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, The Kiss, One Hundred Years, Prayers For Rain, End, 39, Bloodflowers

1st encore: There Is No If, Trust, Plainsong, Disintegration
2nd encore: Siamese Twins, A Strange Day, Pornography
3rd encore: M, Play For Today, Just Like Heaven, A Forest

Soundcheck: Out of this World, Watching Me Fall, Inbetween Days, bits of Pictures of You, Maybe Someday.
Roger also played what sounded like Bach Partitias with the echo on.

CURE GOES OUT ON A HIGH
review by Cameron Adams.

British band the Cure have some of the most diehard fans in rock, and they were out in force last night at
Melbourne Park. Their first Australian tour since 1992 is also reportedly their final tour after nearly 25 years of
making music. Fittingly the band served up a fan-only mixture of pure Cure, mainly album tracks and by-passing
many of their biggest hits, bar the pop In Between Days.

The dark and brooding rock of their current album Bloodflowers set the tone for the night and filled most of the
set. Some might call it bleak, depressing or indulgent with some songs lasting up to ten minutes, but their
followers found it mesmerising and hypnotic. Frontman Robert Smith is one of the surviving idols of rock, his voice
and lyrics just as dominant as his trademark gravity defying hair, black clothes and smudged lipstick. The
marathon concert featured songs like Fascination Street from their classic Disintergration album and stretched
back to some of their earliest songs including Shake Dog Shake.

If last night's show was their final in Melbourne they went out on a high -a high tempered with plenty of deliberate
and enjoyable lows.

(There was a black and white photo of Robert in full flight, but sorry guys, I don't have a scanner)

Gurus of Goth say goodbye

The Cure, masterminded and led by the enigmatic Robert Smith, has been the vanguard of Goth since the late
1970s.  It is one of the world's longest-surviving bands - an interesting irony for the group synonymous with,
it has to be said, looking like death.

The Cure is in its self-admitted twilight, winding up a career that includes 20 albums over more than 20 years,
with the Dream 2000 world tour, which ends on Saturday at Brisbane's Livid Festival.

But Tuesday night was Melbourne's night, and it couldn't come fast enough for Australia's Goth capital.  A
fantastical parade of black lace. PVC, leather, hair, lipstick and white face powder, with splashes of fluoro pink
and purple, made its heel-tottering way across Melbourne Park's lawns towards the arena for the much anticipated
show.

An enterprising film crew, seeking extras fot the next Anne Rice film, "Queen of the Damned", (being shot in
Melbourne) handed out flyers to the flamboyant fans as they arrived, promising cinematic immortality. And, as if
all that wasn't entertaining enough, there was still the show to  see.

At 8.25pm the Cure, in all-black attire and led by the ever spiky-haired, scarlet-lipped deity Smith, took the stage
in a delirious roar. With Simon Gallup (bass), Perry Bamonte (guitar), Roger O'Donnell (keyboards) and Jason
Cooper (drums), the band opened with Out of This  World, from its latest album, Bloodflowers.  It was a night for
the  diehards, as the Cure shunned its pop dalliances to present a three-hour odyssey of mainly slow-tempoed,
haunting classics from its 13 studio albums, ranging from 1980's Seventeen Seconds through to this year's
Bloodflowers. The only albums ignored were Faith, Three Inaginary Boys and BoysDon't Cry, while the only hits
to make an appearance were In Between Days, Just Like Heaven and A Forest.

It was a show in two parts.  After playing Bloodflowers, the band left the stage at 10:15pm and returned barely five
minutes later for part two, a continuing atmospheric, sonorous journey, unerring complemented with lush,
extravagant lighting and projections. Smith at times ventured to the sides of the stage, hands cupped to his face
like a worried mother, to idiosyncratically acknowledge fans across the  arena.

The first of the two encores was a three-song Pornography fest - Siamese Twins, Strange Day (sic) and the title
track, of which Smith drily said: "This was number one in America for 16 weeks - like f--- it was!  If it
had've, the world would have been a safer place."

The second encore was M, Play for Today, Just Like Heaven and A Forest, the latter's distinctive, sparse bass
line ending the show on a memorable, perfect note three hours after it had begun.

