In Your House, Fascination St., The Walk, Lets Go To Bed, Inbetween Days, Pictures of You, Lullaby,The
Lovecats, Maybe Someday, Hot Hot Hot, Lovesong, Close To Me, Why Can't I Be You, Friday I'm In Love,
Just Like Heaven, Play For Today, Hey You!!, A Forest

Encore: Fire In Cairo, Grinding Halt, 10:15 Saturday Night, Boys Don't Cry

Show was 1 hour and 35 minutes

(Thanks to Hugh & Olivier for the setlist and notes)

---

(Thanks Melanie)

Photos

From Vicky / From Olivier / From Bill / From Shane

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Audio

"In Your House", "Lovecats", "Hey You" and "Fire In Cairo/Grinding Halt"
 MP3s in the Forever Drowing forum
(Thanks Arnaud)

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Video

In Your House (2MB) - Fascination St. (8.5MB) - The Walk (6.5MB) - Let's Go To Bed (2.6MB)

(Thanks to Laura and Sabine for the files)
 

(Thanks Melanie)

"could you do me a favour, its a last ditch attempt - i lost my camera at the gig last night and i had almost finished
my film with lots of great photos on it, it must have jumped out of my bag in the most, could you put a note up
asking if anyone happened to find a black aps camera, i'm not bothered about the camera...just the film inside it,
I'm gutted;))

My friend said they saw someone pick something up off the floor at that time i would be very grateful for its
return:( argghhhh i had some great pictures of us all!!!"

"Ange isnt the only one. I lost my Sony digital camera with 128mb memory card £300 worth. sounds a bit like
some dodgy camera thief about. I too had piccies of the band on there, met the band after the show and will try
to get the pics sent in soon that Sylvia and Sue kindly took, but please try to find my camera too."

Divine decadence, Dahling!

Events: The dress code is part 80’s icon, part mid-life crisis as The Cure make a area return to the spotlight.
It’s like The Last Days or Rome, reports Rob Fitzpatrick- with canapés.

It came to me just as Robert Smith leaned back ever so slightly and let the opening chords of Inbetween Days
quicken the air around him. I doubt I’d listened to the track even once in the last ten years, but I found every
nuance, every melodic flourish, every tiny yelp of pleasure had been lodged so deeply in my brain from the
years I’d hear it eight, nine, ten times a week, that I was anticipating all the infinite pleasures the track had yet
to deliver even as I was wrapped up in the marvel of the moment. Smith, dressed from to toe in vibrant – sorry, I
mean rumpled, shapeless black – was visibly buoyed by the fevered abandonment of the crowd and let a small
smile flash across his face. Which, rather naturally, simply caused yet more abandonment. The Cure had been on
stage for around forty minutes and here was another classic single, another classic outsider-pop moment, another
passionate, witty, hugely melodic gem that, had it been pulled out of the ether by some achingly over-milked
also-ran like Syd Barrett, would be – entirely rightly – heralded as one of the most startlingly wonderful
psyche-pop songs ever written.

And so it came to me again. Why, nearly 25 years into a career that’s seen them sell millions of records in major
markets and continents no one else ever bothered visiting much, and whole decades inspiring devotion and
delight in equal amounts, are The Cure still viewed as the amusing, cartoon cousins of supposedly unimpeachable
avatars of 80’s cool like New Order of The Smiths when they’re quite clearly, at the very least, their equal? In
fact, had you, like me, spent four and a half minutes floating three inches above the ground as Just Like Heaven
spooled out around you like the whispering ghost of a person you may once have been, you’d probably consider
them more than equal to anyone. I know I did.

Tonight was party night. Tonight hot slices of real, actual magic fizzed in the air of this most blank and soulless
of venues – a concrete bunker situated in the grasping maw of a shopping mall. Tonight a crowd of people long
since old enough to be over pop music and all it’s teasingly faux forms came together and experienced potent,
undeniable flashes of why they ever got caught up in the whole ridiculous game in the first place. Tonight was
also for charity, with the Nordoff Robbins Music Therapy benefiting from the fifty quid a pop tickets. At the
downstairs bar some people had taken the evening’s fancy dress suggestion a little more to heart than others.
A man in an ill-fitting silver Bowie outfit – evidently from the under-appreciated Spiders From Land era - flitted
between various Adam Ant-a-likes, a handful of very convincing Siouxsies, a truly terrifying Slash and the tallest
and hairiest Marilyn Monroe it had ever been my misfortune to witness. Christmas was still two weeks away,
but the warm-up DJ’s linking of party favourites like Blur and Blondie, The Undertones and Dead or Alive
meant the dance floor was never less than heaving, but it was only when he played P.I.L.’s debut single hat a
visceral sense of danger washed across the room. A young woman in a top hat ‘n’ wig combo even a young Noddy
Holder would consider over-poweringly outlandish appears momentarily non-plussed, but recovered quickly when
her friend handed her a fresh alcopop. I was about to applaud the guy in the leather jacket, fright wig and beard
ensemble for his peerless Arthur Baker impression – and his two huge-haired female accomplices – when he got
escorted by three guys with walkie–talkies the fifty yards up to the stage to play some excellent remixes or what
have you and I realized it actually was Arthur Baker. It was that kind of evening.

In the VIP bar 50 feet above the dance floor, black-clad lovelies passed out Vietnamese spring rolls and
iced-flutes of champagne. Dom Joly grinned an empty, shattered grin into the mouth of another hungry TV
camera and dangerously over-animated hangers-on smoked furiously and shouted in each other’s unlistening
ears. A man dressed as Andy Warhol – no, really – mercilessly dragged a tiny old woman towards the cameras
and she blinked and winced beneath their lights. No one seemed to have any idea why. Then, on stage, a man
dressed as Robert Smith, in fact it was Robert Smith, said “Hello” and the entire place sent noisily mad.

The first surprise was how nonsurprising this Robert Smith looked. Three hours earlier, in a bar across the
road, a friend had warned me that this most instantly recognisable of frontmen had become moon-faced and
bloated in the last few, quietly comfortable years. If that’s ever been true then there was no sign of it tonight
because the Robert Smith who walked on stage just after half past 10 wore his 45 years with easy grace. He
may well have just got out of bed – the shirt certainly looked slept in and the hair, once a proud flourish was now
more of a thick, comfortable helmet, but this man didn’t look demonstrably different to the lipstick-slashed star
of a thousand episodes of The Tube and TOTP. Then they started playing and something I just didn’t expect to
happen, happened. If I’m honest, In Your House has never struck me as being much of a sing-a-long number.
The inky-blackness of Smith’s saucer-pupiled lyrics have always seemed much too dream-like, too lost on the
rolling, boiling waves of nascent lysergia to make it much of a hands-in-the-air crowd pleaser, but, within seconds
of the band wandering on and striking it up, Smith was watching with evident delight as every single mad,
wonderful word got sung right back at him. I felt shocked at my own unstoppable, instantaneous reaction to the
song. I was gripped, thrilled, moved. If anything, the track sounded more youthfully, innocently unhinged than it
did when I first heard it  - and instantly fell for it – on a borrowed copy of the Seventeen Seconds LP some
nineteen years ago. “I change the time in your house/The hours I take, go so slow” sings Smith, the frictionless,
boundary-free escapism of his words marking out a time when all those ruinous nights spent sailing the good ship
Excess seemed to have little, if any, impact on the rest of your life. How long ago does that seem? Very. How
infuriatingly uplifting and gleefully melancholic is it to be allowed such a savagely clear window into Smith’s –
and to an extent, your own – past with just a few pie-eyed words and s rejig of the tune from Dear Prudence?
Very very.

