1st set: One Hundred Years, A Short Term Effect, The Hanging Garden, Siamese Twins, The Figurehead, A
Strange Day, Cold, Pornography

2nd set: Plainsong, Pictures of You, Closedown, Lovesong, Last Dance, Lullaby, Fascination Street, Prayers For
Rain, Same Deep Water As You, Disintegration, Homesick, Untitled

3rd set: Out Of This World,  Watching Me Fall, Where the Birds Always Sing, Maybe Someday, Last Day Of Summer, There Is No If, The Loudest Sound, 39, Bloodflowers

Encore: If Only Tonight We Could Sleep, The Kiss

"I was in Brussels last thursday to see the Trilogy.  It was was fantastic. And I'm not the only one to say so (all
the press comments I've heard and read till now are extremely positive). Though I do have one little remark:
why does Robert's "Prayers for Raaaaaaaaaaaaaaiiiiiiiiiiin never lasts for more than 5 seconds anymore...?"

Les beaux restes de Cure (09/11/2002)

Emmené par un Robert Smith très inspiré, le groupe anglais a offert un concert exceptionnelà Forest National

BRUXELLES L'événement était peu banal. Le groupe The Cure avait, dans un premier temps, annoncé qu'il
donnait trois concerts exceptionnels en Allemagne (Hambourg ce samedi, Berlin lundi et mardi prochains) dans le
but de capturer sur un DVD l'interprétation live de trois de leurs meilleurs disques: Pornography, Disintegration,
Bloodflowers. Ces trois shows ont été sold-out en quelques heures seulement. Du coup, Robert Smith a décidé
d'ajouter une quatrième date, sorte de répétition générale, à Forest National.

Autant dire que les fans se sont rués sur les tickets. Les anciens, les plus jeunes, les clones de Robert Smith,
beaucoup de Belges bien sûr mais aussi des Hollandais, des Français, des Allemands et des Anglais...

Pour être honnête, on a craint le pire en début de set lorsque le groupe a attaqué One hundred Years, premier
morceau de l'album Pornography, oeuvre majeure de Cure, enregistré voici exactement vingt ans. Le son était
approximatif, l'écran placé derrière la scène cafouillait et les musiciens avaient du mal à trouver leurs marques.
Fort heureusement, cette impression s'est vite dissipée. Lorsqu'il est sorti en 1982, cet album était qualifié de
cold wave en réaction à la new wave qui cartonnait dans les charts à cette époque. Le terme convient toujours
pour décrire cette poignée de compositions aux textes sombres et musicalement dominées par une basse
caverneuse et des guitares bourrées d'effets. La réinterprétation de ces titres (notamment Hanging garden, A
strange day ou encore le bien nommé Cold) a suscité de bien belles émotions.

A l'applaudimètre, c'est pourtant le deuxième volet de cette trilogie qui a remporté le plus de succès. Soit l'album
Disintegration, datant de 1989, avec les tubes Fascination street, Pictures of you ou encore Love song. C'est
aussi durant cette seconde partie, la plus longue de ce concert de quatre heures (!), que le groupe s'est volontiers
écarté des versions originales en apportant de nouveaux arrangements.

Enfin, après une nouvelle pause de dix minutes, The Cure s'est lancé dans le parcours, plus inégal, de
Bloodflowers, dernier disque studio en date d'un groupe qui, après autant d'années, a le rare bonheur de pouvoir
compter sur un public d'irréductibles.

 L. L.

 © La Dernière Heure 2002

"Le concert inattendu, mais tant attendu, est terminé. La répétition générale avant les deux concerts de Berlin
aura tenue ses promesses malgré des débuts difficiles, les vidéos prévues en fond d'écran sur l'album Pornography
n'ayant pas fonctionnées. Moins soutenues d'ailleurs que lors de la précédente tournée des Cure, en 2000, tournée
durant laquelle les images animées (ou pas) avaient un tout autre visage et bien plus fiere allure. Dommage...
Espérons que lors des concerts de Berlin, le mal soit réparé et que les Cure puisse nous offrir le DVD Live des
plus réussis.

En ce qui concerne l'ambiance générale, je suis partagé entre le bien et le moins bien. Robert n'ayant pas ou peu
communiqué (beaucoup moins qu'à ses habitudes, ce qui signifie le minimum syndical : les classiques "hello",
"see you next year" et autres "thank you", citations issues du dictionnaire particulier de Robert Smith, 2 pages
en vente chez les bons libraires) avec le public.
Son jeu de scène, lui aussi, était réduit au strict minimum, R. Smith ne s'éloignant pas à plus de 3 mètres de son
micro, comme si déja il pensait aux plans de caméras pour le tournage du DVD vidéo. Heureusement, Saint Simon
est venu à la rescousse : attaque nerveuse de la basse, sauts, demi-tours, genoux quasi à terre, l'instrument (la
basse bien sur pas l'autre) à 3 centimetres du sol, bras tendus. Merci Simon.

Connaitre à l'avance les morceaux qui allaient etre joués a certainement fait perdre de l'intensité au concert.
Pour preuve, les hurlements du public avant le rappel, quand sous les lumieres toujorus éteintes, le groupe est
revenu jouer If only Tonight... et the Kiss dans une version encore plus puissante que d'ordinaire... le profil du
prochain album produit par un spécialiste du HardRock coulerait il déja sur le groupe ou tout du moins dans les
veines de R. Smith ? A voir... ou plutot à écouter !!!

