An Evening with The Cure

Sept. 5th, 2004 - Mexico City, Mexico (Sports Palace)

Plainsong, Shake Dog Shake, The Figurehead, A Night Like This, The End of the World, Anniversary, Lovesong, Push, Inbetween Days, Just Like
Heaven, Sinking, Us or Them, Maybe Someday, Before Three, From the Edge of the Deep Green Sea, alt.end, One Hundred Years, Disintegration
 
1st encore: 39, Bloodflowers, The Promise
2nd encore: The Drowning Man, Charlotte Sometimes, Primary, Faith
3rd encore: The Walk, Let's Go To Bed, Why Can't I Be You?
4th encore: Grinding Halt, Boys Don't Cry
 
(Thanks to Leonardo for the setlist and notes)


Photos



Reviews

I was planning to prepare a review of all 3 shows in Mexico City, but I just can’t wait for doing this. I saw The Cure in Monterrey 12 years ago
and I also saw them in Spain in 2002 and in Coachella Festival and nothing compares to what I’ve seen this last 2 days. The second concert was very different from the first. I could say that in the first one, Robert decided to please all kind of audiences playing old stuff, pop hits and new songs. But the second show was something unbelievable for real Cure-fans. Just take a look to the setlist.

The “Palacio de los Deportes” (Sports Palace) is a huge gym with no acoustic, so it’s difficult for any band to find the right sound. Even though, the sound in this second show was a little bit better than the first, maybe because I managed to get 5th row tickets!. Sometimes Robert’s guitar was too loud, Perry’s guitar was difficult to hear, Simon’s bass was pretty good, Jason’s drums were also ok, and finally I heard Roger’s keyboard (I couldn’t listen to it in first concert since I was a little bit away from the stage and the people choruses were too loud).

By the way, that’s something to remember in Mexico City (and I guess Robert and the boys will never forget in their life). I’ve seen lots of bands in this place, but I swear I’d never heard something like this before. There were times that the people singing or screaming were louder than the band playing! Epic choruses to remember: Lovesong, In between days, Just like heaven, Why can’t I be you and Boys don’t cry (and of course, Play for today on the first concert).

I guess that the people that expected “greatest hits” were a little disappointed (and bored), but for the real Cure fans, this night was a great gift, really something to remember, with songs such as: Shake dog shake, Figurehead, Push, Sinking, One hundred years, Drowning man, Primary and Grinding halt.

But it was when they played Faith when a magical moment occurred. In Mexico we use to turn on our lighters in “slow” songs, following the drum beats (such as you can see in U2’s Pop Mart in Mexico DVD when Bono says “lights of… lights on”, I think it was when they played “I still haven’t found…”). And this time we did it again. It’s difficult to describe, but it’s like if thousand of stars were glowing inside the place. Robert and the guys were thrilled, I can tell you that. I don’t know if they have seen anything like this before, but they seemed astonished. At the end of the song, Roger finished his part and stand aside the stage just to see for a few moments this spectacle. He excited, with this big smile on his face such as a little kid when he’s looking a big candy or so. Incredible. Robert seemed also surprised, I even can tell he was shocked, stunned.

At this moment, the 2nd encore was finishing, and when the guys came back for the 3rd, Robert said something like “I can’t believe this… cosmic thing… I won’t make it any longer” (I find it difficult to understand since people was screaming very loud, I’m sorry!). And following that, he grabbed his guitar, came in to the mic and screamed a big “Yes I am!” and started playing The Walk. I don’t have to tell you how the people reacted to this… it were just… amazing, magic, crazy. 

At the end, they finished with Boys don’t cry for the second day in a row and again, all the crowd drained out their throats singing and screaming like a respectable member of a mad house would do. I almost cried. To see Robert’s look it’s something difficult to describe, he seemed devastated, overwhelmed… At the end, he just managed to say “Thank you, good night… this is all… I can’t anymore!”

But I wont left Simon, Perry, Roger and Jason beside. They were great through all the night. Simon’s real name should be “Jumping Jack”, it’s
amazing to see him bend as a puppet (does he suffer knee aches???). He had something written on his left arm but I couldn’t manage to read it. I don’t know what kind of message it could be. Jason was precise in every song, he really sounds better through the years. Perry’s guitar was lost sometimes, but he did well too. I was in front of Roger so I saw him a lot, he interacted a lot with the audience, and he smiled when we waved at him, nice.