Pausing only to let Smith take a few hefty swigs from a bottle of lager, the band grab angrily at Fascination
Street from 1989’s Disintegration album. Just ten minutes earlier this venue had felt just comfortably full, but
now felt genuinely packed, and while the song was a starkly brutal burst of purple fire, Smith has rarely sounded
more frustrated, more vicious than he does here, it also swung like many, many Cure tracks, on strong, rhythmic
roots. Those roots ran deeply through the almost criminally ancient Let’s Go To Bed which got introduced with
an odd, rambling monologue where Smith laughs about ‘throwing the baby out with the bath water’, but failed to
make much sense. It’s not important, what is important is how the song demonstrates Smith’s innate pop suss
and wickedly self-deprecating sense of humor. A pop song about being frightened of the very prospect of sex?
How very English. Let’s Go To Bed is riddled with synth noises and drum sounds that, were they accompanying
anyone else’s words would sounds woundingly cheesy, but on The Cure they sounded perfectly in place, of
themselves, purposeful?

Another thing you notice about The Cure circa 2003 is how tracks that once seemed gnarled with a morbid
bombast have been smoothed like marble-seamed sea-shore stones by the passing years. Back upstairs in the
VIP bar, Love Song was greeted by a round of over-excited cheers. Two smartly-suited men, clearly more than
familiar with the bland reality of corporate gig going spin around with the kind of uncaring abandon that most
people lost around the age of six. The really shocking thing is that there’s no “Look! I’m dancing!” element to
their show, no irony, they’re not joking. They’re loving every second their blissful abandonment and I don’t recall
ever seeing anything quite like it. If they’d removed their ties and secured them around their heads there’d have
been something drunkenly tragic about the whole thing, as it was it just seemed perfectly innocent. The other
shocking thing is none of their peers really took any notice, they just seemed to wordlessly decree that men in
the late 30’s dancing like children who’ve never been laughed at A Good Thing and got on with watching the band.

There was more of Smith’s minutely-detailed fringe-theatre for the beautiful Lullaby, a song I remember disliking
quite intensely at the time of its release but one that now, nearly fifteen years on, seems rich and heavy with
wonder. Hearing the choppy, metronomic guitar lines reminded me immediately of Smith’s nightmarish gasps in
the cobwebbed video and as he sang, “His arms around me/And his tongue in my eyes” the paranoid dissolution
of his words sounded a million weary miles from the crisp, youthful apple-green acid-trip of In Your House. But
the song – and the imagery around it - could also be held up as one of the reasons many people don’t take The
Cure as seriously as they should. It’s not easy to divorce the image of a pigeon-toed Smith pushing his thumbs
through the wrist-cuffs of his voluminous black pullover as giant spiders prepare to nest in the explosion of ebony
horse-hair on top of his head. However, if you let the Goth King fantasy arrest your interest in the real story –
Smith’s huge number of astonishingly good songs – then you’ve denied yourself some amazing treats.

I never imagined a time in my life I’d feel the need to hear Lovecats again, but as soon as that bassline
reverberated around the room things just got even weirder than before. A woman in a neck-brace puts her
fingers under the liquid chocolate fountain at the side of the (free) bar and a small queue of men formed, eager to
lick them clean. It was like something out of the last days of Rome, only with more Sea Breezers and canapés.
There’s actually something infuriatingly twee about Lovecats, but that just made me love it more and when the
chorus made a mad, melodic leap for the ceiling (“Hand in hand is the only way to land”), all you could do was
laugh out loud and feel the corners of you mouth stretching up to meet your ears. I wasn’t that surprised when,
during The Kiss (note: The Kiss was not played), the front rows began to hug each with pleasure as I’d just
watched two girls behind the bar dance with each other as they poured drinks and the atmosphere was becoming
distinctly Dionyssian.

The famously claustrophobic Close To Me still throbbed with passion and desire. Smith’s outpouring of beautiful
words and melodies was beginning to make my head spin – has a woman ever been as worshipped in song as
Mary, Smith’s partner of twenty odd years? Try as he might to hide behind the hair, the lip-stick or the clothes,
his talent was always too overwhelming for him to be able to do anything other than cling on and ride it, never
certain where it might go next.

By now, I’m front-left of the stage taking appalling pictures on my new phone and wondering what the hell he’s
going to pull out of the bag next. I fear that if it’s A Night Like This I’ll have to be carried out chest high on a
stretcher. Bit it isn’t. It’s Friday I’m In Love and as soon as they reached the last chorus I think of the Big Star
track (Back Of A Car) that followed it on a mix-tape I made, and lost, eight or nine years ago.

“We’re almost there!” laughed Smith as he leapt from the outrageous beauty of Just Like Heaven to the ringing,
arpeggiarted (?) of Play for Today, another song that wears its easy petulance with pride. Morrissey has long
since been praised for his indolent drollery, but he never wrote anything as breath-takingly Fuck You as this,
“It’s not a case of doing what’s right,” Smith sang, “It’s just the way I feel that matters,” and I believed him
tonight as I believed him twenty years ago. Smith has never stopped being this Robert Smith character even
when it threatened – or, more probably, actually did – take over his whole life. And it’s not over yet, a new
album is scheduled for the spring and Smith will take The Cure out again in front of the curious and the
devoted. If you’ve ever as much as wriggled a toe in your shoe to one of their records I implore you to go
see them.

So yes, they finished with A Forest and it went on for ages and everything, but they could have played pretty
much anything at this point so high was the emotion in the room. And yes, the band were fairly anonymous – save
for long-term bass player Simon Gallup who slung his instrument around like a man intent on breaking as many
limbs on as many other people as possible – but then, really, when weren’t they? It’s only Smith and the songs
that matter, the rest is just window-dressing. Hilarious, addled window-dressing, but window-dressing none the
less.

On my way out into the street a woman without a ticket who was dressed as Robert Smith asked me were they
any good. “Were they any good?” I pondered. “You know what, they were better than I ever could have possibly
imagined.” She seemed happy enough with the answer. But she wasn’t as happy as me.

(Thanks to Christine for the transcription)

There's life in the old love cats yet

The Cure are in danger of becoming cool again - though the canapés are not very rock'n'roll...