Je posterait dès que possible des photos prises lors du concert... environ 100 à 150 prises avec un appareil
numérique. J'ai aussi à disposition l'intégral du concert sur CD audio pour qui "n'en veut".

PS : Super ta critique Cédric, tu t'es pas foulé les doigts sur le clavier... kéké ! Dis donc, Xavier, arrete les pizzas
et le Coca ! Fred, t'es venu en R5 au concert ?"

"The Brussels show was as brilliant as you could expect it to be. All of us were pretty impatient, especially when
we heard the band soundchecking while we were waiting behind the closed doors. When I got in, I saw a human
wave surging into the venue until it "crashed" against the front... Impressive! Many people in the first rows
(including I!) sang along all the way through. I think all songs were perfectly played, apart from a few technical
problems (Roger's keyboards a bit low on Cold and Plainsong, Perry's guitar during the intro of the Last day of
summer). I have the feeling that most of the trilogy songs were played in versions as close as possible to what
they are on the albums: although some people think it resulted in a lack of creativity, I think it reinforced
the impression of perfection. The only exceptions I have in mind are Untitled, on which Robert's guitar part was
slightly different, and There is no if, played in its "classical Dream tour electroacoustic" version. The projections
on the background screen were mainly static, a mix of dream tour pictures and new ones, except for The same
deep water as you where you could see Robert's face (as on Sinking during the Dream tour ) and for 39 (moving
flames).
When the band left the stage after Bloodflowers, I secretly hoped that they would come back for an encore but I
wasn't sure. The light did not come back, but The Cure did! Robert laughed and said something like "It's
incredible! Now we are ready for the Kiss me album!" Well... not the entire Kiss me album ;o) but a beautiful If
only tonight.. followed by a powerful, intense, hypnotic version of The Kiss that ended this exceptional show in an
amazing way. Thank you very much to The Cure and as Robert said:"See you next year!"."

Tango with the death

Thursday night, in Forest National, The Cure was going to play their 3 darkest albums – Pornography (1982),
Disintegration (1989) and the most recent Bloodflowers (2000). Full albums and chronological.  A crazy idea, but
for the ten thousand fans, who found the way to Forest National, it was a dream coming true.

The Cure doesn’t know how to stop. Since 1983, they announce every album as their last one. And there are
always rumors the band will split. But now, 12 CD’s later they are still there. Last Thursday, Robert Smith had a
unique concert for the Belgian fans.

Robert Smith is a man with two faces. One time he writes songs that are so depressing, you can better listen to
them with slit wrists. One moment later he can easily make light pop songs like  “the lovecats”, “ Close to me”,
or “Why can’t I be you”. Then, life seems like a big party. You have to admit: how serious can a band take
themselves as they dress like a fur rabbit in one of their video clips or give a concert in dresses. Next to that,
they don’t make of a secret of the fact that for ¼ of a century they take care of the make-up industry.
So, you better take their depressing image with a grain of salt. But last Thursday, you could only laugh behind
closed doors.

With “ A hundred years” (opening with “it doesn’t matter if we all die”), Smith gave a good impression of the
atmosphere for the rest of the night. If people were dancing, they were doing it with the death. Why would you
want to live, if your life if filled with homesickness, loss, lovesickness and terrible nightmares? The band, without
exception dressed in black, was, with a great sense of drama, putting down nice marshes of death from
pornography. They were putting new life into songs like “Cold” and “The hanging garden”. The band was very
sharp. Smith was singing very enthusiastically, Gallup was playing the bass until his fingers exploded, Roger O’
Donnell was –as usual- standing untouchable behind his keyboard, but missed no single note. Smiths “waving”
guitar sound was as it used to be and more than once his solo’s were so out of this world that you might think he
was playing on frozen strings. I never thought you could play such a cycle of songs about suicide with such a lust
for life.

The second part, based on “Disintegration”, was, if possible, even better. The songs were built like movies. The
long intro’s were the décor for the scenes they played. “Fascination Street”, a mix of gothic; funk, new wave and
rock, was developing to a predictable climax. “Untitled” and “Homesick”  were  – sad and sedating-  close to
perfection. So, after that, it couldn’t get any better. Bloodflowers stayed the weakest part of the chain of three, but
the damage was little.

“There is no if” didn’t leave an impression you couldn’t forget. Also midlife crisis song “39” was showing a bit
tiredness. “Maybe someday” sounded like the hit it never was, while the very loud sound of silence of “The
loudest sound” expressed an untouchable beauty. With “If only tonight we could sleep” and a waving, orgasmic
version of “The kiss”, the concert got to an unpredictable climax. You might have seen it by now: the Cure was on
stage for 4 hours but we didn’t get bored for a second.

Was this really the last concert of this band? Of course not !! “See you next year” mumbled Robert Smith before
he wandered off to the dressing rooms. At this moment, the band is working on another new CD. That would really
be the last one. Or the one before the last one.

