Seventeen Seconds (Robert did this alone for 1 minute &20 seconds  at the start of the show), Plainsong, Shake
Dog Shake, The Figurehead, Open, The Drowning Man, The Baby Screams, Push, Trust, Watching Me Fall, The
Kiss, From the Edge of the Deep Green Sea, 100 years, 39, Bloodflowers

1st encore: Cut Here, Lovesong, In Between Days, Just Like Heaven
2nd encore: Three Imaginary Boys,  Play for Today, A Forest

"Cure attendu. Quelques minutes plus tard sur la scène Glenmor, le revenant Robert Smith attaquait seul à la
gui tare les antiques premières notes de l'hymne gothique 17 Seconds. Faisant désormais ses risibles adieux
chaque année (!), le chanteur de The Cure était pour le moins attendu. L'équipe de football de Guingamp avait
offert cinq maillots au nom du groupe dont la venue aux Vieilles Charrues constitue l'unique date française d'une
tournée traversant treize festivals européens. Vingt-cinq ans après ses débuts, les Werther new wave figés dans
leur coif fure araignée ne rallient pas seulement une cohorte de fans «corbeau» mais forcent l'admiration de
plusieurs générations ayant découvert depuis les greffons Smashing Pumpkins.

Sur une pop rock lourde, anguleuse et psychédélique, les vétérans Robert Smith et Simon Gallup ont préféré
articuler leur sélection autour du dernier album, lui-même hors d'âge, Bloodflowers. Proposer à un public
festivalier un spectacle composé de titres méconnus tient soit du courage, soit de l'autisme, soit du mépris. Au lieu
de ses standards, le Cure 02 (nouvel album annoncé pour 2003) plonge dans de longues boucles progressives. Au
final, une maigre poignée de succès sera finalement lâchée, dont A Forest en rappel. "

"The Cure" habite les Vieilles Charrues de ses tourbillons psychédéliques
("The Cure" inhabits the Old Ploughs with its psychedelic swirls)

LE MONDE | 22.07.02 | 12h18
Carhaix (Finistère) de notre envoyé spécial
By Stéphane Davet

Seule véritable exclusivité du festival, le concert de Cure a risqué un parti pris courageux. Nounours gothique,
maquillé d'éternels rimel et rouge à lèvres baveux, le chanteur du groupe, Robert Smith, l'expliquait peu avant de
monter sur scène : "En festival, nous faisions l'erreur de vouloir plaire à tout le monde. Aujourd'hui, nous ne
jouons plus que pour nous et nos fans. Je suis trop vieux pour jouer de la pop."

Evacuant les mélodies primesautières qui ont souvent fait le succès de leurs singles, les icônes de la new wave
britannique se sont concentrées sur leur répertoire le plus sombre. Pas de tubes, mais un maelström de tourbillons
psychédéliques et de gémissements existentiels avançant au rythme d'une procession. Servies par des éclairages
oniriques, ces deux heures de show laissaient la foule groggy devant autant de noirceur hypnotique. Alors qu'on
parlait il y a peu de séparation, les Anglais annoncent un nouvel album pour l'année prochaine, dans lequel on
devrait trouver, en bonus, un album solo de Robert Smith.

The only true exclusiveness in the festival, the concert of The Cure risked a party taken courageous (?). The
Gothic teddy bear, made up in the eternal eyeliner and slobbery lipstick, the singer of the group, Robert Smith,
explained it a little before going up on stage: "In festival, we made the error to want everyone to like us. Today,
we do not play any more but for us and our fans. I am too old to play the pop one."

Leaving behind the lighter melodies which often made their singles successful, the icons of the British New Wave
concentrated on their darkest repertory. No tubes (?), but a maelstrom of psychedelic swirls and existential moans
advancing with the rhythm of a procession. Supported by dreamy lighting, these two hours of the show left the
crowd groggy before as much hypnotic blackness. Whereas one spoke there is little separation (?), the English
group announce a new album for next year, in which one should find, as a bonus, a solo album of Robert Smith. "

(Thanks Kate McLaughlin)

"I haven't read any mention of it anywhere, but I know I didn't dream the thing, as my boy-friend also
mentioned it later.
During the set (was it Plainsong?), a bat was flying for a little while around Robert, yes a BAT, flying like mad in
the blue light around his head. And I am positive he noticed it!"