Kitty Empire
Sunday December 14, 2003
The Observer

The Cure
Islington Academy, London N1

The smell of posh miniature burgers is wafting around the Islington Academy, disguising the underlying aroma
of 'new venue'. There are people made up to look like Elvis and members of Kiss, the work of a posse of face
painters.

Waitresses ferry round trays of finger food, while a crush of waxen-faced, floridly dressed folk (the sort who
apply their face paint themselves) gathers in front of the stage. We'd call them goths, but it seems harsh. They
are Cure fans, and there is a minute difference.

Gigs are not usually like this. This, however, is an event in aid of the Nordoff-Robbins music therapy charity,
and the prevailing mood is one of slightly deranged jollity. Excitement, too, as this is the smallest gig The Cure
have played in aeons. Instead of Robert Smith being just a totemic fuzzy black shape in the distance, he will be
a totemic fuzzy black shape at close quarters.

The Cure were never a trendy or cool band, exactly, and they aren't now. It's hard, for instance, not to laugh at
Simon Gallup's comedy goth bass-playing stance, a cross between praying mantis and the Hunchback of Notre
Dame. The Cure are enjoying something of a well-earned revival, however. A clutch of hip American bands have
recently strip-mined the sounds of the British early Eighties in their music. There's Interpol, who owe a debt to
Echo & The Bunnymen and The Cure. There's Hot Hot Heat (XTC and The Cure). You can hear The Cure most
limpidly in a couple of songs by The Rapture, where Luke Jenner's voice apes Robert Smith's strangulated howl.
The Deftones - the nu-metal band it's OK to like - admit a Cure fixation. The Cure's  new producer and label
boss, Ross Robinson, is another American of a certain age and noisy disposition who grew up on them. They
won a Q Award this year for 'Inspiration', but as Smith himself put it in his acceptance speech, 'It feels like we
are actually getting the "UK paradigm shift" award 2003.' And their last headline gig - in LA last September -
sold out in record time. Not bad for a band who announced they were quitting in the aftermath of 2000's
Bloodflowers. Robert Smith's solo album appears to have been shelved for now.

Newly re-energised, the band are in the studio recording with Robinson (who normally does bands such as
Slipknot and Amen). Tonight's emphasis, however, isn't on how The Cure might sound in their fourth decade
as a band. They play only one song from Bloodflowers, the relatively simple and poppy 'Maybe Someday'. The
long-winded, lugubrious Cure of the Nineties don't get much of a look-in either. Instead, Smith, Gallup, keyboard
player Roger O'Donnell, guitarist Perry Bamonte and 'new' drummer Jason Cooper (who's been in the band since
the mid-Nineties) unfurl a lengthy sequence of greatest hits and rarely aired treats. Smith may have written
some of the most despairing songs in the modern pop canon (The Cure's existential Faith album of 1981 is a
particular favourite), but his band are mostly remembered for their cheery, mischievous singles and vast reserve
of bittersweet love songs.

It all starts with 'In Your House', from 1980's 17 Seconds album. An hour and a half later, it ends with 'Boys
Don't Cry', The Cure's second single from 1979. Every song is met with a surge of joy from the crowd that you
could almost taste (if it weren't for the odour of canapés). They play 'Play for Today'; no one young in 2003 can
have a clue what the title refers to, but twentysomethings in skinny ties and Hoxton haircuts are dancing to it
blissfully. The Cure never, ever play 'The Lovecats' - the cheeriest, most mischievous of their singles. It won
them mainstream appeal, and quickly grew to be something of an albatross around their neck (think Radiohead
and 'Creep'). But they play it tonight, with O'Donnell essaying a little cheeky honky tonk piano solo to boot.
They return for an encore as a three-piece, and play 'Fire in Cairo' and 'Grinding Halt' from their debut album.
My 15-year-old self is beside herself.

For a stadium rock deity, Smith seems at a peculiar loss for words between songs. 'I've got to stand here and be
engaging,' he mutters, adjusting his earpieces in that way he has that makes him look like a cuddly rendition of
Munch's The Scream. But he seems to be having a nice time - the kind of nice time a man can have when
fashion starts subtly coming back round to him.

CAUGHT LIVE - THE CURE, ISLINGTON ACADEMY

GOTHS don't smile very often. But the lucky few who managed to snag a ticket to this tiny club gig had grins
the size of saucers plastered over their pale faces. And rightly so, as the Killing An Arab rockers rocked the
Islington Academy with a rapturously received greatest hits set.
Frontman Robert Smith was on glorious form, bantering with the sweaty crowd between hits like The Love Cats,
Friday I'm In Love and Close To Me. Looking surprisingly sprightly for a group who've been peddling their dark
and mysterious take on rock music for close to 30 years now, the veteran gloom-rockers showed that age hasn't
slowed them down one little bit. And by the time the crazy-haired Smith belted out Boys Don't Cry, there wasn't
any black eyeliner left un-smudged - as a fanatical audience cheered their heroes off into the chilly winter night.

"It was a really brilliant, fun show, and the best part was just seeing how happy the band looked up there on that
tiny stage, smiles all around. The stage was a lot smaller than I thought, and the whole place looked more like a
bar than a club, and to be sure, there were two long bars along the side walls. I couldn't say how many people
were actually there, but it didn't look to me like 800. The queue outside around the time the doors opened (late)
was maybe around 250, but people kept filing in after that - not a bad idea since the Cure set only started around
10:30.

The DJ set was cause for hilarity, not because of what they were doing or playing, but because of how bored and
out of it the audience looked, people sitting down on the floor, looking about absent-mindedly, going and coming
from the bars. By 9:30 or so it started to look pretty strange: it was packed, but not more than five people did as
much as bop their heads. The DJs spent most of the time talking among themselves behind the deck (have to say
I felt quite sorry for them). The floor livened up suddenly when Roger came out and walked quickly through the
crowd to the back of the venue - all heads turned around to watch him, so now the DJs were faced with a crowd
with their backs to them! I didn't see what Roger was up to at the back, nor when he returned backstage, he
must have walked around to the other side. He was all smiles and waved to people while walking through.

Finally the tech guys came on stage and did the last instrument tune-ups a little after 10pm, to loud cheers from
the (now awakened) crowd. I kept looking at Robert's sleek black Bass VI, on a stand right in my line of sight,
behind Roger's keyboard. The Silver Falcon was next to it, and then the acoustic twelve-string. Simon's
Thunderbird and the gold-top Gibson were lined up as well, and then Perry's beloved red Gibson and a shiny
looking Bass VI with a flaming pickguard (reissue maybe? it looked new). It was exciting just to look at them,
and think of all the magic that their owners' fingers would bring out. The background music stopped and
restarted a few times (tease!) while the crew finished the preparations. They taped down the setlists and I could
have peeked at them but didn't want to - why spoil a surprise?