Anyway, one of the last ones. And, about that splitting up, if it’s on us, they don’t have to hurry…"

Le Soir en Ligne, le 09/11/2002, 06 h 00

 MusiqueQuatre heures pour une trilogie, à Forest-National

 Un Cure tout wagnérien

CRITIQUE

THIERRY COLJON

The Cure avait donc décidé d'innover, en créant une trilogie « sombre » constituée des albums « Pornography »
(1982), « Disintregration » (1989), « Bloodflowers » (2000). Ce dans le seul but de réaliser un DVD, au fil de
quatre concerts dans trois villes (Bruxelles, Berlin et Hambourg). Et c'est Forest-National qui a eu l'honneur de
la première, jeudi soir.

Ce concert exceptionnel de quatre heures (y compris deux pauses de quinze minutes entre chaque album) était
bien sûr complet de longue date, mais deux cents places se sont libérées en dernière minute, en lieu et place des
caméras, finalement absentes - ce qui fit chuter les prix du marché noir. C'est donc la seule bande son qui a été
enregistrée à Forest, ce qui  nous valut une sonorité d'anthologie.

Dès 20 heures, dans l'ordre gravé sur disques, Robert Smith et son Cure attaquent « Pornography », avant d'en
faire autant avec les deux autres albums, pour une trilogie inventée de toute pièce, hormis ses humeurs
mélancoliques.  « Pornography » est des plus rêches. Et c'est « Disintegration » qui recueillera tous les suffrages,
avec son light-show somptueux transformant la scène en cathédrale de lumières. « Bloodflowers », enfin, privilégie
les projections.

Cure est au sommet de sa forme, dans des versions à la fois fidèles à l'original et actuelles. Simon Gallup, seul
survivant des débuts avec Robert, n'a jamais été aussi vif et appliqué. Le bassiste occupe le terrain, tandis que le
boss, comme d'habitude, préfère s'effacer visuellement.

L'écoute de ces trois symphonies nécessite une grande concentration. Le public, qui est resté jusqu'au bout, a
dégusté religieusement ce triptyque tout wagnérien dont le moment fort restera le premier mouvement de «
Disintegration », de « Playsong » à « Fascination street ».

Autour de minuit, rappel en guise de bonus, avec deux extraits de « Kiss me kiss me kiss me » (« If only tonight
we could sleep » et « Kiss me »). Enfin, ultime cadeau lancé par Robert en quittant la scène : See you next year...
Cure est grand.·

"De Morgen – a quality newspaper – is very positive.  “More then ever, Robert’s guitar sounded ‘out of this world’, like he was playing on frozen strings.”  And: “Simon almost bursted his fingers while playing his bass guitar so heavy”.  The Kiss was called ‘an unexpected and almost orgasmic climax’.  The writer ends his article with ‘a dream became true’. (this article counts 708 words)

Het Nieuwsblad - starts with ‘what a voice, what kind of songs!’.  And then: ‘Opus 1, break, opus 2, break, opus 3, curtain. Ovation. Bravo!”.  Further: “this trilogy of darkness had something of a conspiracy” and “this was a crescendo, a climax in the valley of tears”

Het Belang van Limburg (smal newspaper) - describes the concert as ‘dark, dark, gray’.  They explain ‘gray’ as: ‘bloodflowers was ‘rather boring than spooky’.  But the tenor is rather positive.

The Standaard – a boring quality newspaper – gave the title “a jukebox without any inspiration”.  Uh..?, very bizarre, because the concert wasn’t a jukebox at all ;-)  The writer’s opinion: “no vitality or passion, Robert lost his voice and played the songs like he’s fed up with it, he looked very tired while he was girding on his guitar…” And at the end: ‘what after this uninspired concerts?’.  I guess this reporter normally writes economical articles and only loves Britney Spears!  Let him burn in hell!"

"The Cure. Finally. After years and years of listening to their albums and listening to live recordings ( errr... what?
who's talking 'bout bootlegs? ) of their shows, i was pretty excited about finally having the opportunity to see them
live. When one day i came home, there was this nice missed call on our phone from a friend of mine telling me The
Cure was coming to Belgium. I was like... Wooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooow. Then i tried to order
tickets on the internet, but the Go For Music site was down for the whole damn weekend, and at that time it was
the only way to get a ticket. So i was pretty pissed off. But then my ticket got ordered by phone, and again i was
like... Wooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooow. So after a few days of patience... errr... more about 2
weeks... one a great morning, my ticket for The Cure on 7/11 was dropped in our mailbox by our postman. For the
third time... Wooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooow. It all looked so perfect.

But... Somewhere i didn't feel really comfortable with the whole situation, since my (ex) girlfriend broke with me
some weeks ago. I was pretty depressed, and since The Cure had a special place in our relationship i really didn't
feel 100% comfortable by going there. Even yesterday, after having some kind of nervous breakdown and just
crying and crying over here for more than an hour, i was thinking about not going, being afraid i wouldn't be able to
coop with it. But... when i got there... it was like...unbelieveble. We got there about 18.45, and just like eveybody
else we were just standing there, waiting for the doors giving acces to the stage to open. There was this special
atmosphere hanging around... I was pretty surprised by the public i must say. I expected a lot of fans with their
hair like Robert, but i was one of the only ones who had their hair like him (maybe some people saw a boy aged
about 18 with an orange scarf... well, say hello, here he is again :). Lots of people dressed in black anyway. And
then... finally... heaven opens. Everyone was just running to get their place in the front. I was one of the lucky
ones who managed to get their.

