Out Of This World, Watching Me Fall, Want, Fascination St., Open, The Loudest Sound, Maybe Someday, Shake Dog Shake, Edge of the Deep Green Sea, Inbetween Days, Sinking, Prayers for Rain, 100 Years, End, 39, Bloodflowers

1st encore: There Is No If, Trust, Plainsong, Disintegration
2nd encore: M, Play for Today, Just Like Heaven, A Forest
3rd Encore: All Cats Are Grey, Faith.

Premessa: la prima volta che ho ascoltato i Cure avevo circa 10 anni, adesso ne ho 25. Ho centinaia di bootlegs,
ho tutta la loro discografia, singoli, progetti paralleli, collaborazioni. Fanno prepotentemente parte del mio passato.

Molto realisticamente devo però dire che il concerto di Milano mi ha lasciato abbastanza indifferente. La scaletta
del concerto era molto prevedibile: alla fine di ogni brano sapevo quale sarebbe stato quello successivo, fatta
eccezione per gli ultimi due (finalmente ho potuto sentire all cats are grey dal vivo). Capisco che il tour è lungo e
che non sempre il gruppo riesca a dare il meglio di se. Inoltre capisco, e trovo anche giusto, che per riuscire a stare
sul palco per quasi tre ore si debba seguire una certa regola; non si può certamente lasciare tutto al caso. Però,
sinceramente, mi ha dato l’impressione di un’operazione meccanica, fredda e stanca. Non mi aspettavo certamente
una scaletta simile ai concerti di Parigi, però mi aspettavo almeno un po’ più di PASSIONE.

Meno di un mese fa ho visto un concerto di Arto Lindsay, pure lui in giro dalla fine degli anni ’70: i brani che
propone dal vivo sono più o meno gli stessi ogni sera, ma che differenza! Molto semplice: dava l’idea di una
persona che si diverte ancora tantissimo e che ancora sembra avere molto da dire. Lo stesso purtroppo non si può
dire dei Cure: se Robert Smith sente di non avere più nulla da dire con i Cure, o se comunque non sente più
l’entusiasmo che poteva avere fino a Wish, perché continuare? Una carriera solistica è veramente l’unica via
d’uscita; il gruppo, così come l’ho visto l’altra sera, mi mette tristezza. "Questo potrebbe essere il nostro ultimo
tour, questo sarà il nostro ultimo album, sento di essere vecchio e anche i Cure lo sono, ecc…". Basta!

Con questo non voglio dire che sia stato un brutto concerto; la selezione dei brani è veramente notevole, e
apprezzo molto la scelta, non facile, di scartare quasi completamente tutto il repertorio più pop. Però sono dei
Cure veramente stanchi quelli che ho visto a Milano.

Spero proprio di sbagliarmi, spero che il concerto di Milano sia un’eccezione…..ma ho i miei dubbi…

Ho deciso di spedire queste brevi osservazioni anche perché in questo sito mi sembra arrivino commenti sempre
molto ‘di parte’, poco oggettivi. A me dispiace dover parlare in questi termini dei Cure, ma le cose vanno dette
come sono.

I've been to the Milan gig yesterday, and these are my feelings after it.
This was my first Cure concert, and probably the last (still hoping this won't be the final tour), and I have to say
that its memory will remain in my heart forever.
The Filaforum was VERY hot, and I only had a glass of water at lunch, so I was begging for some water even
before the beginning, but I thought that I would forget the thirst dueing the concert...
I was wrong.

Anyway, the opening of the show was perfect, the sequence of the first five songs was simply shattering: it was
pure Cure-Power!! I was very near the stage (3rd row at the beginning) but then I began to feel bad (I needed bad
some water and my low-pression made my head spinning).
I had to retreat to a corner of the forum and ask some water to drink (by the way, thanx to all the fans who helped
me yesterday). At that point, they were playing From The Edge, which I adore, so I forced myself to stand up until
the end of the song... another stupid error. I began to see everything black and then, during the solo, I fell down,
fainting. When I opened my eyes, the song was ending and I found myself shivering violently: I never suffered
epilectical crisis before, so I'm quite worried now... I hope it was just a pression problem.