And a surprise it was! The band walks on stage to a huge crowd roar, Robert says a quick hello and smiles
around and they launch into a totally unexpected 'In Your House'. For the first few notes we looked
disbelievingly at each other ('In Your House'? Surely we must be dreaming??), and then the cheers nearly
drowned out the music. It flowed through the hall, beautiful and haunting, the stage bathed in cool blue lights,
like a dream. Such a wonderful, heartfelt rendition, and surely worth bringing back into future tour setlists
(hint, hint ;) ).

Then we were off to hit-land with a strong, bouncy 'Fascination Street', and the crowd that had been so dead
during the DJ set suddenly found its dancing feet, and kept getting wilder as the show went on. 'The Walk',
'Let's Go To Bed' and 'Inbetween Days' found the band at its most playful and funny, Roger grinning ear to ear,
Robert making cute funny faces and taking little dance steps around the microphone (there was hardly any
space to move), Simon dancing with his bass, Jason looking up smiling from behind the drums, and Perry looking
mostly concentrated on playing as usual, but raising his eyebrows and grinning mischievously at the crowd
every so often.

'The Lovecats' was the second big surprise and it was a great, lively version, with Roger looking like he had
a fab time at the keyboards. I don't remember seeing anyone smile this widely! Robert sang a few lines looking
straight at me and we both laughed. No walks on the dark side tonight... the fun was ON. 'Maybe Someday' (the
only post-1992 song of the set! odd) led to yet another surprise, 'Hot Hot Hot!!!'. This one set the center mosh
pit into a bouncing frenzy, with everybody singing along and doing the hand gestures. A fun song, and it sounded
great. "Now we'll try something a bit more subtle", said Robert introducing a beautiful 'Lovesong', sang with
eyes closed. An island of softness and grace before the crowd set its feet a-dancing again with 'Close To Me'
and the next surprise, 'Why Can't I Be You', with another major sing-along and some really funny faces from
Robert.

The sing-along crowd was thrown off track a bit when Robert sang half the second verse of 'Play For Today'
instead of the first, but we all recovered and sang happily along - wrong words or not, it was still 'Play For
Today'! Probably the biggest surprise of the night (although the Christmas mood was indeed perfect) was
introduced by Robert with "Now let's see who's going to guess what the next song is... I hope we are!",
launching then into a cool, long wah intro. It took us a few good seconds until we figured it out - the barely ever
played 'Hey You!!!'. A short but vibrant 'A Forest' closed the main set to wild cheers from the audience, and it
was Robert on guitar, not Simon, who played the last notes.

The first songs of the encore were played by just Robert, Simon and Jason, with Roger and Perry joining in later.
Amazing, again, how alive and sharp these songs sounded, as if they had been written just then. If 'Fire in Cairo'
was unexpected, 'Grinding Halt' was even more so - and both just fabulous versions. '10:15 Saturday Night' and
'Boys Don't Cry' were nothing short of what we expected of them and wrapped up the encore in style. "Thank
you very much, it's been great for us... See you next year?" said Robert before leaving the stage, the whole
band smiling and waving at the crowd.

We were hoping for a second encore but it didn't happen. The lights came back on, the crew walked on stage to
pick up the cables and the guitars, the DJ deck was back and then Andy Fletcher came on to do his set. Many
people had left by then, leaving behind a half-ruined landscape of plastic cups and papers on the floor, and even
the odd wig and scarf. The venue staff who surveyed the scene with tired eyes had probably seen worse though.
Though Andy's set wasn't particularly bouncy, most of the people left were actually dancing, so funnily he was
the most successful DJ of the night.

By this time the jet lag nearly knocked me out so I decided to walk back to the hotel, ending too early what had
been a fantastic night anyway. Walking back through the cold and deserted streets I kept thinking that what had
made more than worthwhile the whole trip, the long flights, the arguing with my company, the working weekends
and all that, was of course the music and meeting some cool people - but above and beyond all, it was to see
those five people on the stage looking so happy, so vibrant, so full of energy and beauty. It is those smiles I
remember, and thinking that if anyone deserved all the reasons to smile, they surely did. Quite the Christmas
gift - seeing The Cure happy! And I couldn't think of a better one.

"What can be said about Thursday that hasn't been said already? It was one of the best nights of my life - and
that statement does not do it justice!
I arrived at the venue quite early, about 4.30pm and was not really surprised, given the nature of Cure fans, to
see a handful of the hardcore fans waiting by the doors already (however no one was chained to the door like in
Berlin lol). The venue itself proved quite difficult to find, after walking out of Angel Tube station it took about half
an hour of walking around the town to find the Carling Academy (it was in a shopping mall - who would have
thought it?!) but I was immediately excited at the prospect of seeing the band in what appeared from the outside to
be a very tiny venue indeed. I was lucky enough in the past to see The Cure at Shepherds Bush Empire and
London Astoria but this looked less than half the size of those.
While waiting around the stage door we got to have pictures taken with Simon and Jason who were both very
polite to all of us, I would like thank them for being so warm and generous to the fans. We decided against trying
to meet Robert before the gig, instead we would concentrate on meeting him after the show...we had the important
task of trying to get front row and by the time Robert arrived the queue was starting to build.
Eventually the security at the Academy opened the doors (45 mins later than it said on the ticket, nice to see
nothing ever changes) and we all made our way up the stairs and into the club. It was very easy for us to get on
the front row as there were only about 4/5 people in front of us in the queue...we even had time to buy 5 rounds of
drinks during the 2 DJ sets and still maintain out position at the front! After the two DJ's (who weren't too bad
actually...partly due to the beer and whiskey taking effect) The Cure came onstage. It was good because it did not
seem like we were waiting all that long...they opened with the one song I had been dying to hear live ever since I
first heard the Seventeen Seconds album back in the Winter of '96 - In Your House. To me that is such a beautiful
song and now my dream had finally come true. Its very difficult to express the emotions I felt during this opening
song...it felt like it was played just for me...it was perfection. If I wasn't so deliriously happy I would have cried!
Thank you for this moment Robert, an inspired choice to open a show with. After hearing this song I would have
been happy with any setlist, as it happened what followed was a setlist full of nice surprises and rarities which
would have made any Cure fan happy. The songs really fit in with the atmosphere of the night and I was to find out
later that Robert originally had the idea of playing Disintegration in its entirety but after discussing it with Simon
they came up with this...I am happy they decided against doing Disintegration as tonight was something
special. If they had played songs like Same Deep Water As You then I think half of the crowd would have felt
somewhat alienated.
Anyway, without going into every song in detail I will say what I felt were the highlights...Fascination Street was
played with real power, very enjoyable as always. The Walk and Lets Go To Bed were playful as ever (Robert
dancing onstage is always a glorious sight!). Maybe Someday sounded fantastic and evoked a great reaction
from the crowd, as did the seldom heared Hot Hot Hot!!! (with everyone singing along). Close to Me is another
one of those weird little pop songs that are rarely played these days but sounded marvellous (Robert should have
ditched his guitar though during this and danced abit more!). Rogers keyboard was totally drowned out due to the
deafening crowd during Play For Today and next came a totally unexpected rendition of Hey You which I don't
think anybody dreamed of hearing live and that made it all the more magical.
The Cure came out to great roars from the crowd (who had been very noisy all night- thumbs up!) for an encore
which must have left everyone in the building exhausted. Fire In Cairo was great and was my first time hearing
this song live, Grinding Halt was incredible as always, a glance over my shoulder and I saw 500 people jumping
up and down to the beat...then they finished with the classics 10:15 and Boys Don't Cry to send each and every
one of us home happy.
After the concert I took time out to catch my breath and let it just sink in what I had just witnessed. Make no
mistake this was a great Cure show and if it had gone on for abit longer I think it would have been the best
concert I have seen ...that was my only gripe with the show I guess, but I knew that they would not play very
long anyway so I was not at all disappointed by the length of show.
A few of us waited after the concert to see the band come out from the venue and I think it was approximately
1am by the time Robert appeared. He was very talkative and polite and had no objections to the 10 or so people
who wanted to have their picture taken with him. I asked him what he thought about the crowd reaction, he said it
was good and he was happy he and Simon made the right choice regarding the set list as "people would have
gone to the toilet during songs like Same Deep Water as You and that would have really pissed me off" to which
my friend Nigel said to him if they had of done that the band would have had to jump into the crowd and beat
people up like in the early days! Robert was amused by that. I also asked him how the new album is coming
along, he said that its going well and they had about 38 songs originally which has now been whittled down to what
he thinks will be the final 12 or so. When asked what the album will sound like he said it reminds him more of
like how The Cure sounded around Seventeen Seconds...he made one comment that he and Ross Robinson are
creating an album which is "like space..." which I thought was funny and at the same time intriguing. It was really
interesting to hear Robert talking to us like this, he actually seemed quite content to talk to us, I wish to thank
him for this. Later we met Perry and Roger who were equally as talkative and polite . I have always admired
Perry in particular as I think he has alot of time for the fans  he always seems very enthusiastic to me, Roger
was also very nice and the first time I have really seen an insight into his personality as he had not stopped to
talk to anyone the last couple of times I have seen him up close.
Overall a wonderful night, met some great Cure fans, saw a remarkable Cure show and got the chance to meet
the band. What more can you ask? Maybe a new album and world tour next year!"