Few could have been dissatisfied, even those who had come expecting to hear the hits.  Instead, the Cure had
played the songs, the material, that represented its truest essence and in that sense, it was a perfect way to
say goodbye.  From the Heart.

I went to the show in melbourne on tuesday night. My first ever cure show, I was begining to think I was never
going to get the chance to see them live, but tuesday night saw me catching the train down from warnambool at
luchtime...skipping out on afternoon lectures hehe.

I had a look around the music shops in town and grabbed some tea. At about 7 o'clock I joined the stream of black
clothed people walking along beside the river toward the tennis centre. I'm a poor student so it took a long time
for me to raise the money that I needed for a ticket. As a result I was way up the back, the sound was crap,
couldn't see a thing and the lights shone directly at us, blinding us regularly, the people there didn't seem to
interested and they spent most of the time up and down. Luckily I only had to spend a short time with them.

I stayed in my seat till bloodflowers was over, earlier I'd spied some seats down next to the stage - they didn't go
on sale for some reason (these were prime seats) During the confusion that followed bloodflowers I quickly made
my way down from the very back to the very front. Nobody stopped me So I grabbed a seat in about the 4th row
and settled in for the rest of the night. Amazing, so much better down the front. Plainsong - Robert did his
wandering around thing, came right over too us and just stood at our side of the stage in the dark, illuminated
every now and again by a camera flash. So cool.

I have no idea what they played but I loved every minute of it, unfortunately no killing an arab... one of my
favourites, but the forest definately made up for it.

hello... i'm back...i spent the day yesterday extricating myself from a tangled web of cure lyrics and sounds that
seem to have tapped straight into my brain stem.  of course the concert was brilliant - i don't understand these so
called "mixed reports" wayne - although very few poppy songs were played - only really inbetween days and just
like heaven, and play for today, i was so close i could watch simon's fingers sliding up and down his bass and robert
straining to articulate his pain.  and it was loud, really loud.  they started with their latest stuff and built up and up
into emotionally draining and angry songs like shake dog shake, simese twins, pornography, the tearing sounds of
the kiss.  i must say that amidst all the bleakness of a hundred years, a strange day, everybody around was
beaming with gleeful sorrow... we were all together, writhing as one mass, not quite believing that we were so
close and so immersed in the passion of the cure, like happy little ravers, without the paranoia - but i guess we
were embracing it.  even robert smiled a few times.... and the crowd went wild. he and simon in particular really
seemed to be enjoying themselves.  as the night drew on, i became further entranced by the music and the
sentiment, robert captured me and pulled me into his soul until there were no distractions.  oddly enuff, the song
that struck the strongest emotional chord with me was a new one, bloodflowers, i hadn't taken all that much
notice of it before the concert, perhaps robert put more into this song cos it was new, but i was with him when he
shouted at the audience "between u and me, i never really know who to trust" and felt myself die as the flowers
inevitably did.

after 4 encores, and close to three hours, they finished with a forest.   we made our way out of the stadium,
dutifully bought our merchandise and went bak to my place to drink and talk until early yesterday morning.

i am now camouflaged again, i have donned my shirt and tie and i resign myself to the task of writing code and
trying to care but "i want the sky to fall in, i want thunder and lightning, i want blood instead of rain, i want
the world to make me wonder, want to walk on water, take a trip to the moon, give me all this and give me it
soon..."

just a few words to add for melbourne...the sound was really excellent, loud and clear and the start of the main set
was an absolute blast...watching me fall completely took off during the chorus, it was really brilliant. They sounded
immense, absolutely immense. Having only the adelaide show to compare with, I would say the sound was obviously
much better louder clearer powerful in Melbourne.

However, in Adelaide, I think the show really took off as it went on , mainly because of the crowd's reaction which
was much less subdued than in melbourne I thought. But then again, I was five meters away from the stage in
adelaide and about 20 to the side in the elevated area in melbourne so my perspective may have been affected.

Robert's performance seemed a lot angrier in Melbourne that I could tell anyway...maybe it was all the 'fucks' he
uttered...Anyway, there were 3 different songs between Adelaide and Melbourne which were Sinking (really
powerful in an understated kind of way, nice camera & watery background effect ), End (it doesn't work for me
that way...the electronic beat is really weird but yeah, anyway, it left a few people confused I know that much!!)
and Siamese Twins which was just brilliant.