I began to listen again while they were doing 100 Years: the horror I felt during the crisis mixed with the song
itself (the best and most powerful version I've ever heard) produced in me a great fear: I felt like I was bound to
die from a minute to the other... I managed to get rid of it only during Bloodflowers.

The encores were simply great: the first was a "crescendo" of feelings, from There Is No If... to Disintegration which left me incredule (another great piece of Cure-History); the second began with a wonderful M, a great Play
For Today, a mad Just Like Heaven and a powerful A Forest: 'nuff said!!
And then... All Cats Are Grey!! It was so beautiful, so sad and desperate... and great Roger  in the ending.
And then Faith (really nothing to say 'bout that: perfect as only Faith can be).

When the concert ended I fell down again for some minutes: I hadn't even the strength to walk. Yesterday was
one of the more intense days of my life, and I feel like it has been years ago, in another life. I hope my crisis isn't
anything serious and that it won't happen again, but I'm still a bit shocked right now...

So, that's all. I hope I wasn't too dramatic: the show was outstanding and I'll remember it forever, as I've already
said.

BOH...
ECCO TUTTO QUELLO CHE POSSO DIRE...
SONO 10 ANNI CHE SEGUO I CURE E CHE ASSISTO AI LORO CONCERTI,E DEVO AMMETTERE CHE
QUEST'ULTIMO NON MI HA ENTUSIASMATO PER NIENTE.
OK,BLOODFLOWERS A ME NON PIACE PER NIENTE(AL CONTRARIO DI QUELLO CHE SI DICE,
PERSONALMENTE LO RITENGO PRIVO DI VERA ISPIRAZIONE,MI SEMBRA UN ALBUM DI
MANIERA, CANONICAMENTE CURE E NIENTE PIU'.)
E QUINDI SORBIRMELO QUASI PER INTERO NON HA GIOVATO AL MIO COINVOLGIMENTO.MA IL
PROBLEMA SONO STATI I PEZZI VECCHI.FATTA ECCEZIONE PER "ALL CATS ARE GREY","100
YEARS" E "M",LE CANZONI NON DECOLLAVANO...SEMBRAVA PIU' UN CONCERTO DI UNA COVER
BAND.LI HO VISTI MOLTO ANNOIATI,E SINCERAMENTE(NON ME NE VOGLIANO I FANS PIU'
ACCANITI PER CUI ANCHE SE SCOREGGIA,LUI RESTA UN DIO)ROBERT NON CE LA FA PIU'.MA
VERAMENTE PIU'.SI VOCIFERA CHE SIA L'ULTIMO TOUR.MI SPIACEREBBE,MA FORSE SAREBBE
MEGLIO COSI'.
LA SCALETTA POI.....CHE SENSO HA METTERE OPEN,WANT E PLAINSONG IN MEZZO ALLO
SHOW?OPPURE METTERE END A 3/4 DELLA 1° PARTE?ECCO COSA MANCAVA:IL CRESCENDO
EMOTIVO.E POI TUTTE STE BASI....ADDIRITTURA L'INTRO DI PRAYERS FOR RAIN SOSTITUITA DA
UNA VERGOGNOSA BASE MIDI.....NON SO.QUESTO CONCERTO MI HA LASCIATO L'AMARO IN
BOCCA.MOLTO.MA DI CERTO BUONA PARTE DI CHI ERA AL FORUM L'ALTRA SERA NON LA
VEDE COSI'...

Con i Cure riecco la festa del punk-rock

A Milano 12mila fan per la band inglese: lanci di palloncini e balli scatenati

U MILANO
n crescendo di violini, proiezioni al color viola. Si spengono le luci e arrivano loro, i Cure, i più giovani fra i grandi
vecchi del rock. La batteria irrompe maestosa e parte, dopo una lunga introduzione di chitarre e un lungo
applauso, «Out of this world», seguita da «Watching me fall» (11 minuti che dimostrano la genialità chitarristica
del leader), entrambi dal recente «Bloodflowers». Quasi dodicimila spettatori ieri sera al Filaforum di Assago
per i veterani inglesi del rock nati nel '76 e cresciuti all'ombra dell'indiscusso leader Robert Smith. Quasi tre ore
di concerto tiratissimo a confermare un genere vario e raffinato, con tutti gli elementi cari ai fan d'ogni età.

