are you sitting comfortably?

then i'll begin.

the fairytale story that is the cure unleashed its tangled nightmares and
schizophrenic psychosis at another gig at wembley. the band skipped
gleefully through the happy times (in between days, why can't i be you,
friday i'm in love), the bad times (bare, cold, disintegration), the
irreverant (mint car, 10:15 saturday night) and the heart stoppingly
beautiful (plainsong, treasure), stopping at all points in between.

far more together and at ease than at that first swing gig all those months
ago in the echoing cavern that is earl's court, the cure played what could
best be described as a blinder.

the sound wasn't as good as it could have been (not enough bass/drums for
my taste sometimes) and some of the songs were dismissed a little too
off-handedly (particularly trap and boys don't cry).

the fact that wembely arena was half empty shows just how much the cure's
popularity is waning in the uk - gone! are the three night sof sell out
gigs there for the prayer tour, gone! even are the single night's sell out
of the head on the door tour there. the fact that they weren't in a
position to pick up their option for a second night this week is
surprising, but hey, maybe next time they'll play somewhere SMALLER!!

as i stood there towards the back of the standing section (didn't see
nathan or marge . . . sorry!) and the lights went down, the opening strains
of plainsong sent shivers down my spine. and as they launched into the
song, i remembered why the cure mean so much to me . . . .

over the next two and a half hours i was, much i guess like evryone else
there, hoping they'd play my favourites and skip some of the others that
they ALWAYS play . . . i must admit i was hoping for some stuff off faith
but a heavy bias to distintegration and the head on the door did me just
fine. AND they played grinding halt . . .

as far as the uk is concerned 96 hasn't been the best year for the cure.
falling record sales (gone! doesn't look like it'll chart), and lower gig
attendances indicate that the nme's predictions that they don't matter
anymore are being guzzled by those eager oasis fans . . . personally i
don't care. i don't much like aircraft hangars as venues. and robert's
always been better as the underdog.

all in all, i have a sneaking suspicion that the swing tours gigs i've seen
weren't as good as the wish tour gigs (but then, i was lucky enough to see
the kilburn gig, which might colour my perception somewhat). i suppose,
after such a long gap between wish and wild mood swings, and a surfeit of
live albums, i just want more new stuff, more (intimate) gigs. i get the
feeling that the cureTM has grown into such a monster that its swamping the
cure themselves.

whatever. i wouldn't have missed last night for the world.

see you all again next year . . . . .

right mini concert report.

don't expect a setlist as i was pissed,but very good songs and nothing really
came as a surprise after reading the other setlists that have been posted.
jasons drumming has improved and so has the sound of the drums,the sound seems
fuller now and more suited to the cure.during disint perry was getting REALLY
into it and to use the old expression he was 'giving it some on that guitar.
this was out of character and totally appropriate since it was a storming 
concert. prayers for rain,long,very long,held that note for years he did,
well 23 seconds at least.i hope i didn't dream that,since it did seem to good
for reality. disintegration, well that was the best version i have ever heard
(yes that is including entreat). crowd. apart from one dozy austrailian who
clearly didn't have a fucking clue what it was about (he knew the songs, but 
he didn't know the meaning) the crowd were good. it was standing at the front
which helped atmosphere. i got a drumstick afterwards to add to my collection 
of cure setlists. 
apologies to marge for flying past, i didn't see you, i was pissed.

erm yes, well the best bit. that was after leaving i went around to the side 
of the arena and 'helped' a door which really wanted to open.this gave axcess
to a corridor and in turn to the backstage bar.most of the band were AWOL but 
roger was there and i had a quick word with him.impressions of him was that
he is actually an alright bloke (which i wasn't sure if he would be).
met some great people, was i imagining it or were half the audience french????
anyway top night that was.