Aug. 23rd,1989-Philadelphia,Pa. (The Spectrum)

The Cure Brings a Moody Sound to a Sold-out Spectrum

by Scott Brodeur of the Philadelphia Inquirer (8/24/89)

The pre-show setting at the Cure's Spectrum performance last night had all
the markings of a classic cliche in eclecticism.
Big-haired people dressed in black baggy clothing packed into the arena to
see the pride of British underground.It looked like an art-school ball.

The thick fog and gloomy blue footlights perpetuated the notion as the band
walked onto the stage.But from the opening piano notes of the melodic
"Plainsong," the band shoved aside attitude and pushed out great music.
A crystal-clear sound system,a spectacular light show and a truly versatile
selection of songs made the 2 1/2-hour show enjoyable for the sellout crowd,
which remained standing almost all night.

Led by vocalist Robert Smith,whose hair looked like an untrimmed shrub,the
quintet was virtually flawless.The group's dark subtlety,sometimes lost on
vinyl,beamed through with grace and power in the set,which featured two
lengthy encores.

Even the joyless dirges on the band's latest of 11 albums,Disintegration
(Elektra),kept the crowd's attention with moody musicianship and a dramatic
sense of dynamics.

It was the peppy pop from the group's earlier days that drew the shrills
from the young crowd.Bouncy versions of "In Between Days," "Just Like Heaven"
and "Boys Don't Cry" threw the audience into the biggest frenzies.
The band also reached into its pseudo-disco drawer to pull out "Why Can't I
Be You?" and "Let's Go to Bed."

The most moving material,though,was the dreamy new stuff,such as the
deliberate "Pictures of You" and "Prayers for Rain," where elongated lyrical
guitar solos,muscular drums and airy synthesizer swoons created a
multilayered wall of emotion.

Smith's vocals remained intense throughout,unaided by harmonies,which could
have only polluted an already smooth,clean performance.The Cure is scheduled
to return to the Spectrum on Sept. 21,with tickets to that performance to go
on sale Monday.

Review by Sandra Garcia of B-Side (Dec. 89/Jan. 90)

Let's put a bit of perspective on this entire Cure matter.
Point one:I've never seen the Cure before.I never had the urge to do so.
Point two:I don't own any Cure albums.I never felt compelled to go out and
buy them.I didn't threaten friends with murder if they put on The Top or
Pornography while I was over their house,but after a few songs Robert
Smith's whiny,irritating and utterly self-indulgent vocals would overwhelm
the otherwise excellent music and well,you get that point.I guess I wanted
them to be an instrumental band!

But since word had it (as it had before) that Bobby was citing this as the
last tour I thought well,why not.I had heard that the light show was fairly
lyrical,and better yet,Shelleyanne Orphan,that wild and crazy band from the
land of Byron,was opening.Although it was funny to see all the Dan Ash
clones who thought that Love and Rockets were opening due to the Giants
Stadium show three days hence become terribly confused when their dry ice
heroes didn't take the stage.

Further confusion was evidenced by the well-informed,dedicated music fans
seated behind me who thought Shelleyanne Orphan were the Pixies.Gee,they do
both have females in the band.Better yet,these feeble minded sorts had
backstage passes weasled from God knows where.These enlightened youngsters
put the audience in perspective in my mind.

But luckily for Shelleyanne Orphan the ill-informed audience still received
them graciously,the Shelley's eclectic blend of neo-classical romance
combined with up-beat rhythms pleasing the scenesters.People I talked to
thought they set the mood well for the Cure,and were surprised to learn that
the Shelley's are Bob's current fave raves,they also having opened on the
Cure's European tour.
Seeming slighttly nervous at first,main Shelleys Caroline Crawley and Jemaur
Tayle soon gracefully dominated the stage,making one think of being in a
sunny British meadow while music tinged the warm summer air as you wonder if
butterflies really have to die as the grass cushions your head...it's a
strange and oddly relaxing state of mind as you drift and
listen...Oops,hell,I'm still back this ice hockey rink.It's also a perfect
situation:the Orphans got wonderful exposure,while the Cure got a superior
opening act.That seemed like a fair deal.

Once the Shelley's tripped off the stagethe crowd did their typical beer and
bathroom stint,shifting from seat to seat in that ever questing search for a
prime vantage point.Even yours truely wasn't in her proper seat,I using my
photographer's seat rather than the press box special waiting for me.That's
one dull place,the press box.Too far away and sterily out of touch with the
music in more ways than one.

When Bob Smith and crew took the stage they did it with impressive style.
The lightening was largely responsible for this,and I realized after the
show that if it hadn't been for the brilliant use of lights I would have
been bored for the most part.Bob paced the stage in his sneakers,and even
got physical by kicking a beach ball back into the audience.This made the
young Bob wannabees drool all over their black Bob t-shirts which they had
had just shelled out 20 bucks for.It was interesting to note the yuppie
brigade getting restless when Bob drew out certain older standards,they
wanting to dance but realizing they'd look mighty silly dancing to drone.So
they contented themselves to some stray screaming and nervous hip twitching.

Standouts in my mind were 'In Between Days', 'The Walk' and 'Fascination
Street',these reaching a state of true conviction and passion. 'Why Can't I
Be You' was forced as usual,and 'Let's Go To Bed' suffered from the dragging
out it received.The song title sounded like a fine idea afterwards.I grew to
realize that just like Siouxsie and The Banshees,there's this private
wavelength to the Cure,and if you're not truely clicked into it you just
find your mind wandering.Unless of course you're a yuppie scenster out to
rave it up cause Bob and the boys sounded cool on the radio last night.Then
you could be at Van Halen and enjoy it.But boring Bob makes my mind
wander,unlike the captivatingly dynamic Sioux.Even with the beautiful
lightshow.I was thinking about...no,I won't tell you.

Bob did get my full approval by making snide comments about union policy and
time limits,and he did play right up to his union witching hour.He
definitley gave value for the entertainment dollar and I have no doubt
whatsoever if you were a Cure fan,this show probably hit the musical mark.I
can't take that away from these cheery guys but geez,that new keyboardist is
such a little poseur.

But if you really weren't...I give high points for the staging,but if that's
the last tour for Bob and the boys who don't cry I won't go into mourning...
or even mild distress.Cause I'll be thinking of other more lively things.

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