I Cure, saliti alla ribalta mondiale nel 1982 con «Pornography», riescono ancora a mantenere l'etichetta di band
underground, in qualche modo «pura», spaziando dai funky trascinanti al genere dark, da brani solari ad altri
psichedelici o orientaleggianti. Nel '99 correvano voci di un imminente scioglimento, ma l'arrivo dell'album
«Bloodflowers» e il tour in corso (che approda domani al Palasport di Firenze e l'8 al Palaeur di Roma) hanno
smentito la circostanza pur avendo Smith pubblicamente esternato le sue incertezze sul futuro.

Da «Bloodflowers», come in altri concerti di questo tour, i Cure hanno proposto pure il brano omonimo (un
tappeto sonoro di percussioni «spaziali», una melodia intima) e la facile e orecchiabile «Maybe someday». Ieri
sera la tifoseria, preparata e agguerrita, è apparsa divisa. Per taluni «Bloodflowers» è l'essenza prima del gruppo,
per altri la continuazione di un manierismo cominciato tempo fa. Ma i Cure capeggiati da Smith, 42 anni, riescono
ad aggregare un vasto pubblico giovanile. Molti i cosiddetti post-punk: maglietta, capelli corti, bicchiere di birra,
qualche discreto tatuaggio o piercing, ragazze col bicipite «palestrato» in bella mostra, alternativi ma senza eccessi
né eccentricità di look.

Lo spettacolo ha confermato l'unicità dei Cure nel panorama rock internazionale: hanno unito ancora una volta
qualità e orecchiabilità. Smith, senza metterla giù tanto dura, domina la chitarra in modo eccelso, precursore
di quelle venature etniche che oggi van tanto di moda. Successo trionfale, lanci di palloncini, danze sfrenate,
atmosfera da spensierati anni '70.

Mario Luzzatto Fegiz

With the Cure here it is again the party of the pure rock

12000 fans in Milan for the English band: baloons throwings and unrestrained dances

Milan
A violins' crescendo, projections of violet color. The ligths go down and the Cure come, the yungest one among the
great old rock bands. The drums break into magnificent and "Out of this world" , followed by "Watching me fall"
(11 minutes which show the Robert Smith guitar geniality), both from the recent "Bloodflowers", starts, after a
very long guitars intro and a great applause.12000 fans yesterday night to the Milan FilaForum for the English
rock veterans, born in the '76 and growned in the shadow of the indiscussed leader Smith. Almost 3 hours of
strongest rock-doc to confirm an high identity style, with all the elements that the rock fan like. The stage was
sober, but refined, with sophisticated light's games and projections on 4 backgrounds, like once upon a time, with
a giant red  rose  at the end.
The Cure, begun well known in the world in the 1982 with "Pornografy", are still able to be an underground band,
"pure" in such a way,playing from the funk to the goths, from sun songs to other psychedelic or oriental.
In the '99 there were rumors about a very soon band dissolution, but the "Bloodflowers" coming and the current
tour (tomorrow to the Palasport in Florence and the 8th to the Palaeur in Rome) have denied them. From
"Bloodflowers", like in other concerts from this tour, the Cure played also the omonimous song (which offers a
goggled and dreaming atmosfear) and the easy "Maybe someday". Majestic in "Shake dog shake", vocally
virtuous in "Prayers for rain". Yesterday, after the concert, the fans, well prepared, had different opinions. To
somebody "Bloodflowers" is the main band essence, to the others is continuing a sort of manierism started along
ago. But the Cure, guided by Robert Smith, 42 years old, can aggregate a lot of young people. The show confirmed
the uniqueness of the Cure in the international rock outline: they close together quality and easy listening once
again. Smith plays the guitar in eccellent way, precursor of ethnics sounds, so fashionable now. Triumphal success,
a gust with no end of encores ([remember] "There is no if", "Disintegration", "Forest" and "Just like heaven"),
baloons throwings, unrestrained dances, care-free atmosphear from the '70's.

I can't believe the Cure sang M in Milan yesterday night! It is the song I asked in the Cure competition!!!
The first part of the concert was really quiet, people were only listening to the band, almost unusual for italian
people that are usually mad to the concerts. Maybe it was because the Forum was so hot. I enjoyed very much
Sinking and Prayers for rain. Also the new songs I liked very much, but you can understand, I can't compare how
much I like old song to the new one, although I like the Bloodflowers cd a lot, one of the best they ever did.