Well, tonight’s the 3rd and last concert here. I have 7th row tickets and honestly, and don’t know what to expect. I just want to be there and sing and jump all night long… I’ll let you know how it ended.

- Oscar


This was my second Cure concert. I saw them before in Madrid on March 28th, 2000 during the Dream Tour. As much as I liked that previous concert and I had a better location, this was way better (and worse) in many aspects.

I took my 17 year old nephew to the show. Five years ago it was quite a pleasant surprise when he told me his favorite band was The Cure. I bought
him tickets for Saturday, I couldn't go because my best friend got married. So anyway, we talked about which songs we wanted to listen, and I told him I wanted Sinking, Charlotte Sometimes and Faith, although not necessarily my top favorites. He wanted Disintegration, Doing The Unstuck and Maybe Someday. Except for DTU, we got very lucky.

Show started around 8:20 (20 minutes late). I expected Lost, as it was the opener for most Curiosa shows, but the opener was Plainsong, which made me very happy since that song has a special place in my heart. It's just one the songs you can relate to once something special happens to you, so it's
always a pleasure. Shake Dog Shake followed, and it was great. SDS is a song you have to listen live, cause you don't get the same feel for it on the
studio version. It was interesting to see most of the crowd singing it. After that came The Figurehead. As if the crowd needed any reason to cheer
to, or roar I should say, Robert sang: "I can lose myself in Chinese art and the MEXICAN girls". The crowd roar was so loud it became, as in other points of the concert, almost unbearable. You could barely listen to the music with such a loud crowd. But there were quieter moments.
A Night Like This was interesting, specially because I noticed Roger was pumped up. He remained that way throughout the concert. It was funny to see him move as much as he did while playing, almost un-Roger-like. Anyway, it's a Cure classic and a song any Cure-head needs to listen live.
After came songs from the new album, The End of The World and Anniversary. TEOTW is the single so it was expected. Anniversary at that point in the concert was a bit of a surprise to me, and a most pleasant one I should say. I had mixed feelings about Anniversary, I love the lyrics and I like its
mood, however, it is a bit complicated to enjoy it IF you are not in the right atmosphere and the proper mood. Now I understand it is a song that is
enhanced by being played live, and, as not everyone in the crowd knew it, I was able to listen it completely without someone howling like a dog at my
ear. There's not much to say about Lovesong, Inbetween Days and Just Like Heaven as they are classics and crowd pleasers. But Push (played in between LS and IBD) was a nice surprise. It must have been the favorite of the guy in front of me 'cause he jumped like a maniac during the whole song. I certainly enjoyed both the song and his personal display (quite amusing).
The first personal satisfaction came in the form of Sinking. Another song that I have a personal reference to. I must say THANK YOU to everyone in the band. If it wasn't enough, my favorite so far from the latest album followed, Us or Them. I like it because its heavy and I enjoy the lyrics. It was played magnificently live by the band. Maybe Someday followed (nephew request). I like the song very much and will always wonder how it would be played by Roger on a true, old Hammond Organ. The next part of the concert was a bit of a disappointment for me. It was Before 3, FTEOTDGS, and alt.end. Before 3 and alt.end were a bit weak in my opinion, specially alt.end, and it was shocking 'cause I like both songs and have been listening to them regularly. As much as it may sound as blasphemy to most of you out there, I have never really liked FTEOTDGS. I don't dislike it but I could easily live without it. I do put my hands up to the sky when requested, and I think Perry did his best playing the solo. So it was the only "down" time for me during the concert.
One Hundred Years is special for me because it is the song that made me a Cure-head. It wasn't the first Cure song I listened to, but it is the one
that made me feel The Cure were (and still are) a great band since the first time I listened to it.
Disintegration is a good song, was well performed, and is a good song to end a main setlist in a Cure concert.