Well... during Pornography i stood about 10 meters of the stage. It was just unbelievable. After i heard The
Figurehead on the Paris album, i was just dying to see it live. And i did. And i did die. What a performance! Even
in my wildest dreams i couldn't have hoped for this! At the very start of the show, during the first seconds, i had the
incredible chance to 'climb' on my friend 's back. I stood about 1 meter above the rest of the crow, just waving my
arms. It was a superb view from there, héhé. I wonder if Robert or the other band members saw me. It was very
special. Some other fan i was chatting with just a few minutes before the show ( some discussion about which album
being the best: Pornography or Disintegration... finally we decided that it depends on which mood you 're in ) came
to me and told me: "the max, really the max". It was weird. We just stood there, with so many Cure fans, just
freakin' out on the dark melodies of the Pornography album. The Figurehead really was a highlight for me. Well,
every song was a highlight for me. So at the end of Pornography i was like: i want more. And hell, i did get more!

So for Disintegration i for some closer to the stage. Let's say about 3 meters from it, pretty much in front of
Robert. Disintegration. The album i was most scared about. Let's just say songs like 'Lovesong' and especially
'The Same Deep Water As You' werent exactly what i needed at that moment. But it was, again, unbelievable. I
enjoyed it so damn much. Just pushing and jumping and falling around with all the other fans there. It was really an
unforgetable experience. Also, the way the mood of the crowd changed from song to song. With Fascination Street
everyone was so excited and full of energy, and then, with T.S.D.W.A.Y. everyone was looking at the floor, feeling
dark and heavy, and then again with Disintegration, everyone was full of energy again! T.S.D.W.A.Y. was the
song i was most afraid of, since it's that song that started the whole thing between me and my ex-girlfriend, but
after all, i didn't feel as bad as i would think i would at all! It was the complete contrary, it was so great, being able
to share all those feelings with so many people around there. I remember someone fainted, a girl, right behind me.
I don't remember which song it was exactly. I think it was Homesick. Pretty bizar. You're enjoying the show, and
then suddenly you hear this *boem* sound somewhere next to you... So we got her up and two people carried here
out of the crowd. I hope she's alright. Unfortunatly, after the energy i put in Pornography and Disintegration and
also due to the fact that i didn't sleep very well the past few days, i was really too tired to keep standing in the
front with Bloodflowers. So i got myself a seat somewhere on the second floor, somewhere in the left corner. I had
a great view on the stage and on the crowd, but somewhere i was a bit disapointed. I would've prefered sitting in
front of the stage... or even standing there, but i think it would 've been my turn to faint then.

Bloodflowers was the album that hurt me the most. Songs like Out of this world ( 'WHEN WE LOOK BACK AT
IT ALL AS I KNOW WE WILL YOU AND ME, WIDE EYED I WONDER... WILL WE REALLY REMEMBER
HOW IT FEELS TO BE THIS ALIVE?' ), Where The Birds Always Sing and Last Day Of Summer ('IT USED
TO BE SO EASY I NEVER EVEN TRIED yeah IT USED TO BE SO EASY... ' ) got me in a dark mood, and
songs like The Loudest Sound ( 'SIDE BY SIDE IN SILENCE THEY PASS AWAY THE DAY SO
COMFORTABLE, SO HABITUAL...AND SO NOTHING LEFT TO SAY ' ), Bloodflowers ( '"THIS WORLD
NEVER STOPS" YOU SAID "THIS WONDER NEVER LEAVES THE TIME WILL NEVER COME TO SAY
GOODBYE" "THIS TIDE NEVER TURNS" YOU SAID "THIS NIGHT NEVER FALLS AGAIN THESE
FLOWERS WILL NEVER DIE" '... yeah my a** ), and especially There Is No If ( 'REMEMBER THE LAST
TIME I TOLD YOU I LOVE YOU - IT WAS WARM AND SAFE IN OUR PERFECT WORLD - YOU YAWNED
AND I HAD TO SAY IT OVER  "I SAID I LOVE YOU" I SAID... YOU DIDN'T SAY A WORD JUST HELD
YOUR HANDS TO YOUR  SHINING EYES AND I WATCHED AS THE TEARS RAN THROUGH YOUR
FINGERS HELD YOUR HANDS TO YOUR SHINING EYES AND CRIED...' ) really hurt me and almost made
me cry. I was like, 'stop, just stop singing, please, i can't take it no more'. Well hell, i made it, and it was more
than worth it. And what a great encores! Hum... If Only Tonight We Could Sleep wasn't really what i needed too,
since one day we promised each other, after having heard this song, that we would spend a night together on a bed
of flowers, but The Kiss... Yeah that was it! 'Get your fucking voice out of my head'. That was what i needed!!!!"