Some of the highlights of the show for me were shake dog shake (this version is just incredibly powerful) and a
strange day...I had hoped to hear faith but yeah this is NOT a complaint...ive just seen the cure play some of the
songs I have been listening to for near 20 years since  a friend gave me his copy of pornography and so this feels
quite excellent to have witnessed the band at possibly one of the peaks of their performing powers...so thanks to
the cure for coming out again and this is it for me but its left me more than fulfilled.

As side notes, we saw the band arrive at the venue, nice waves and smiles all around, robert's parents in the
van...a nice family show!! the sound check was a lot clearer than in melbourne and so we listened to a funny
version of in between days (the previously unheard melody version, sung in a very strange way), maybe someday
with bum notes a plenty, watching me fall and a few others I forget...kind of stuff thats nice to listen to whilst lying
on the concrete outside a roller door...anyway!!

OK, thats it for me. to those who will see them in canberra and livid  enjoy the shows!!
 
 

Tuesday night in Melbourne is the biggest night of the week.  Or this one  was at least.  I parked at Melbourne
Park at 3:30 in the afternoon and waited by the gate there the band was entering.  As usual they were right on
time, and Roger called me and my brother down, but security wouldn't let us through.  So we sulked at the stage
door until a lovely American man (thanks so much) came out to get us.

Anyway, we came out of the soundcheck, ooh, 45 mins later and made everyone else outside jealous.  Then (as we
had Melbourne meet and greet tickets) we waited at the designated area for the Michael Cappell rep to take us
backstage.  This meet and greet had about 30 people this time, a little crushing when all of the rush forward at once
to get stuffed signed.  I decides that, since I had met them already, I'd give everyone else a turn, get 1 signature
from each band member and leave it at that.  As soon as we had met Robert, we dashed out of backstage (he was
still there), and down into the Arena, where the barriers were already lined.  I got a spot just between Robert and
Simon.

Robert was in an excessively good mood tonight.  Not particularly talkative however.  I remember yelling out
"We love you Robert" in a quiet bit and he replied in his cool little accent "I love you too".  We also threw socks
during Inbetween Days, my brother getting his up on stage.  Roger picked it up and held them up for everyone to
see, miming a "huh???".  Mine sillutetted in front of Simon for half a second.

Everything here was slightly better than Adelaide.  The venue was definitely louder.  The band really on the ball
and playing together, they looked really buff as if they all slept well the night before.

The hi-light for the night was probably Disintegration.  Robert sang it with real anger this time.  I freaked out
during Pornography.  Being a much louder venue, the background voices sounded so very real.  Like a bad acid
trip or something like that.  100 years came off very good as well.  The "raaaaaaaaaaaa-iiiiiiin" in Prayers went
for 16 bars or so.  Felt really privledged to be there. Robert was putting everything into this show.  A forest was
really special, with the Robert - Simon jam session going for about 5 minutes

Here is another should-be famous story:  My brothers friend Shane proposed to his girlfriend during Trust.  She
accepted.

I wasn't too impressed by the crowd either.  The whole section in front of Robert stood stock still.  There was
dancing on both sides of the stage, but from about 5 seats back in the section in front of Roger everyone was
sitting down.  The crowd seemed dead.  Even when I jumped up on a seat to cheer no one complained.

One thing about last night which has to be remembered is that security at Melbourne Park are complete arseholes.
 I would have died if I wasn't on the floor and able to groove away in my own fashion.  They were completely
unhelpful and impatient to answer questions.  But if the band didn't want you backstage, you wouldn't have gotten
in. Possibly a good thing, but when all you want is information to wave in the band it isn't.

Anyway, an excellent effort from the band, and I'm looking forward to tonight in Canberra, which looks to be the
best gig yet.  I'm praying for Faith, and anything else from that wonderful album.  Thankyou again to the band, I
love you.