Then came the encores.
First, Robert addressed the audience and announced a couple of "Bloodflowers songs", 39 and Bloodflowers. Both are very emotional songs and were played accordingly in a very emotional way. I had peeked into Saturday's playlist and thought it was just gonna be those two songs, but The Promise followed and it was good, since I think it fits very well with 39 and Bloodflowers. The Promise is another song that is enhanced live. Brilliant performance.
For the second encore I was hoping for either a Faith or a Pornography encore, for some reason wishing a little bit more a Faith encore, although
my favorite Cure album is Pornography. I was glad to get the Faith one. The Drowning Man was great. Charlotte Sometimes (THANK YOU GUYS!!!) is a song I wanted to listen to as I said before, since it is one of my Top 5 favorite Cure songs. Primary had a mixed feeling for me. I love the bass line on it and Simon played great, but I was fearing I would miss Faith. Thank God I was wrong.
Faith followed and it was one of the greatest performances I've ever seen and listened to in my life. The audience played a very important role during
the performance. As I looked back about 2 minutes into the song, everyone that had a lighter was turning it on and off to the beat of the snare drum.
It was a magical moment. It felt like stars blinking in the sky to the beat of the song. A lot of non-smokers were also clapping to the same beat. The
band was surprised, almost shocked, to the response of the audience. Roger kept looking all around the Sports Palace with a big smile on his face and
wide open eyes. To summarize the Faith performance in 2 words: Fucking awesome!!!!!
At the 3rd encore, Robert said something about it being a great moment in his life and said "I'm not gonna make it" in reference to him breaking
emotionally at the response they were getting from the crowd. It got worse. The Walk, Let's Go To Bed and Why Can't I Be You were a Pandemonium. Everyone was singing, jumping, cheering, dancing. A huge, great party.
It was followed by a 4th encore starting with Grinding Halt and followed by Boys Don't Cry. Same as the 3rd encore. I only wish it had been a longer
encore as Saturday.

I really enjoyed the concert and look forward to today's concert. My only real wish for tonight is for them to play Forever. That would be a musical
orgasm right on the spot.

- Makeiko X


I cant tell you something about this concert..was the best i went in my whole life (at least untill now, and i doubt another one will beat it).

the crowd was amazing, the band were amazing...robert danced...a lot..can you imagine that?

the set list was great. when it started with palinsong, we knew was going to be a different and special night.

we had primary, charlotte sometimes and FAITH!!!!

if you could just imagine what this concert was...add all your great concerts and multiply by 1000 and you will get far from what it was.

sorry that i do not comment the songs, but can tell you that this concert doesnt happened twice in a lifetime.

was so good that i changed my travel plans and i am going for this last concert in mexico!!!!

viva mexico!!!

- Luciano


Hello, I want to share with you my personal opinion about yesterday’s concert in Mexico City, I went also to Saturdays, but yesterday’s was very special.

I pretty sure the weather that we had yesterday had a big influence in yesterday's set list. Saturday’s was more rhythmic, more energy, but yesterday was more dense, unbelievable.

Here are my thoughts song by song from my Seat 7, Row T Section A

Plainsong,

Their opening, amazing, Robert was looking at the crowd very happy, walking from one side to the stage to the other

Shake Dog Shake,

When Robert starts with the "Ha Ha Ha" every body start jumping and screaming, they did not play this one yesterday, so I was very happy to
hear it. Every body in the sport palace was singing word by word.

The Figurehead,

Another that they did not played yesterday, one of my favorites, and I just hug my buddy Hector, since we really like this one. My first tears of excitement came out.

A Night Like This

They play this one on Saturday, but again, unbelievable, everybody singing along!

The End of the World

Well, what can I said, very nice song, a lot of energy, and again, all Mexican fans chorusing the Roger’s Solo

Anniversary

Another new one for Sunday, a very nice touch when they had a sign "September 05, 2004" projected in the back of the stage, Robert was singing with a lot of passion and the lights on the stage were great.

Lovesong,

Another one must play…, very nice song, 100% love, and everybody was singing, very very special.

Push,

Great song, again all the crowd was singing along, the long intro of the song had a nice set of lights,

Inbetween Days, and Just Like Heaven,

They played these two on Saturday, both really fires the crowd and everybody start jumping and singing, very nice songs and the atmosphere was so incredible.

Sinking

For me was a surprise, I never thought that they will play this one, as well as Fire In Cairo on Saturday’s I was in a shock!!

Us or Them,

Very powerful song. Everybody enjoy this one, singing the choruses… wow….