"The Cure concert yesterday was fabulous, but I would like to make a few remarks on the concert. We all loved
the concert because it was the Cure playing, the only band in the world that can make such a fantastic songs and
they played entirely their best two albums. But the question is whether this concert was so special? Of course it
was great to hear all those songs from Pornography (which was played very energitically) and Disintegration and
all songs were played just perfect (unfortunetaly the keyboards were not that loud on songs like Cold). But the
band didn't add anything to these songs. The songs were played exactly the same as on the albums so that some
creativity was lacking. It was also a pitty that the entire setlist was known in advance, you were never quite
surprised by what was coming.We had to wait to the encore with a really astonishing version of the Kiss, the first
time the band was actually playing a non CD version of a song and showing a lot of creativity and wow what a
great versio! n this was. Robert has never said a lot of things during a concert but this time he hardly said a word
except before the encore when he told "Are you know ready for the Kiss me Album ?".Don't get me wrong it was
a very great concert but I'm hoping that when they come back next year (as het said at the end) that they will be
playing some different versions of the songs."

"Errr... i don't know if the guy who wrote that article for RTBF stood in front of the stage, but i think he doesn't
really know what the heck he's talking about. He's talking about The Cure not being original at all, and just playing
their 3 Dark Trilogy albums without changing one single note or anything ( and what were all those solo's
then??? ), and pretending fans would've prefered having a trilogy going back to 17 Seconds... WTF? First of all:
don't tell me there wasn't plenty of energy running through the public! Everyone in the front could feel it! I really
don't think he felt them pushing there in the front! Second point: what's this talking about a trilogy 17 Seconds -
Faith - Pornography ( i guess that's what he's pointing at )? Which non existing trilogy is he talking about? And
then, what's this originality thing about? Who gives a heck? I came to hear Porno, Disintegration and Bloodflowers
in their entirty, performed right after each other, not to hear some kind of remixed or reworked versions or
anything. I wanted the original thing, and that's what i got! And it was like heaven to me, and having read most of
the reviews of the 7/11 show, i think it was for most fans. Didn't this reporter heard the crowd constantly singing
along with the band and clapping hands between the songs? Did he feel the excitement just before the start of each
song, each album, and of course especially at the start of the show? Apparently not. And then what's this fuzzing
about Robert not saying a lot to the crowd??? When did Robert EVER said much to the crowd ( except for that one
time when a helicopter has to land during Fascination Street because 'they have to get someone out of the
front who's in a pretty bad shape' in '90 )??? And since when does the crowd expect Robert to tell 'em much? We
just want to hear him perform his songs, not hear him talk nonsense! And which fan would prefer to stay at home
on his own and put those three albums on right after each other, instead of seeing them being performed live
together with thousands of other fans? And since when is 'Kiss me Kiss me Kiss me' a song??????? For as far as
i know, 3xKM is an album, but hey, since this guy seems to know everything, i guess i may be wrong. Anyway, that
last song i heard sounded to me like a song i thought was called 'The Kiss' and not 'Kiss Me Kiss Me Kiss Me'. I
can't believe this..."

"Yesterday evening The Cure proved they can still do it. Lots of very strong performances (A Strange Day,
Prayers for Rain, Lovesong, Watching me fall,…) and an encore that went on in the “dark trend”. The singles
played during the set had a great impact on the audience. Although lots of Cure fans more like their darker side,
I prefer a mix with more joyful songs. Nevertheless this was a performance to remember. Congratulations Robert,
Perry, Jason, Simon and Roger!"

"The Brussels show was 3 hours and 50 minutes (including two 15-minute intermissions and the encore).  I think
what Robert said at the end was 'See you again in June!'  Also, someone who was standing near the lightshow
table saw a setlist labeled "Hamburg" which was the same 'Trilogy' set.  I didn't see it myself, though.  We'll find
out tomorrow. There were 4 different t-shirts available (30 euros each): a Pornography t-shirt, a Disintegration
one and a Bloodflowers one - with no mention of the event - plus a 'Trilogy' t-shirt marked 'Brussels & Berlin'."

"First of all, that was a urge for averybody to get inside, when the outside doors where still closed. Then we got
inside, but the inside door for the venue where still closed and the soundcheck started. People got very exited and
stated singng the lyrics of 'The Hanging Garden'. The acoustic guitar of Perry for the soundcheck in 'The Last Day
of Summer' worked fine, and gave me creeps, because I literally love this song, but then during the real
performance it didn't work and I think this got the band a little pissed off. When the doors opened everybody
started running to get in front of the stage. I was one of the lucky ones to get it. I was right in front of Robert, with
no even one head in front of me. Watching The Cure from there was great. You got the illusiory impression that
they are playing for you and you only. I go to watch many big bands at Forest National and the venue fills up
always slowly and bit by bit, no matter which big band is. But yesterday it was completely filled in no more than 5
minutes.

People  in the first rows where excited about the possibility of being filmed in an official cure concert release, but
apparently there where no cameras, for the general disappointment of everybody. The general mood was very
high and hot.

