I was a slow starter when it came to The Cure, really just the odd song I heard on the radio that I thought was good. Then one night, The Cure – Live in Orange was played on the TV and I heard the none charty side to them and I was hooked.
It’s hard to describe what is so likeable about The Cure, probably the fact there is no one like them at all is a starter. I am by no means a big super fan but there are over 40 songs on my Cure playlist.
The last and only time I had seen them live was at Old Trafford Cricket Ground in Manchester, 2003.
I missed the support due to a guy trying to get his family in without tickets so it was just The Cure for me tonight.
Robert Smith walked out on stage with the band, after a long instrumental intro of Alone, he eventually approached the microphone and added his unique voice to the music. At this time I was in the pit.
Shivers went up my spine when they started playing Pictures of You, this song hilds so much emotion of my past. It reminds me of the massive highs and lows of a special time in my life. Absolutely love the song.
After that we were escorted from the pit, one lady shouted ‘yaaay fuck off you twats” which made me smile. A night like this had just started playing. When I had placed my camera in gold, I returned to the Arena to Love Song, another beautiful song.
Through the night I was treated to a few songs I had never really heard, some new and one from Bloodflowers….The Last Day of Summer. Every one of my absolute favourites were played….A Forest, A Strange Day, Push, Play for Today, Shake Dog Shake……there was even a version of a song I’m not keen on but sounded really good the way they played it…At Night.
My only disappointment was The Edge of the Deep Green Sea, to me this song is the absolute masterpiece of The Cure epic discography. But for some reason it didn’t sound right, I’m not sure if it was where I was standing and the echo was interfering. I’m not sure but it didn’t matter as I was belting the words out myself anyway.
I stayed until the interval, I had to get back home. At whatever age Robert Smith is, he is still a God on that stage aswell as the rest of the band. Was such a good night and I’ve always wanted to Photograph them.
Looking at the Setlist, I really wish I could have stayed for Disintegration at the end of the first encore but wasn’t to be.
Fab night!!!
Words/Photos by Gerald Falconberger
