and culture have been celebrated and have flourished,” a PNE spokesperson said in a statement. “As one of Canada’s leading locations for live music for more than a century, we have hosted literally thousands of artists — from Elvis to the Rolling Stones to the Stars of Drag to Marilyn Manson and now Boy George.”

The spokesperson added that event organizers take a “strong position of non-censorship, adhering to Canada’s protected freedom of expression and our own tradition of allowing the public to decide to purchase a ticket, or not, to the many shows and events held throughout Hastings Park and its many venues.” Organizers plan to work closely with the Vancouver Police Department and its security team to ensure that all eventgoers are safe.

Since the release of “We Will Dance” last month, Boy George has received backlash. Per advice from his manager, Boy George withdrew from his role as King Herod in the production of Jesus Christ Superstar at the London Palladium. Additionally, he parted ways with his record label manager, who refused to release the song on this imprint. The track was also removed to Bandcamp due to its no-AI stance.

Boy George has since said he would fire any member of his band, Culture Club, if they did not play the song.

The concert is set to move forward at PNE Fair’s Freedom Mobile Arch in Vancouver’s Hastings Park on September 7. Boy George and Culture Club will close-out the series; other acts set to perform throughout the summer include Zedd, Nelly, Cynthia Erivo with the VSO, Barenaked Ladies, and Pierce The Veil.