The band got on stage without any intro, and start playing the always powerful 'One Hundred Years', with flashing
psychedelic white lights during the part when Robert sing '...it feels like one hundread years,  a hundread years, ...'
'A Short Term Effect' was very very good. It's nice to hear a song that wasn't played since 15 years or so. 'The
Hanging Garden' was very well welcomed and everybody were singing hard. 'Siamese Twins" was beautiful and
set a sad mood. Nothing much to say about 'The Figurhead' which was performed as well as always. I think Robert
really enjoy playing the guitar lines in this song. Being 'A Strange Day' the song that was "always there" since the
Pornography era, it has been the highlight of the Pornography set, of course, and the more welcomed. In 'Cold' I
was disappointed not to get to hear very well the keybords, which I think give the emphasis to that song. That were
some additional noise effects, like the ones that they put on the recently live version of 'The Kiss' and 'Fascination
Street'. 'Pornography' was very good.
During this set Robert spoke just before one song and I am sorry not to know what he said and it could have been
before 'The Figurehead'.

Disintegration set stared with the usual bells of 'Plainsong' with Robert mentioning something about seven years
(refering to the number of years from Pornography to Disintegration). During the opening song Robert amused
himself in his usual slow walk staring-smiling at the public, from one side of the stage to the other and I always got
the impression that him being much to far from the microphone location, he will not make it to start singing when
the time comse, but even if he's far away just before the singing should start, and he walks too slow, for some
magic reason he makes it to the microphone just in time. He grabed some t-shirt somebody thrown at him. 'Pictures
of you' was beautiful and romantic and very well performed. The back-screen showed the cover from the single (is
she Mary watching herself in a mirror?). Robert was a lot into it. 'In Closedown', as in 'Cold', the keyboards were
not loud enough (in a song mainly made of keybords). 'Lovesong' got people to dance a move a little bit (even if it's
a Cure concert, people just want to move at concerts).the back scren shown the beautiful porl's painting from the
single cover. 'Last Dance' was the one I was expecting the most, with 'Homesick', and it was loud and emotional
and it was the only song (with Plainsong) that Robert sings without playing an instrument. In the time wainting fot
singing, Robert stand few meters behind the microphone, looking at nothing in particular and with his right hand
following the rythm. robert actually messed up with the last lines of the song, not singing "...and even if we drink, I
don't think we will kiss n the way that we did when the woman was only a girl...' and instead sang again '...all this in
an instant before I can kiss you, a woman now standing where once thare was only a girl ...' Judging from Robert
expression I have to think that this change wasn't intentional. 'Lullaby' was just 'Lullaby', with robert theathrical
performance. Back Screen showing a spider net, then as the song progressed, a spider coming across it. The
graphic was kinda cheap (I think intentionally). 'Fascination Street' had the back screen with shots of
"peepshows", "sex" and stuff, from the Dream Tour. Everybody got smashed on this one, of course. 'Prayers for
rain' intro was very massive, and Robert was very into it. Yes there was the scream and it was very long. 'Same
deep water as you' was emotional and for this one they put a camera near Robert micro to display a distorted
close-up of his face on the back-screen (kind of the same when i was singing 'Sinking' during the Dream tour). I
personally think the effect doesn't add anything special. The storm sound effect  wasn't kind of annoying and quit
distorted (was this intentionally?). 'Disintregration' was just great. Just great. Robert singing very impressive on
this one. Before 'Homesick' I spotted Simon making a face to the group as for saying 'oh, oh, ...let's hope it goes
fine...' And in fact dusing this one I got the impression that something went wrong but couldn't point the finger at
it. I could be totally wrong, of course. 'Untitled' was so emotional and beautiful and Robert closing solo
very intense. before leaving the stage Robert mentioned something about 11 years (referring to the time from
Disintegration to Bloodflowers).

After the other 20 minutes the band got on stage and performed the beautiful opening 'Out of this Worls'. The back
screen had nice blue spots items spinning in different directions. Very nice effect. And the 'Watching Me Fall',
which was very very powerful. A great performance. 'Where the birds always sing' had some kind of tribal
illustrations on the back screen and it ended with a message composed of many words, but I couldn't say what. I
got the impression that in this song Robert wants to let a message pass, kind of. I think that was a lyrics mistake,
and Robert was pissed of by it. Again I could be wrong. Nothing much to say about 'Maybe Someday'. Just good
performed, and very nice spinning graphics on the back-screen. 'The last day of Summer' started badly, due to
Perry acoustic guitar which wouldn't work and a technician came to try to move the plug while he was already
playing, and for a moment I thought they were going to stop the song and start again but they just carried on.
Otherwise it was beutiful and robert solo intro very emotional. This is one of my favorite songs of the entire Cure
discography. 'There is no if...' was very nice and arranged like in the Dream Tour, with drums an bass. 'The
Loudest Sound' is a song that i personally don't really like on the album, but I really always appriciate the live
version; Back-screen showing images of people holing hands and the two Robert newphies at sea (I think) picture
from the Bloodflowers booklet. As for '39' and 'Bloodflowers' I have to say that I didn't really appriciate those live
performance at previous shows, but yesterday night they were both very strong and beautiful and intense. The
guitars very loud. Yes, I like it that way.

Then the band left, but everybody was so excited and we screamed 'til the band surprisenly got again in stage and
Robert say something like 'we going to play some stuff form the Kiss album' and they played 'If Only Tonight We
Could Sleep' (screen with an illustration of an angel), and then the most amazing version of 'The Kiss' (screen with
the cover from the kiss album). As I said on my previous review, I just miss the words to describe this song and
especially Robert performance and state-of-trance while playing. It's a feeling I'll keep with me forever.