"It was such a great gig on thursday!  I just thought I'd send in my picture of me and Robert that I got after the
show.  Also got one with Perry and Roger but thats on someone else's camera.  They were such nice people and
talked to us for ages :-) "

"My story starts on the day the tickets went on sale through Ticketweb. As you know they made a complete
hash of the ticket sales which meant that people like me missed out on getting them - even though we should
have been sold them. I was devastated!

So I started to complain! I wrote to Ticketweb. I wrote to the Islington Academy's Box Office. I found out the
name of the Islington Academy's Manager and wrote to him as well. I found out the name of the event
organiser from the charity and wrote to her. I even sent an email to The Cure's website.

All I got in response was a letter from Ticketweb saying they had no more tickets and that they were really sorry
they messed things up so badly.

I started to think I wouldn't be able to go - but a fortnight later I got a phonecall from the event organiser! She
apologised profusely for the mix up at Ticketweb and offered me two tickets!!! I was amazed! WE WERE
GOING TO THE GIG!

That in itself was enough - but things got even better on the night itself...

Having queued for ages in the cold we finally got in the venue and were taken aback at how small it was. We
couldn't believe The Cure would be playing on that tiny stage in just a few hours time.

Then we overheard a conversation someone was having about a champagne reception. "Sounds good" we
thought. So we went downstairs to where the guestlist staff were and somehow managed to blag our way to
getting two passes for the upstairs VIP area!

Suddenly we found ourselves with a fantastic view overlooking the stage - and we had free food and drinks! It
all felt really surreal. More so because we were rubbing shoulders with the likes of Stella McCartney, Dom Jolly
and Sara Cox?!!? We genuinely had to keep pinching ourselves to convince ourselves that this was really
happening. It felt like a strange dream.

Needless to say The Cure gig was the highlight. We had a grandstand view of the band throughout. I expected
the setlist to be greatest hits and essentially it was. That was cool. After the Trilogy gig it was quite nice
to have the contrast of a totally poppy night.

The little surprises were great: The Lovecats sounded surprisingly good live. Hey You!!! was an inspired choice
and the first time I've seen them play it. Robert's guitar on that sounded brilliant. The encore was fantastic.
Especially when they played Fire In Cairo and Grinding Halt as a three piece.

All in all, a very weird and amazing night!

The moral of this story is: if a company lets you down - complain, complain and then COMPLAIN some more!!"