"This was a great and powerful show! It began with a big surprise, Robert doing a short version of Seventeen
Seconds on his own, a song that had not been played live for 21 years ! Then the main set began with a perfect
Plainsong, followed by a great Shake dog shake. All the songs were played perfectly! I think the highlights of the
main set were The Baby Screams ( played slower than in 1985 ) and the most powerful version of The Kiss I have
heard so far. Although Robert was not very talkative between the songs, the whole band seemed in a very good
mood, Robert often smiling to the crowd and to the rest of the band, sometimes exchanging a few words with
people in the first rows. I could also enjoy the many close-ups of Robert on the screens, who seemed very
concentrated while singing.

The first encore began with "a very new song", Cut Here, that sounded quite different from the studio version,
including Robert's way of singing. The next 3 songs (Lovesong - IBD - JLH ) were the ones that caused the
biggest reaction from the audience who was mainly non-cure fans. There was even someone who waved a Bob
Marley flag during all the show (?!?!).

The last encore took us back in time with Three imaginary boys and Play for today, for which only a few people
sang along. And then a great version of a Forest (without the Roger/Robert/Simon intro ) with an ending similar
to the 1992 versions. Then Robert came to the edge of the stage to say "Thank you very much and see you again
very soon I hope !" and the show ended with the image of the band disappearing in the dark of the backstage, on
the screens.

This was excellent, really worth my 2x9 hour journey by train from Grenoble! And now, on the way to the Paleo
Festival in Nyon..."

"A HORRIBLE EXPERIENCE

 Les Vieilles Charrues was a horrible experience:  on stage, everything was perfect, The Cure was GREAT,
Robert started with "Seventeen Seconds"  before playing "Plainsong" and "Shake  Dog Shake". The Cure was
really energic and in a good mood, but in the crowd, it was a real nightmarre!

 It was really violent.  My friends and i thought it was going to be like the Roskilde 2000 festival, with dying
people, etc...

A friend of mine became ill, another one screamed "HELP ME!" because she couldn't breathe anymore. One
other fell on the ground amongst  the crowd and couldn't get up anymore. People were almost dancing on him. I
started to fall, i couldn't breathe at all, i thought i was dying, really. I said "Help me, evacuate me, i can't breathe"
 but i couldn't finish my words, so i said half sentenses. stuff like "Help m..., evacu..., i can't... i can't..."
 So i've been evacuated. My girlfriend and  friend who fell on the grou nd were too. So we waited in the red cross
area and we didn't know what happened to our friends. The one who cried "HELP ME!" was still in the crowd,
and some other friends were in too.  Many many bodies arrived to the red cross area. My friend was crying.
 I was completely scared! A nightmarre, really! "

"The vieilles charrues festival was held in the middle of nowhere. My first impressions were that the evening
would be a mess : I had to walk almost one hour to enter the festival area. There was only one entrance, with of
course a long wait in the sun.

That was for the first entrance, as, there were several second entrances. A one for the three day passes, another
one for single day tickets, VIP, ... I wasnt allowed inside until I found the right entrance, which means that I had to
wait in line at the other ones before finding the right one...

Anyway, I finally got inside. And the bad impressions I had were confirmed. It was so crowded. The toilets were
disgusting, this probably explains why a lot of people were peeing on the fences (never tried to breathe that
delicious smell in the heathing sun ?) ...

I was then astonished by the large amount of people heavily drinking beer, and smoking marijuana... Most of the
people there behaved like it was the first time they were at a music festival !

I tried to get close to the stage during Asian Dub Fundation's show, and when they had finished their long set, I
was right in front of Robert's mike, 4th row. Wow !

How exciting this would be. All my hopes became reality when Robert arrived, and started playing 17 seconds,
alone. I was sure that tonight's show would be terrific.

The main set was great, with good surprises like the figurehead and drowning man, very early in the show but the
audience just sucked. All those blokes who boozed and smoked all day were now in the pit, looking for trouble. I
dont mind pogo-dancing on 100 years, but I truly hate it when people jump around on songs like trust or drowning
man ! Some people were also holding Brittany flags, more concerned about politics and independence than by the
show in itself.

It was even worse when the band started playing their singles (Inbetween days & Just like heaven), as apparently,
most of the people in the pit were expecting those songs. It simply sucked, but I suppose that makes the charm
of such summer festivals, along with warm beer, and crap food...

In conclusion, I think that the show was far below my expectations and that a large part of those people in
Writtany are bankers ! "

"Carhaix ?  Where is there ?  In the middle of Britanny...  A good place where ghosts are flying and large clouds
waiting above our head...

The crowd (not Cure fans at all) welcome the cure when the show started...and it was POWERFUL...