Maybe Someday and, Before Three,

On this two, I felt like the crowd went to a quite time, singing part of the songs, but it was a really quite moment, a lot of people sat in their chairs and they just stare on Robert and the band and the whole scenario looking the magic of the cure.

 From the Edge of the Deep Green Sea,

 From here, everybody jump right out their seats and start jumping and screaming.

alt.end,

Again, went to a quite time after FTEOTDGS

One Hundred Years,

Here is one of the magic moments, I love this song, and it did a difference with the projection that they had at the screen on the back of the stage, with scenes from the WWII, it was a stunning moment. Obviously every body jumping, dancing and singing.

Disintegration

The last song of the first part, another very deep song, this time I felt that it was a little slower than the one that was played on Saturday, but again, every body singing word by word.

Here comes the most wonderful part of all two concerts, the encores, they were absolutely amazing.

Encore 1

39, Bloodflowers, The Promise

All three very nice songs but in The Promise, Robert did a great solo guitar, he was playing very intense with courage, angry, absolutely amazing and the last words "Still waiting… I’m still waiting…" that moment was incredible.

Encore 2

The Drowning Man, Charlotte Sometimes, Primary, Faith

I’m still in shock, this one was the most dense moment in my life, and I can’t describe the feelings that went trough my body on this encore. THE
MOST MAGICAL MOMENT CAME WITH FAITH. Everybody in the arena start turning on and off at their cigarette lighters and clapping at the
rhythm of the drums, the arena was dark and looking at all those tiny flames, it looked like a Christmas tree, the first one that notice was Roger, he start to look around and seems like he was really amazed with that moment, then the funny part was when Simon and Perry were playing backwards to the crowd close to their amplifiers, then Simon turns his head and sees the people with the lighters and the he goes with Perry and I pretty sure that he told him "hey man, take a look at the crowed!" and then Perry turns around and he was amazed with the whole picture, Robert was very deep singing the song, but I bet that he also notice that Magical Moment, But Roger Simon and Perry they were really amazed by this, and everybody else as well,! it really was a wonderful moment. I’m still on shock. Thank God and Thank Life that gave us this magical moment. Thanks Robert and The Cure as well

3rd encore:

The Walk, Let's Go To Bed, Why Can't I Be You?

After the dark moment that we had, this one obviously cheer us up, and we need it, but before Robert starts The walk, he said something like he
was really tired and he was thinking that we was not able to make it through the end, but every body cheer him up, and oh man, he rocks the
whole arena with this set, We could not hear Robert singing since all the crowd was singing but singing like never before, screaming, and jumping, and Robert doing his funny dance, it was really really nice, he was walking through the stage trying to reach all the fans that were at the extreme of the stage, singing Lets got to bed he trip him self with a wire and he did a little scream, and everybody cheer up. It was funny

4th encore:

Grinding Halt, Boys Don't Cry

For this one he really was tired, on Saturday he sang four songs from this album but Sunday only two, they were amazing again, everybody knew
the words of Grinding Halt, and every body was singing them.

Then the last song of the concert, Boys Don't Cry, and was great, it really turned on the crowd and every body was singing again very loud that you barely can hear Robert, and at the end, he gave thanks like 10 times, he was really amazed with the response of the crowd, seems like he never wanted to leave the stage, I bet that he had great time with all the Mexican Fans.

I really enjoy both concerts specially going with my buddy Hector, thanks Man! and I’m glad that I was able to hear different songs, I feel really bad that I’m not able to attend the third concert but I have to go back to US But I'm glad that I saw The Cure in my home town!! I mised the ones in Florida but these in Mexico were fantastic!

Thanks for let it me share my experience, and now I’m really cured for the rest of my life.

Thanks God.

- Carlos Marquez


All those fans in Mexico who had been waiting years to see the Cure surely were not dissapointed. The band, as the newspapers said, have paid them off. Well, at least that's what Robert and the rest of the band did last night.
 
I was at the first concert too, but personally I liked this second one better. They opened with Plainsong, just incredible! And from then on, 2.45 hrs. of magic and charm. The band did what they know best: they played with their heart. And the mexican audience was just awesome. they sang every song, they cheered, they asked for more in each encore.
 