"My god it's raining in London. arrived near 2 in the afternoon, looking for some shoping on Carnaby Str. before
heading the venue, turning around, getting lost, asking for my way :) Then back in the tube, direction King's Cross
Road. Buggery londonians, no-one had never heard about King's Cross Road before in their life! A main road
though :( Very weird. Well I finally got to my Hotel. The Thistle Hotel was really cool, rather luxurious for only
38pounds since i booked it on the web, more than one month ago. They had 6 reservations under my name, but
sleept only in one room :) The area was more than OK, and I don't understand why people told me this area was
dangerous, it wasn't dangerous at all. Oh well. Then I decided to go to the Carling Academy - Islington, asking for
my way another time, and no-one had never heard of it in the street. Finally got there with my camera, my intention
was to shoot some fans and maybe the band to make nice souvenirs of this happening. (pictures are here : http://www.pbase.com/carling2003/inbox send me an email at bill75@freesurf.fr if you want to get the original files
and make printouts from them).
I joined Soledad, who was already waiting along with less than 10 persons in front of the door at around 4 pm or
so. We decided to stayed in front of the venue in case the members would show up so we could take nice pictures
of them ;) Some other known faces showed up quite quickly, everyone was very kind and gave me the
authorization to shoot them :) Suddenly Roger appeared walking in front of the main entrance. I asked him for a
picture, but said he was sorry, being a bit in a hurry. But he actually was the first one to show up. I wonder why he
is so lovely to women and sometimes has uncurtesy to guyz like me :(
A few moment after Jason showed up, he was very kind, I took a picture, but he closed his eyes, and I had no time
to shoot a second time :( He looked in a good shape. A large black car suddenly appear in the backyard, Soledad
with her tiger eyes saw Simon inside. So we kinda prepared his welcome, waiting for him to get out of his car. he
was given some presents from the fans, and was very kind, he took his time to salute everybody, and i had time
to to shoot him quite nicely ;)
My god, seems like everyone's here now. Just missing Robert, but is he already inside ? Who knew at that
moment ! That was funny because everyone began to make hypotheses about Robert being already here or not,
what time they will play, what they will play, and so on. The excitment was rising :)
We looked in the backyard again, and we seemed to see Robert coming with some guyz around him at 500meters
away. And it was him indeed! he was walking slowly toward us. But I didn't want to seem agressive with him. So
we kinda waited for him to arrive near us, but then all things got quicker, five body guards showed up, fans were
around him. And i could not take a nice shot of him ;( I felt a bit disappointed for this. I read near the entrance
that pro. camera were not allowed inside, so i take my camera back to the hotel, before coming back again to the
venue.
People were now waiting in front of the door, there were two queues, one for us, one for the guests with the tickets
that allowed them to access the VIP part of the bar, and get some drinks for free. We just entered normaly
and slowly in the bar. The ambiance was really cool, no nervosity, everyone seems delighted, relaxed and happy
to be here. The main funny thing was the number of people, very few of them actually. Lot's of free space in the
bar. We got some drinks, began to discuss a bit, and joking a bit. Suddenly we saw Roger, and a few moment later
Jason walking through the audience :) Someone told me he also saw Robert at the non VIP bar :) Maybe Perry
walked through too, but i did not see him. The music played by the DJ before the Cure got on stage, was really
loud, and the trebles were high. I began to feel a headache coming. I was quite cold in the venue, I think I must
have get a cold because of the rainy weather in the afternoon.
Finally the lights went off, and the band members showed up :) We already knew they were about to play in your
house, so I personally had no surprise, but it was nicely interpreted though. I kinda stayed in the back of the bar,
because i did not feel so well. but i would have enjoyed being with the other fans starting to jump and shout on the
following song in front of the stage :)
I had a great moment indeed. i thought Robert was in a really good shape, lot's of energy, especially for the
encore. They all really seemed happy, and relaxed. Not the same pression as for Brussel or Berlin last year for
sure :) The lights were ok, still limitated. But the fans seemed to really enjoy themselved dancing-po-going even
if lots of greatest hits were played, and we know that fans prefer the other face of the Cure :) But it was funny
watching them from behind, Pascal - french fan- was jumping so high up in the sky, i thought he would land on the
stage at the next jump! LOL
The time then went in a flash, and it was already over. It seemed it lasted for 20 minutes, but they actually played
for more than one hour and an half :)
I then decided to say hello to some persons i knew, and left the venue. Back to my hotel walking. And thinking :
"if only they could do such happening once in a month, everymonth", it could be very nice. but not for the same
money at the entrance though!
Back to Paris, i felt quite depressed, the rain again, no real fun at the week-ends here. And i began to upload my
pictures, disappointed i missed Robert, but very happy with the other shots though.
Concerning news about upcoming album, i did not learn much, except that Robert told us, see you next year,
letting everyone think they're gonna do a tour or something in 2004. I still have doubts about the new album,
even if i heard some information about a release schedule between march and june!
The only sure thing, is the BSIDE box SET CD collection, and this is already a nice gift to start the new year
with :) I hope, we'll see us again at least one time next year, and that this time i will get a bloody photopass
for the shows :) "

"Wow what a fantastic show! I arrive at the venue at about 6:30, the latest I have ever arrived at a show and
met Libby (Spangle Kitten) and Britain Kitten. We had to wait past the opening time to get in, watched to see the
peole arriving to see if anyone adhered to the strictly fancy dress, dress code. There was a couple of Ozzy
Osbournes, Adam Ants, Siouxsie Sioux's and lots of backcombed hair! Once inside I got a drink and dashed down
to the front. Libby patiently waited with me while we had to endure the dire DJ set beforehand. The DJ and his
two friends played some dire electroclash/remix of popular songs which didn't go down too well. The lady on stage
kept gyrating with the guys and doing slutty dances. In the end they started playing songs they thought the
crowd would like which included 'Teenage Kicks' and Nirvana, to which the DJ played air guitar. What torture!

10.30 and the lights go down. In an instant the band are onstage. As each member walked on there was a loud
cheer, but when Robert walked on the building erupted! As they opened with 'In Your House' I started to cry!
Such a fantastic song, how could I not be moved? And I was so close to the band! They played most their big hits
after this. The crowd were great, bouncing around, singing, having lots of fun, if only every gig could be as
intimate and small as this Charity event.

'Lovecats' was played live, which it as only been done a few times since it was released which was really special.
The encore was fantastic, everyone going crazy, my bag sheaded most it's badges in the mosh pit during '10:15
Saturday Night', and by the end of 'Boy's Don't Cry' my throat was sore from all the singing.

All in all an amazing night! I didn't stay around to see Andy Fletcher from Depeche Mode play his DJ set, though
I hear it was quite a sad affair. I didn't get any of the finger buffet or free drinks. My ticket stub wasn't returned
when I left either, so i'll have to keep my recepit as a substitute. The show was definitely worth the £55 I paid
(most people in the que had got theirs off ebay for a fortune) and the money went to a good cause.

I spoke to lots of people but can't remember names (I was the guy with the little black
backcombed mohican and purple and black woolly stripy sweater), so if you want to chat or
exchange pictures email me: Omega36335@aol.com."

"The Best night of my entire life ...

        The December 11th Cure Charity show was a night that will remain in my heart and mind for the rest of the
days I breath this crazy life's air and flutter my eyelids open for a new day.  Being a Cure fan since I was a kid, I
had dreamed of meeting Robert for almost a decade.  I always knew I could never be anything special to him,
probably just another crazy fan forgotten in an instant, but to shake his hand and say thanks seemed enough to
feel fulfilled forever  Last night, this dream came true and much, much, more than I ever expected.  Not only did I
get to watch a fantastic Cure show, but I got to get a taste of the real Robert Smith by hanging out with him and
finding out a little about his feelings and thoughts on The Cure and life in general. The night went a little
something like this: ...

   I got there around five, 3 hours before the show, like a good faithful Cure fan should.  I was wise to do so
because I caught Simon, Roger and Robert right as they were walking into the venue.  This meeting with Robert
was brief and a tad awkward and I was so much in a stupor that it was hard to even grasp as real.  It was hilarious
as I asked Robert to sign my Cure tattoo with intent to in turn tattoo his signature, he agreed and signed it real
big.  I gave him a kiss on the check and wished him good luck at the show. He smiled and went in.  I was so
mesmerized that I had forgotten to give him my framed art I made him, and I felt very idiotic. However, this was
redeemed later.

   Later, after waiting like 3 hours in line, I rushed in as soon as I got into the venue.  I was so lucky, I got right in
the front under Robert's mic.  This night seemed made just for me.  Then I faithfully survived almost 3 more hours
of waiting at the stage and this time being forced to listen to really bad music being played by the deejays. Finally,
The Cure came on and the crowd became alive in feverish passion.  Once, moppy Goths pouting and at racquet
forced upon our ears, became ridiculously happy and energetic as our hero, the most fabulous Robert Smith,
walked onto stage.

