Musically, the show was okay, perhaps a little lack-luster. The boys played
well but there was something that wasn't quite right. The opening was
plagued with technical problems, the mix seemed off: far too much bass,
guitar too twangy, feedback,stuff like that. Also, they seemed tired and 
unsure of a crowd that was huge but wasn't giving much back and generally
unappreciative of their music. I'll let someone else go through the details
and just say that the show was good but uninspired (and reasonably so). They
played a variation of the concert set, starting with "Want" and ending with
"Disintegration." This part of the show lasted just over an hour and half,
quite standard i assume. Now, the show seemed to get better as it went on,
and we cure fans began to make our presence in the masses known. Clap,
cheer, shout . . . yell: "encore" . . . large man in a tight tee-shirt takes
the stage: "ladies and gentlemen, we have a strict 12 o'clock curfew, the
party will continue tomorrow we have lots of great bands, blah blah blah"
Yes you've read correctly, no encores, no encore, nothing. Let me put this
in perspective. Bush had an encore. In fact, bush went overtime. I wasn't
expecting a full show at Eden, but i thought we'd get at least two hours.
Calmly swearing, we avoided the rush to the beer tent and simply returned to
our tent to sleep . . . couldn't . . . to much noise (as expected), too much
light (not expected), and too far from rather disgusting toilets. All in
all, day one in Eden was quite disappointing. 

Bush, Cure make first day magic at Edenfest

EDEN MUSICFEST, MAINSTAGE -- The grounds looked awfully messy by 
the end of Day 1, but all you had to do was look up and forget all
about it.
 Smoke machines and coloured lights sure can capture your mind - especially
on a cool July night outdoors with The Cure blasting out accompanying
music.
 I should say the light show was accompanying The Cure, but there were
times during the evening as Robert Smith and his band played the finale of
Eden Musicfest's first day that you almost forgot what was what.
 It was pretty absorbing.
 Decked out in a Maple Leafs jersey, Smith ran his band mates through an
often spontaneous and always tight set that kept every true Cure fan
upright and bobbing.
 Smith, whose voice comes as close to an electric guitar as any you've ever
heard, treated the audience to a tour of The Cure's eclectic style
(spanning nearly 20 years of music) that has given the band its very own
niche in modern music.

                      In The Beginning There Was Light

       
          If only all outdoor shows could start off as smoothly as EDEN
     Musicfest.Sunny weather and some great bands gave the 45,000
     happy campers already staked out in Mosport Park a chance to
     soak up the low-key atmosphere and relax for three days of
     music.

      Although the main stage was crammed with such popular artists as
      Bush, Poe, Sloan and Spirit of the West, the side stage seemed
      barely able to contain the younger set of bands ready to burst forth
      and claim their space on the world stage.

      Then, of course, there was The Cure. Some people might
      dismiss the five members as the Grateful Dead of alternative rock,
      but the truth of the matter is that this band has endured for as
      long as it has through a steady stream of albums and consistently 
      excellent stage shows. The Cure aren't the kind of blokes to jump
      all over the stage and scream "Are you ready to rock,Canada?"
      (something another band had the cheesy distinction of doing
      yesterday). Instead, a Cure live show features dreamy versions of 
      their songs set to a seamlessly beautiful show of lights and smoke.

      Although the band is currently on tour in support of the latest
      magnum opus,Wild Mood Swings, Mosport's outdoor setting 
      prevented the group from bringing in the full version of its show (a
      set best described as a carnival gone wrong). But the stage was 
      by no means empty as the pyrotechnics complimented tunes from 
      the latest album, and even four from Disintegration, (the spider-like
      guitars of "Lullabye," groove of "Fascination Street," bleakly
      atmospheric drone of "Prayers for Rain" and a fantastic version of 
      "Disintegration," which closed the show).

       Unfortunately, a strict 12  a.m. curfew cut off The Cure,effectively
       preventing any encore. Despite this, scores of tired campers milled
       around the beer tents and littered concert area before turning in 
       much later. But their sleep was probably sound, due to sheer 
       exaustion from the day's revelry and the soothingly blue lullabye
       goodnight from The Cure.

Friday's lineup was capped by British bands Bush-X and The Cure. Bush-X
singer and teen idol Gavin Rossdale and his bandmates launched into their
hit Machinehead promptly at 8:15 p.m. ET.
 The Cure's goth-frontman Robert Smith took the stage at about 10 p.m. in a
Toronto Maple Leafs jersey, his trademark big black hair cut shorter but
still shrouding his ghostly pale face and crimson lips as he belted out
Pictures of You.