The girl sitting next to me sang every single line in every single song and the guy to my right was writing the set list on a small piece of paper, recognising every song after the very first chords. We were lucky enough to be on the third row, almost in the middle. All the time Simon was playing and jumping in front of us. I could even notice the combination he was using to re-hidratate: a bottle of water and a can of red bull, another bottle of water, another red bull.
 
Each song was a special moment. The ones from the new album, which the audience knew. And the classic ones were also warmly welcomed by the
audience. Almost at the beginning we had Shake Dog Shake, The Figurehead and a Night Like This. And the moment when they sang In Betwenn Days was great!
 
Here and there came the new songs: Anniversary, Us or Them, Before Three. And somewhere between those new songs, other great songs like
Lovesong, Just like Heaven and One Hundred Years. Wow!
 
As in the previous night we had 4 encores, each of them something special. The audience particularly liked the third one, and I was very happy to enjoy The Walk live, although the best moment for me was when they sang Charlotte Sometimes in the second encore.
 
I could see that Robert and the rest of the band were enjoying performing and I hope they can go back home with the a warm impression of our country. They were just awesome through the complete set and Robert was sensitive enough as to walk all over the stage and sing for those whose seats were in a position almost behind the stage. I'm sure that meant a lot for these fans.
 
As in the first concert they ended with Boys Don't Cry and the audience just loved it. We could have stayed another hour or two listening to The
Cure.
 
I would like to thank the band for their visit. They have made the dreams of many of us come true.
 
And to the person who has shared Song 11 with me: I was surely thinking of you in that special moment.
 
- Alex
 

I managed, by miracle, to get front row, smack-bang-in-the-middle seats to the second Mexico City concert. I'd seen The Cure only once before, 
eons ago when by miracle they passed through Norway (I'm Norwegian, but live in Mexico these days) so I was obviously quite excited to go.

The "Palacio de Deportes" arena where the concerts are held, has a reputation for awful acoustics, but for me (I guess I got the stage  monitors more than anything) the sound was really great.

Being this far up front is amazing. You really get a feel for the emotions put into performing, and also the little ticks and movements Robert has. From pulling nervously at his shirt sleeve, singing in total concentration with his eyes closed, and I'd never noticed how he walks in a very boyish manner, and it's also interesting to see the way they communicate together in the band, shaking their head when someone makes a mistake, as well as laughing. Roger sneezed at some point, and I yelled "Bless you!" but he didn't catch it, and Simon went through several Red Bull energy drinks during the show, all in one gulp.

Next to us was a Mexican who sang all the words to every single song (I admit I was impressed, because I didn't know all of them) and who almost got thrown out for taking a couple of pictures. Now, I understand why photography is prohibited (especially with flash) but, we could have gotten some really great shots! Being this close, come on, it's a great photo op! To the other side of me was a single girl, and then four teenagers who I guess had won some contest or other, because they arrived late and were screaming like, well, teenagers do.

The setlist seemed kind of weird, with some crowd-pleasers missing (for my part: no Lullaby, Fascination Street, Lovecats, Pictures of You, Close to me?! I want my money back!) however we were treated to some brilliant renditions of lesser known songs, and I'm totally not complaining.

During Faith I noticed Roger staring into the crowd, and I turned around to see every single lighter in the house flicking on/off  with the beat of the music. It was totally stunning seeing thousands (literally) of lighters being used as strobe lights, in synch. I think it impressed the guys as well, because they gazed at this for quite some time.

From the 3rd encore, the whole band kind of lit up as well, and Robert walked around the stage, spending a lot of time interacting with the crowd, being all smiles. He even did a bit of dancing on stage, which was quite hillarious. My girlfriend yelled in my ear "he should take his shirt off!"

Before the last encore, Robert said there was "time for a couple more, before I fall over." He didn't look tired at all, though, and was in a great mood. Also, at the end, Roger brought out a Mexican flag that he waved around, and finally draped it on a microphone holder, and then he spent the rest of the concert making paper airplanes and throwing them into the crowd, all the time laughing.

I've also never heard as loud a crowd as this. After the final encores, the noise was just unbelievable. Robert said "thank you", the noise kept going, he kind of stood there for a second, walked away, came back and said "That's it! Really!" but I had an impression that we could all have stayed for another three hours easily.

Absolutely first rate!

- Rune



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