      Some crew member was lovely enough to show me the set list before the show happened and I was so ecstatic
to know what I was about to hear.  Robert and the guys ripped into there opening song with vigor and glee.  All of
them seemed so happy to be there and standing under them, and seeing each of there smiles and the pleasure in
there eyes as the played there music was more surreal than I could ever imagine.  There is nothing like seeing
The Cure live, but there is nothing like seeing The Cure live right in front of your face. All the songs were fantastic
and the energy was gripping.  Robert made all his cute little faces and dreamy hand movements.  He seemed all
giddy and playful like a child. In the middle of it, I reached out to hand my artwork to Robert, and like the
nice guy he is, he gave me this incredible smile and stretched out and got it from me.  I then proceeded to cry, he
was just too suave.  The set list included:  At the end, the encore was taken back to a 3 piece set, just like the first
days of The Cure existence. It was so nostalgic and there were some great songs rarely played anymore, like Fire
in Cairo.  It was unbelievable.

     After that incredible live performance, I raced back out the venue to the back doors.  I just couldn't get enough
of the wonderful Robert Smith, plus I never knew when I would get a chance like this again.   Instead of all these
huge impersonal concerts where he has to run away from thronging crowds, there was hardly anyone there,
everything was so personal.  Well, I was fortunate once again, for Robert came out.  There was a few of us out
there, and he just talked and answered a few questions with all of us.  I got another picture with him, which was
fantastic. I also asked him if he got my picture and he sweetly assured me it was with his stuff, ahh so kind.  At
that point everything I could have ever wanted had happened but as he walked away, I couldn't let it be the end.
There my hero was walking away and it just didn't seem like the night had to end there ... so it didn't.  I just went
back with him to the hotel lobby, as simple as that, I couldn't believe how easy it was.  And that was when I really
got to know the fabulous Robert Smith.

  Basically, it was me and a few other clever fans, most of The Cure, and some personal friends and family of The
Cure.  Robert's parents were there, and they were incredibly proud of there son.  We all just hung out and had a
good time.  I just found a seat next to Robert and sat next to him like we had known each others for ages.  And in
a way for me, we had.  At first he was a little busy talking to people close to him.  I thought perhaps he would be
all night so I went up to him and told him basically I wanted to say goodnight because I didn't want to bother him
anymore if he was busy, but that I really cared about him.  He looked me in the eye and I thought he was just
going to tell me goodnight, but no, he asked me to stay.  That's the amazing person he is.  Even though I was just
a strange cat girl and a random fan, he knew how much his company meant to me and didn't mind keeping my
company around.  He basically just told me to give him 15 minutes and it would be all good.  When the hecticness
died down a bit, me and like 3 other fans were just hanging out with him and he talked to us like we were old
friends.  And He told us many interesting things about The Cure, the show that had just happened and little
insights about him himself.

  Robert seemed pleased with the show in the since he had fun doing it.  Though, he mentioned wanting to do a
more obscure show, like playing all of Disintegration or a bunch of really lesser known songs.  But he said that
he knew because of the nature of the show that a lot of non hard core Cure fans would be there and when he would
be playing like a 9 minute song such as "the same deep waters as you" that some people would be off getting
drinks or into something else and it would just piss him off.  So he played more of a crowd pleaser set list with a
lot of hits and singles.  He also mentioned that they don't normally do small gigs like that but, he had his reasons
for doing the charity event and he still likes to remember the smaller gigs.  They all have there place and
importance he said.

   Robert was incredibly enthusiastic about his new album.  It was such a pleasure to see the gleam in his eye
and an intense satisfaction with the direction of the new Cure Album.  He quoted it being more Cure than anything
since 17 seconds, with lots of "space."  Every time the new album was brought up he just got a big grin on his face
and said, it's going to be so good!  We all nodded and said "yes Robert, we know!"  And laughed, it was great.
 Apparently, the album will be done recording in March and released in June with a big tour on its way.  Robert
seemed to have a bunch of great ideas and surprises about the tour, but he slipped some info to us that he
preferred to keep a secret, so I will, sorry!  He just got too excited at the moment to hold it all in.  But you can be
sure to expect something out of this world with the new album because Robert himself is putting his heart and soul
into it, and so far, he is immensely pleased.

    When asked about the way he feels about the UK's and the world in general's view of The Cure, he mentioned
really wanting The Cure to never be a mainstream thing but truly understood by the people who do get The Cure.
He doesn't create music to try to get new fans or cater to what the public wants to hear, he just creates what's
inside of him and I believe he understands that the people who really understand what's he's about and appreciate
his creativity will love it.  He doesn't see himself as a celebrity at all.  He is so down to earth, just real.  He talked
about how some of his younger relatives think he's so cool because he gets noticed in public, but he was bothered
how they missed the point, and that he was just a regular guy or at least that they appreciate the music, not
the fame.  He talked about how at first his parents were really frustrated with him never going to University, but
instead he followed just what was in his heart.  He said when he was at that age, he never saw himself doing what
he is doing now, or even wanting to.  In all honesty, he just wants to create his music, and whatever comes of that
is simply just that, a bi product.

   When asked about happiness and peace, Robert couldn't really fathom something as real happiness or peace.
He mentioned there were times were he felt happy, but actually being in a state of happiness didn't seem like a
reality.  But in a way, it seemed like he was happier not being happy, if that makes since.  Happiness seemed to
be trite and numb to him.  Like in a way, you are missing out if you get to a point in life where you're constantly
happy.  As if you would have to be seriously numb to a lot of important things in life to be happy all the time.  And
age stopped meaning something to him as well.  He seemed to be the kind of person who truly lived moment by
moment and took every day as it came, and held it as something precious, whether it was good or bad.  The
happiness or sadness of it all seemed to be irrelevant of it being meaningful, thus irrelevant all together.
Whatever the case may be for him, his music for sure gave him great pleasure.  It was so obvious with that
gleam in his eye and the excitement in his voice. I felt so happy that he was still creating music, not just for me
the fan, but for him the person, because during those times he does feel happy, I am sure it's when he is playing
and creating music.

  Half way through the night, Robert looked at me and told me I shouldn't get his signature tattooed above my
Cure tattoo.  I was all sad, but then he said that one is bad, it's too big, let me give you another one.  My heart
immediately skipped a billion beats has he preceded to wipe of his signature on my ankle and then sign me a
new one.  When he finished it, he said, now it's something special, and indeed it is.  I just got it tattooed on and
now I have truly the most fantastic Cure tattoo ever.

    I got to chat with Perry and Roger a little too.  They were great guys.  Roger seemed to appreciate my cat
theme.  Perry was really friendly and warm and gave me a hug later on that night when we said goodbye.  I wish
I could have gotten to talk more to Simon, who was also very nice, the short amount I spoke with him.