In general: the sound was perfect,. Finally I could hear the guitars above the bass and drums (I have this
impression that in a few previous shows I've been to, such as Hyde Park, the guitars where low and I had to
make an effort to imagine their riffs).

This was the 10th Cure concert I watched and one of the best so far. The frustrated feeling is that it just makes
you wanted to go to all the other concerts, and I can't. Hope they'll be back soon.

A message to the band: I know nobody mind if during performance some slight mistake happens. I think it's only
normal, when a band got a repertory of so many songs to play at all moments. And this has to be seen as a gift
from all fans. And this is why you guys are great and always will be. Thanks."

"Just arrived home from the Brussels gig. Stayed in Brussels in a cheap hotel near (10 minutes by car near the
highway exit nr. 18) Vorst. The hotel is called ´Formule 1´ and costs for only €31 a 3-person room. A tip for all fans
for future Cure-concerts in Brussels!

When  I arrived at the Vorst National (6.30 pm) , the band was still soundchecking. The concert began half an hour
too late. Perhaps the reason for this was that not all people had arrived because the hall was half empty at 7.30. At
8pm is was very crowded with very very anxious, mostly French speaking, fans .

The setlist was of course known to everybody. With hindsight this was a bit of a pity because you knew exactly
which song they were going to play next. There was no excitement about ´what are they going to play next´in the
crowd in between the songs from the original setlist. This only happened before the two astonishing songs of the
encore (especially the brilliant The Kiss). I didn´t expect the encores because this would more or less spoil the
concept of the triligy concert. But it was a really really nice surprise! Thank you to the band!!!! Most of the fans
were disappointed that they played only two (there was al great boooooo when the lights went on)! But is it right to
complain after a four hour concert in which the band gave their very best? Don´t think so!

Robert´s voice was very clear and powerful en his guitarplaying was BRILLIANT! I really liked the show,
specially the Disintegration part was great! Also it was really nice to hear all the Pornography songs after 20 years.
It reminded me of the time I was 15 years old and went to my second Cure gig in the Carré theatre in Amsterdam
in 1982. My first was during the Faith Tour in 1981 when they played in a tent! After that I visited every show in
The Netherlands and a couple of shows in Belgium (Torhout Werchter).

The show lasted for almost four hours (8 pm-12pm)! There were two 15-20 minute breaks and during the breaks
the Vorst National was almost one big café with people drinking beer and chatting with each other.Two rows in
front of me a guy was filming all of the concert on videotape. Wonder how he dit get his camera in! I have
forgotten to ask for his name and address. This is a pity  because I and perhaps many other fans who were
present last night would like make a copy of his tape. Maybe he will also send a review to you?

At the end of the concert Robert said something like ´See you next year´. Probably they will be doing a European
tour to promote their new album???

I´m very glad and proud that I visited this very impressive and emotional show and can´t wait for the DVD/VHS of
the Berlin shows."

"This event was amazing, it holded its promises ! The Pornography set was very intense and some songs like a
"short terme effect", "Siamese twins" or "Pornography" produced all their hypnotizing effect. The Disintegration
set also was a welcome surprise, the songs were played with a lot of intensity, and it was a pleasure to reexplore
this album live. Unfortunately the Bloodflowers album, i am sorry to say, didn't hold the comparison with the first 2
sets. Even if all the Bloodflowers songs are excellent, my overall feeling was that it sounded a bit flatter than the
first 2 hours and a half. There is another "trilogy" which, to me, makes more sense, and which would have
deserved to be played in such an event (17 seconds, Faith, Pornography), but anyway, that's my personal opinion...
maybe someday ;-)
About the concert as a whole, it seems that this Brussels show was very much a full scale rehearsal concert for the
Berlin gigs that will be filmed for the DVD. And it was a welcome one. I think i spotted a few musical screw ups
from Robert, Jason and Perry. Like Gianfranco, i noted that the band was very nervous, they were extremely
concentrated. Robert didn't talk at all, except during the transitions, commenting how many years had passed
between the albums. Also, the slideshow, during the Pornography set, was strange... I don't know what the tech
crew was doing with it, but we saw a sort of "test card" a few times .
The encore was an excellent surprise, and a nice "hommage" to the Kiss me album. Robert's guitar solo on "The
kiss" is one to remember ;-)
I guess that the Berlin shows will be the "real" ones, but i was glad to attend this peculiar show, because it was
the first one, with its own little imperfections and magical moments. That was the charm of it."

