Some minor complications right away. Jamie received 4 tickets via 1 pdf file (and of course they still charged him fees for that.) He said "print out 3 and 4." I printed out page 3 and 4 of the pdf and was on my way. We got to the venue first and got in no problems. Shortly after we sit down, I get a call from Jamie saying " I told you to print out 3 and 4 you jackass." It turns out that pages 3 and 4 of the pdf were tickets 1 and 2. So neither of us was wrong but I was concerned that he wasn't able to get in because we both printed out the same tickets. But he was smart and printed out all 4 of the tickets and was able to get in. Phew, dodged that one.
The Show
The lights dimmed, some familiar, subtle chimes ringing as a starscape covered the back screen an began slowly moving towards us. The drummer walked out, then a guitar player and a bassist, then Robert. Cheers for each, but moreso for the drummer and Robert which leads me to believe that the drummer could be an original, but the guitarists flanking Robert were definitely not original, they seemed young and strapping. An instant wall of sound flowing into "Plainsong" and the long awaited, postponed-for-a-year Cure concert was under way.
The vocals were so full and clear, actually better than I remember him being in the past.
They played for quite a while, with many breaks in between, I can't say that they were encores, I think Robert just had to pee alot due to an enlarged prostate :)
Memorable moments: It was cool to see them show some of the old single covers on the back screen for some of the songs, they did so for "Pictures of You", "Primary", "Lovesong", they showed "The Walk" cover, but they didn't play "The Walk", I forget what song they showed that for (maybe "Let's Go To Bed", since it was from the Japanese Whispers album, as was "The Walk.")
They had a cool animation during "Lullaby" with spider shadows and the weird Seussian spider legs all about.
"Close To Me" had some suspect vocal tracks, Robert wasn't anywhere near the mic and we hear some of his crazy interjections clearly playing over the speakers. Robert made several weird gestures like "WTF" to the sound guys, perhaps they were playing a vocal track they weren't supposed to play. After that song he went out of his way to show that he was really singing by not singing certain verses and letting the crowd sing those sections.
He spoke a few times in between songs, but I'll be damned if I could understand him with that accent.
Jamie pointed out that there was no keyboard on stage which seems weird, since there has always seemed to be a keyboard presence in most of The Cure songs. They did a good job spoofing it with guitar effects on "Love Cats", but, like many others, I was ready to hear "The Caterpillar" after "Love Cats", and could not imagine it being done without a keyboard/piano. They didn't play "The Caterpillar" at all.
They played one of my favorite songs, "Jumping Someone Else's Train" with the full video, the song went a bit longer than the video as the screen faded to black, and they went right into "Grinding Halt" which was perfect... loved it.
They played "The Forest" video with the negative tree images transposing over one another.
I would say the highlight of the show was "Killing an Arab", it was much faster version of the song, I can't really explain it, but it was awesome, I would love a copy of it if anyone has one. He also seemed to say something other than "arab" at some points, I don't know if that was some political thing, or just his weird accent.
"Freakshow" - this must be a new song, it sounded pretty cool, but at some point Anusheh and I looked at each other and wondered if he was trying to rap or what.
Songs I remember them playing (not in this order tho) Plainsong Close To Me Disintegration Pictures of You Fascination Street Like a Baby Screams The Blood In Between Days Push Lullaby Lovesong Primary Jumping Someone Else's Train Grinding Halt Play for Today Just Like Heaven Hot Hot Hot Love Cats 10:15 on a Saturday Night Let's Go to Bed 100 Years Shake Dog Shake Killing an Arab Boys Don't Cry A Forest To Wish Impossible Things Freakshow
He said "print out 3 and 4."
I printed out page 3 and 4 of the pdf and was on my way.
We got to the venue first and got in no problems. Shortly after we sit down, I get a call from Jamie saying " I told you to print out 3 and 4 you jackass."
It turns out that pages 3 and 4 of the pdf were tickets 1 and 2. So neither of us was wrong but I was concerned that he wasn't able to get in because we both printed out the same tickets. But he was smart and printed out all 4 of the tickets and was able to get in. Phew, dodged that one.
The Show
The lights dimmed, some familiar, subtle chimes ringing as a starscape covered the back screen an began slowly moving towards us. The drummer walked out, then a guitar player and a bassist, then Robert. Cheers for each, but moreso for the drummer and Robert which leads me to believe that the drummer could be an original, but the guitarists flanking Robert were definitely not original, they seemed young and strapping. An instant wall of sound flowing into "Plainsong" and the long awaited, postponed-for-a-year Cure concert was under way.
The vocals were so full and clear, actually better than I remember him being in the past.
They played for quite a while, with many breaks in between, I can't say that they were encores, I think Robert just had to pee alot due to an enlarged prostate :)
Memorable moments:
It was cool to see them show some of the old single covers on the back screen for some of the songs, they did so for "Pictures of You", "Primary", "Lovesong", they showed "The Walk" cover, but they didn't play "The Walk", I forget what song they showed that for (maybe "Let's Go To Bed", since it was from the Japanese Whispers album, as was "The Walk.")
They had a cool animation during "Lullaby" with spider shadows and the weird Seussian spider legs all about.
"Close To Me" had some suspect vocal tracks, Robert wasn't anywhere near the mic and we hear some of his crazy interjections clearly playing over the speakers. Robert made several weird gestures like "WTF" to the sound guys, perhaps they were playing a vocal track they weren't supposed to play. After that song he went out of his way to show that he was really singing by not singing certain verses and letting the crowd sing those sections.
He spoke a few times in between songs, but I'll be damned if I could understand him with that accent.
Jamie pointed out that there was no keyboard on stage which seems weird, since there has always seemed to be a keyboard presence in most of The Cure songs. They did a good job spoofing it with guitar effects on "Love Cats", but, like many others, I was ready to hear "The Caterpillar" after "Love Cats", and could not imagine it being done without a keyboard/piano. They didn't play "The Caterpillar" at all.
They played one of my favorite songs, "Jumping Someone Else's Train" with the full video, the song went a bit longer than the video as the screen faded to black, and they went right into "Grinding Halt" which was perfect... loved it.
They played "The Forest" video with the negative tree images transposing over one another.
I would say the highlight of the show was "Killing an Arab", it was much faster version of the song, I can't really explain it, but it was awesome, I would love a copy of it if anyone has one. He also seemed to say something other than "arab" at some points, I don't know if that was some political thing, or just his weird accent.
"Freakshow" - this must be a new song, it sounded pretty cool, but at some point Anusheh and I looked at each other and wondered if he was trying to rap or what.
Songs I remember them playing (not in this order tho)
Plainsong
Close To Me
Disintegration
Pictures of You
Fascination Street
Like a Baby Screams
The Blood
In Between Days
Push
Lullaby
Lovesong
Primary
Jumping Someone Else's Train
Grinding Halt
Play for Today
Just Like Heaven
Hot Hot Hot
Love Cats
10:15 on a Saturday Night
Let's Go to Bed
100 Years
Shake Dog Shake
Killing an Arab
Boys Don't Cry
A Forest
To Wish Impossible Things
Freakshow