  A lot of the times, it was hard for me to even really say anything.  Just being by Robert's side was enough, to
get a quick glance and a shy smile here and there was just like heaven.  In a way, I feel like a bit of a jack ass. I
wish I could have said something more meaningful or be something more special, but I already understood at the
time I couldn't.  I just wanted to be at least pleasant company, and perhaps he shall remember the little cat girl if
I ever get a next time to hang out with him.  He has been like the best friend I never had for over half my life.
All this time, I always dreamed of meeting him and all this time, I knew in my heart what kind of person he was.
So many people told me, oh, what if you're disappointed, and what if he is mean to you, blah, blah blah.  Well,
Robert smith was everything I dreamed him to be and more.  I understand even more why so many adore him.
It's not just because he is famous and so cool and so talented.  There is a true beauty glowing inside of him that
illuminates and affects everyone around him. Such kindness and love radiated from his presence.  His eyes are
just saturated with so much love and warmth.  He's the kind of person that makes you feel so comfortable and
peaceful just by standing near them. He is so also so inspirational and encouraging.  He doesn't even know how
much he has inspired me to do what I love and to find the beautiful things in life. He is incredibly down to earth
and doesn't act like some pompous celebrity god too good for his fans.  I saw him interact with the other
fans lucky to be there that night and just like me, he took such a pleasure in being kind to them and making them
feel important.  I am so in awe of this man.  Not as a celebrity, but as a man.  Even if he never became famous,
Robert Smith has something special rarely found in this world.  He has such deepness and compassion, and a
beautiful way at looking at life.  I would still want to know him no matter what.

   I walked him out to his car at like 6 am, and he waved goodbye to me and one other fan.  We waved goodbye
with tears of happiness in our eyes after experiencing the most magical evening of our entire lives.  I truly hope
that I get another chance to engage with the fabulous Mr. Robert Smith.  I feel so much that he isn't just an
imaginary friend anymore, but a real one now.  It makes me feel nice inside that he and the rest of the band
would be happy to see me again if we got the chance. They are all incredibly nice guys, and I would love to get to
know the rest of the band better too.  Ahh, maybe someday.  Somehow, in the depths of my heart, I feel like we
shall meet again, and that makes me smile.  Truly, Robert is an incredible and beautiful human being that I would
be blessed to get to spend more time with. He is my hero, my inspiration, my best friend, (not so imaginary this
time) Thank you again, wherever you are, for the best night of my life.

Hugs and Scratches, and LOTS OF LOVE,
Britain Kitten
Questions, comments?  ShinakaiKitty@aol.com "

JUST LIKE HEAVEN!

THE CURE knocked out the hits at a tiny ‘club’ show in LONDON last night (December 11).

The band headlined a gig at the Islington Carling Academy in aid of Nordoff-Robbins Music Therapy, an
organisation who work with children and adults with debilitating conditions.

Coming on stage at 10.30pm, the group played for an hour-and-a-half, and their set included the  classics ’Just
Like Heaven’, 'Pictures Of You’, 'Inbetween Days’, ’Boys Don’t Cry’, 'A Forest’  and a rare live outing for ’The
Love Cats’.

In a statement, Robert Smith said: "We have always admired the work carried out by Nordoff-Robbins, and it
is a pleasure for us to be given this opportunity to lend our support - it's a great idea and a wild bill, and we are
really looking forward to this show - it should be something special!"

The gig was their smallest British gig in years. But if that wasn’t small enough, the band will be playing an even
smaller charity show in aid of War Child next year. The Cure will play at the London Barfly on March 5. Tickets
will only be available to competition winners, who will enter via text message.

 Published: 12-12-2003-11-37

"OMG what a night what a fucking night...
I am typing this with a huge hangover and my ears are still ringing from witnessing one of the best shows I have
witnessed in my life...
Curefans 10 !!!  Dodgey DJ dance types Nil !!!
It was a really intimate gig..it's the first time I've ever seen The Cure play Lovecats or Grindinghalt in my life..
The encore was done as a three piece with just Simon Robert and Jason and it is the tightest I have ever seen or
heard the Cure. In fact for the whole show they were spot on. They are really ready to carry the title of best
influence. Last night I saw five really tight and proficient musicians. Roger was the hero of the night for me
playing mulitple keyboard parts on all the singles perfectly without even grimacing.
The sound was amazing.Looks like the cure have thrown away thier silly ugly schecter (have you seen the stupid
gothic model?) guitars for the moment. Perry was playing an extremely rare Fender 6 left hander and the silver
falcon was let out to fly in all it's glory. Roger and Robert were grinning at each other constantly. A few people
commented that Perry didnt look very happy at all and he didnt look very well. There might of been one of the
band's parents on the side of the stage because there was a very proud elderly couple stood in thier sunday best
smiling at the audience. They seemed very comfortable with the volume of the music and seemed to smile harder
the louder the audience roared.

I think the event organisers fucked up majorly. The hall was only 2/3rds full and most of the dance left before the
cure came on scared away by the cureheads camped out by the stage.The scalpers were desperately trying to sell
tickets outside but due to the fact that we had been told constantly that this show was sold out 3 months ago no
takers were about.LOL If they had simply used the cure to raise money they could have let more Cure fans in.
The free beer was great too.There were vouchers everywhere left by the fleeing Clubheads. So we were happy to
lend them the cure for the evening.The DJ's seemed really intimidated and before long the trance music being
played by some superDJ and his half naked dancing monkey girlfriend gave way to the buzzcocks and assorted
80's punk.

After the Cure had finished a sorry looking andy fletcher complete with beer belly and beerstained t-shirt came
out and started playing alternative tunes from the 80's most people didnt even recognise him and were putting
their coats on to go home.  Roger came out and had a drink with us which was nice. He was buzzing after the show
and said he had been very nervous beforehand as they had only played the rare live singles once through.

Thankyou to The Cure...it was an amazing show.."

"Here are my brief thoughts on yesterday's gig.  First of all, since I didn't have a ticket I went to the venue just
hoping that there would be some on sale at the box office or that I would find a fan with an extra ticket for sale.
In the end, I had to settle for plan C by buying my ticket from a tout for £60 (he wanted to sell it for £200 but I
said it was for charity!).  I couldn't believe it, but I was suddenly in the venue.

The first I noticed was that the venue was quite small.  Some people had made an effort to dress up but I couldn't
quite work out who they were trying to look like.  At the entrance they had given me a ticket that could be
exchanged for three drinks at the bar.  Perfect for warming up before the gig.  30 minutes before the band were
due on stage, Roger came to the back of the venue and said hello to a lot of people (unless it was someone else
dressed up as him!).  I thought that was quite cool.

As you can see, this gig was for the fans of the pop side of the Cure.  I presume this is because it wasn't really a
Cure gig, but that meant the setlist was quite special.  For example, although I am not much of a historian or
statistician, songs like "Hot, Hot, Hot, or "Hey You" don't get played very often, so it was a welcome surprise.
Above all, it was great to hear "In Your House", one of my favourite Cure songs, "Fire In Cairo" and
"Grinding Halt".  From beginning to end, it was great fun.  Thanks for  giving me my Christmas present early!"