The encores were great people started dancing and shaking and singing aloud. I felt so well... they played all my
favourite songs, especially The plain song, Play for today and Disintegration and of course just like heaven and
M. I liked very much the lights and the stage. Robert was very kind and walked all around the stage saying hello
to everybody and in particular to somebody on the first rows...I guessed foreign Cure fans. I remember also last
time they played in Milan to the Forum there were pleople from abroad in the same place. Another piece of my
dream became true yesterday night, althought I would to see more Cure concerts and letting my dream be true
again.

the show of milan was brillant!!!
the encores were so great that there is no words to describe how wonderfull it is.
I have seen the cure many times since 1987 and I can say this show was one of the best one I have ever seen .

A great show, where we realize who The Cure is again most best band, especially "live". The crowd is fantastic.
More fans dressed black, with lipstick and mascara, dance and scream, and Robert is happy. He give kisses with
hands. What concert !

I am a Cure fan from 1985 ( I am young...) and I attended some Cure show before this. Last time i saw the Cure
was in Lyon, July 1998. I found that show a bit weird and not very well played.

Tonight I was curious about both the live performance of Bloodflowers material, both on the setlist, because I
read about the ones of the previous shows and because in Italy The Cure use to play the most obvious songs.

First the lightset is the same of the last tour beautiful and effective with something new: the screen behind the
band has become more interactive with imagines according to the mood of the song and not only abstract
kaleidoscopes. It reminds me the nine inch nail's one of the 96 Closure tour.

I can say that, globaly the show was pretty good, despite the awful sound of the first 4 songs; the band seems to
have reached a good feeling after what happened in their '98 performance.

After Want (with a shameful sampled guitar) and Fascination Street which, as I said were a mess, Open was the
beginning of the real show. Perry Bamonte seems, finally, to get clever in playing Cure's cover!

After Open honest versions of the loudest sound (with interesting images of separation on the screen) and maybe
someday follow without harm. Shake dog shake is powerful as it should but the first song I really enjoy is a
beautiful from the edge of the deep green sea: well played and heart compelling as usual.

After in between days, sinking (already played in '98) and a prayer for the rain (why Robert always makes that
acute?) a very violent and desperate 100 years is surely one of the highlights with his unique pace and images of
destruction delivered by the screen.

After a good end a very poor version of 39 and a not enough epic version of Bloodflowers (with some unforgivable
guitar mistakes by Robert and Perry) closes the first part of the show.

The first encore is There is no If, my favourite song of Bloodflowers, but live it has a very disappointing
arrangement I can't describe (hip hop?) the drum machine does not fit the sweetness of the song really. After a
boring Trust Plain song (THE opening song in an encore?) played as in the Wild Mood Swing Tour (e.g. with some
extra samples) is followed by a aggressive version of Disintegration very satisfying despite the key mistakes of
Roger. Anyway the band tonight seems to be more confident with the angry songs.

Second encore: M, I like this song and it's the first time I can hear it at a Cure show very good. Play for today,
Just like heaven are fair and a forest presents a Robert's indecision in the opening arpeggio and a very short
solo-ending.

Third encore: All Cats are grey: simply THE CURE absolutely magic, a reminder of what The Cure have been.
Faith, as usual, ends the show with some rhythmic embarrassment but with some tears fallen.

I can say two things: the band is in good condition (anyway these are not the Cure they were 8 years ago...with
Porl) and the setlist is a bit weird: I couldn't attend other Dream Tour shows, but the feeling is that the song
chosen from the old (and ancient) album are the right ones: not obvious and with a common mood, but the
sequence is not perfect: Out of this world opens the show, Want is the third song, Open the fifth, Plainsong is
present as an encore, sometimes they play The Kiss, all this songs are very beautiful OVERTOURES and seem
to lose sense played in the middle. The same could be said about Bloodflowers, End and Faith but. anyway is rare
attend to All cats are grey or Siamese Twins in the year 2K.

About the new material there is something good but the arrangements are even poorer than on the records...

I hope this will not be the last tour, because The Cure (and the fans) deserve something more.