"I came in forest national just at the opening hour. But access to the place didn't mean access to the arena.
I had to wait for 30 minutes before I could enter the room. But it was great because the Cure were rehearsing.
Short term effect, hanging garden, last dance, homesick, last day of summer. Five songs even before the concert
starts. They came on stage at 19h45.  And then it began.
The pornography set was ......... ?!! There is no word to describe it.  Robert and Simon had the very same guitar
and bass they used in 82.  I enjoyed A Strange Day very much, I usually didn't.  Pornography was mystical, The
stage was all red with revolving lights all around.  Great !!!!!!!!
I was waiting for the disintegration set because I saw it in the same place 13 years before, and it changed my life.
The set was great, but i am a little disappointed of closedown, maybe because I wasn't hearing the Keyboard.
Homesick was for me the best moment of the set (vote fore homesick in the poll!!!).  Simon did a great performance
on this song, and even Robert was amazed by him.
The bloodflowers set was very good with very powerfull versions of Watching me fall and 39. I was expecting more.
They gave me more : If only tonight we could sleep and The Kiss.  It was so strong.
After the show coming back to my place, I passed by the carlton Hotel, where they were cure fans standing. No one
was sure that they would come but the waiting was fun. They arrived at the Hotel in a big black bus. Roger came
out first, then jason.  Robert came out and the rush was on him.  I was waiting for Simon, and he came out of the
bus, we shook hands, had a little talk with him. After I asked Perry to sign my ticket, he asked me if i was in the
frontstage and told me he remembered me. I am still on my little cloud right now. They were all very kind and
patient with everyone standing in front of the Hotel. The show was great, they were great...
I still know why it is the very same band I prefer since 15 years, they are the best, and that's all."

"It was powerful, marvellous, each songs was well played, the sound and mix were very good, the band was in a
very good form and mood. What a surprise when they came back to play If only Tonight We Could Sleep and The
Kiss. I really didn't expect it after the 3 first albums. The kiss was incredible, a very long version, a strong and
powerfull version, the best they've ever done! I hope they will play it in Berlin and put it on the dvd!

"Which kinds of words I can use this show, I don't know.  It was, it was :  incredible, fantastic, erotic, orgasmic,...;
About the KISS, yes, Gianfranco, there are no words to describe it. "

"Mega concert hier à Forest National, je ne reviens pas sur la setlist, connue de tous avant le concert (formule qui,
à mon avis, atténue un peu l'ambiance, de même que les 2 pauses).
Ce qui impressionne, c'est le son, surtout le tandem basse - batterie,... et la guitare de Robert.
Jeux de lumière superbes (pas de projo "poursuite", tout en incidence arrière ou latérale, beaucoup d'émotions,
de nuances, de richesse).
Robert en très grande forme vocale, aucune hésitation à monter (très) haut pour les morceaux de bravoure (100
years, Prayers for Rain, Disintegration, Watching me Fall, The Kiss - version exceptionnelle, puissante, saturante,
final sublime).
Ils m'ont semblé un peu figés et moins communicatifs que d'habitude, serait-ce cette formule de concert inédite ?
Pour les fans de la première heure, "le" grand bonheur, presque 4 heures de musique magique, sans fioritures.
Il manquait peut-être un petit rappel supplémentaire, mais ils avaient l'air vraiment fatigués,..."

"Nothing speacial to add.  Yes, it's great to hear the full length of Pornography reviewed 14 years after the
original album, with new sounds....  It was magical. But only, one precision.  I stood very close from the stage
and I saw someone with his full access backstage filming with a mini camera.....  shoots for the DVD ?"

"I just can believe what happend last night.
There are no words to describe the intensity the band putted on songs like pornography, prayers for rain,
disintegration, homesick, strange day, and the kiss. I am at work now, and I can't just concentrate on my job.
Despite few mistakes during the bloodflowers part, the performance of yesterday was above all I have seen or
heard (8 times in 10 years).
It is all about impressions and feelings so I am not going to describe every song, but please, if you still have the
opportunity to see them in Germany, buy a ticket, anywhere, take the plane, your car, the boat, I don't know,
but go there and listen.

One more thing: at the end of the concert, Robert said "Thank you, see you next year" ... ?"

"incredible show

the pornography set was for me the most intense

the highlits were "figurehead, siamese twins, pornography and of course the kiss"  this one was fantastic, so
noisy and so good "

"Not much to say about the playlist, which was known before the concert, except after the Bloodflowers set, they
came back and played a beautiful vesrion of If only tonight we could sleep and they closed with an incredible
version of The Kiss. I have to say that I saw this song live 3 times already and got some live version from concerts
I haven't been to (and one video), but this one was too much. I still have to recover from it. Robert was
closing-opening the eyes like a butterfly, like it was playing the notes with such movement.

The stage was the same that the Dream tour. During the Disintegration set some curtains where added to the
background. Pornography set was very intense. I think I spotted some mistakes. I think in Homesick, and Robert
messed up with some lines from the lyrics of Last dance, Where The Birds Always Sing. The band was fine, but I
think a little bit nervous. The sound and mixing was perfect. The acoustic guitar of Perry in The Last Day of
Summer wasn't actually working.

There were no cameras so I have to take this show will not be on the DVD, but only the Berlin shows will.

Highlights for me have been: Siamese Twins, A Strange Day, Pictures of you, Last Dance, Prayers For Rain,
Homesick (Robert singing with the same tone than on the album version rather than Entreat), Untitled, Watching
Me Fall (very powerful), 39 (strangly powerful considering previous swhows I've been to), Bloodflowers. And then
The Kiss. But about this song I can't express it in words. You should have been there to understand.

The soundcheck was: The Hanging Garden , Last Dance, Homesick, The Last Day Of Summer, A Short Term
Effect (not all)"

"First the 3 albums as promised...but then... after bloodflowers not "goodbye" or "goodnight"... THEY CAME
back for 1 encore: If only tonight we could sleep AND KISS stronger than ever... and a beautiful end to a great
night!!!

at the end Robert  told something like "see you later this year?????"