First surprise : Robert alone on stage, playing 17 seconds (the way he played F.I.R.E.I.N.C.A.I.R.O. in 92 in
Paris)...

Second surprise : the set.  I guess a lot of people didn't love the songs they played because they were
non-commercial :

Plainsong : Same version as 89, loud and robert walked on both sides of the stage, saying hello to the crowd
Shake dog shake : with a beautiful Haha to start...followed by The Figurehead : A lot of heavy drums... nothing to
say : perfect
Open (with Roger playing guitar).  At this Moment, you understand that they will make something special, something you have never seen, As we go further, we listen to the drowning man (with a beautiful end :
Robert/drums)...  And yesss, we have it : the baby screams (as far as i can remember, the first time to hear this
song live in 15 years and 15 concerts): BACK to 85 (robert's hair is a bit the same than in this time...), followed
by PUSH (still very loud)...

and always people living the ground (yess yess yess !!!)

Are they going to play something commercial ?

NO,

they go ahead with Watching me fall (full length version), loudspeakers are going to crack under the pressure...
But do not fall asleep, the Kiss comes...
and what kiss....   A wonderful Robert on Guitar...  Do we have time to have a beer  NO (but Robert will), they
play From the edge...  it always the same, Porl is missing, but Perry is doing his best...  Yes the dream is true :
it the first gig where they won't play any commercial song...  and I start dreaming...  100 years, 39, Bloodflowers;
i'm knock-out...  15 songs without any single...  I told to my friend : now, we can die...

After a while, they came back on stage for the first encore, with a ready made package :
Cut here (different version/great)
Lovesong
Inbetween
Just like heaven

just to feed the 15 people who had bought the greatest hits without knowing the cure...

For the second encore, we jumped back in time with Three imaginary boys, play for today (with here and there
some people singing ohohohohohohohoho), and they left us for good this time with a very good verison of a forest
(with simon tapping on his bass at the end - verison 92)

Yes, the cure are generous and still very good on stage....

But, the most importan is what Robert told us at the end (and I went to sleep with this sentence in my head):

"See you very, very soon"

Bye bye Robert, you can go to sleep, you give us the Flowers of Blood"

"Tout simplement géant, un extrait de Seventeen seconds pour ouvrir un concert, de surcroit en festival, il fallait
oser, ils l’ont fait !

Une suite exceptionnelle : (…) Shake dog shake : puissant, (…) Open : efficacité totale, (…) The drowning man :
planant, (…) The baby scream : plus lourd et plus puissant qu’en 1986. Petite baisse de régime (mais toujours
aussi plaisant) avec Trust, pour mieux remonter en puissance : Watching me fall suivi de selon moi la réussite du
concert : The kiss.

100 years : le morceau rêvé pour une version rêvée !

Comme pour accentuer la magie du set, une chauve souris viendra voleter au milieu du groupe pour le plus
grand plaisir de Simon. Celui-ci éclatera aussi de rire à la suite d’une chute de chaussure sur la scène.

Premier rappel : les incontournables singles avec un Cut here plus lent qu’en cd, acceuillit comme le meilleur
morceau du groupe selon Robert !?… avec un petit problème de basse au début.

3 morceaux pour le dernier rappel, Three imaginary boys : bonne surprise, Play for today accompagné comme
toujours par le public et A forest version courte.

« Au revoir, merci, see you next year ! »

Un groupe légèrement absent (du sans doute au breack d’une semaine) pendant plainsong pour ensuite trouver
rapidement ces repaires et délivrer un magistral concert quasiment sans temps morts … vivement l’année
prochaine !

Info :

Reportage sur France 3 Bretagne (French regional TV) avec un extrait de The baby scream et 2 interviews de spectateurs.

"First, i have to say that joining this festival was an adventure as it's in the middle of nowhere...

We took place in the first rank at the begining of Asian Dub Fondation - interesting but boring because too long-
and The Cure arrive as the sun said goodbye at 23h00 as excpected.

The audiance was not a real Cure crowd, but Robert was welcome very well. Very surprising when he took his
guitar to play 17 second alone. Then, the rest of the band join him to play a wonderful Plainsong. Difficult to
comment all the songs, but i can say that the band was in a really good mood. The band was powerfull on shake
dog shake, push or From The edge...
They played an interesting version of Cut here and robert tried some voices or lyrics effect on some songs (slow
lyrics on a forest) Robert give us some very amazing guitar solos and joke sometimes with the rest of the band
(he said something to Roger on the microphone as a song was already started and they both laughed)

That was a nice and strong concert... another one..."