Bit out-the-box but at the week-end I treat myself to The Cure’s “Cureation” double Blu-ray set.
Only had chance to watch one of the shows so far, the one they played at the Royal Festival Hall after Robert Smith presented his Meltdown. This set took in order, one track from each of The Cure’s long back catalogue and so wasn’t necessarily peppered with the usual “hits”. Thing that really impressed me was that how the camerawork and editing presented each song in a contemporary style, from dark & grainy for Three Imaginary Boys to lurid colours of the 1980s and the choppy camera work of the 1990s and beyond. And what a great show, Reeves Gabriels giving beans on 2nd guitar bit Simon Gallup, the mainstay on bass; just seems to have aged to about 35 and stopped…
The second show is their 40th Anniversary from Hyde Park last summer, amore hit based set no doubt, but fingers crossed for a great watch.
As if it was in doubt; very much The Cure doing what they do best and almost “playful” about it. Sure there’s some set overlap but this is more a “hits” show. Great little end-piece where they sign off with a handful of numbers from what was their [Bob’s} 1st gig, Boys Don’t Cry; Jumping Someone Else’s Train; Grinding Halt and [dubious pc] Killing An Arab.
“Thanks for the last 4 decades and here’s to the next.” says Bob as he leaves the stage..? Well, this was the guy who said he’d pack it in at 40 years old, so I’ll believe it when it happens - but I’ll make a note in my diary - just in case…
Cureation Set List:- 40th Anniversary (Hyde ParK0
Part a - From There to Here Plainsong
Pictures of You
Three Imaginary Boys High
At Night A Night Like This
Other Voices The Walk
A Strange Day The End of The World
Bananafishbones Lovesong
A Night Like This Push
Like Cockatoos Inbetween Days
Pictures of You Just Like Heaven
High If Only Tonight We Could Sleep
Jupiter Crash Play For Today
39 A Forest
Us or Them Shake Dog Shake
It's Over (first live performance since 19 Apr. 2009) Burn
It Can Never Be the Same Fascination Street
Never Enough
part b - From Here to There From the Edge of The Deep Green Sea
Disintegration
Step Into the Light
The Hungry Ghost Encore:-
alt.end
The Last Day of Summer Lulllaby
Want The Caterpillar
From the Edge of the Deep Green Sea Friday I'm In Love
Disintegration Close To Me
If Only Tonight We Could Sleep Why Can't I Be You
Sinking Boys Don't Cry
Shake Dog Shake Jumping Someone Else's Train
One Hundred Years Grinding Halt
Primary 10:15 Saturday Night
A Forest Killing An Arab
Boys Don't Cry
When life gives you lemons; don't make lemonade.
Give back the lemons. Why were the lemons free? What's wrong with the lemons?
Do Not trust the lemons...