Some actual band member spotting for a change...
Going on a tip from friends, me and my sister went down to the Como Hotel in Melbourne on Monday night.  At
the lights on the corner of Chapel and Toorak we saw four people standing around, waiting to cross.  One bloke
with a hoody on was acting like a bit of a larrikan, clearly having had a couple of drinks.  When the lights turned
green we drove past, and realized it was Perry Bamonte, gone up the road to get a kebab!  We parked the car and
went back to the Como Bar, and saw that Roger O'donnell was in.  We waited outside until they came out to look
for Perry and the others.  Roger was very, very nice, as was Perry.  When we got back to the bar, there was
another group sitting in a corner.  With a further look we realized it was Lou Reed + others!  Not realizing he was
pissed off, I asked for an autograph... big mistake.  He was a bit of a grumpy bugger, although his bassist
Fernando Saunders was very nice.

Overall it was a very profitable little outing, as Roger not only got us into the soundcheck, he also gave us
nicknames (Eddie and Shirley Curly, aka: The curly twins)

A big peace out to Roger, Woody, Shane, Chris, Sarah, Richard, Elsa and Andrew, John, Daniel and Danielle,
Sam, Craig, Ian (from the Ghetto Girls) and Corey, Claire and Hannah, Daniel and Garrett,David, Luke, Nick
and Durani, Steve and Emily, The Antenna Girls (don't believe the lies, you guys rock!) and everybody else I met
at the Melbourne and Adelaide shows, as well as the Spring St. ticket line up. It really has been a dream, and I'll
remember the times 4ever.

Simply blown away by the sonic assault. Arrived on a friend's spare ticket, knowing just the hits and a few
album cuts. Three hours later, walked away in disbelief that a concert could be this good.
What were half of those songs ? I didn't know and didn't care - each presented itself as a new gem.
Overall, a triumph of musicianship - such a tight playing unit, a colossal drum sound, a huge bass, and layers of
guitars, keyboards and Robert's plaintive vocals, all in a near-perfect sound mix. Result was massive slabs of
sound that veered between avant-garde, industrial and hard-rock. Immensely satisfied that in this plastic age
someone was still brave enough to test the limits. Only trouble is - I now have to buy eight Cure albums to find out
where all these songs came from.

They could have hung a sign out the front of the Rod Laver Arena: Welcome to the Loudest Venue in Australia,
for that was the first difference between the two Sydney gigs and the Perth show I've been lucky enough to see
and tonight. As soon as OOTW started, it was a hell of a lot louder, and the band seemed to revel in it, playing
another full-on set, the best main set of the shows I've attended.

The opening five song set sounded the best they have all tour, absolutely pumping on FS and Open. Perry really
giving Want what for and WMF a wonderful power. Despite being the loudest show, the sound early on was
beautifully clear, better again than the other shows. It went downhill a bit later in the show when DGS' final verse
became immersed in feedback. Strangely enough, it seemed to be Roger's keyboards at fault. Then later,
Robert's acoustic had what sounded like an out of tune string and develeoped a fair buzz on There is no if. Once
the acoustic was rested though, the sound was once again excellent.

The big songs like The Kiss,  100 Years, and Disintergration had a rare power tonight. Prayers for Rain as well
was a big one, with the wailed Rain going longer than any other show (we had what we assumed to be Robert's
parents and Mary in front of us beside the lighting stand, and Mary nodded to the lighting controller after the
walied Rain as if to say that was a big one). I know Robert's said in the past that one some nights the band
sounds immense; well this was one of those nights. 100 years was an absolute onslaught and the highlight of the
night for me was a version of disintergration that was perfect. There was no other word for it. Robert had the mic
in off that stand, doubled over in delivery. It felt special to be there.

There isn't too much more to be said about the playing. Pornography kicked arse, and was introduced by Robert,
saying this one went to number 1 on the American charts for 16 weeks! There followed a short muttered rant that
is entirely unprintable here, and then he added as an afterthought, that if it did, then the world would be a safer
place! The whole band seemed to be genuinely in a good mood.

It's strange to compare crowds, as while the Melbourne show was a louder audience than Sydney, apart from the
floor they didn't dance nearly as much.

And a short note too to the antenna girls from Sydney, who were good enough to make an appearance at
Melbourne. We were pleased to see you made the trip, you were great fun in Sydney, but if you were told as we
suspected by event staff to sit down and take the lights off your head, then event staff earn the killjoy award of the
tour. We know that Melbourne is a more conservative city than Sydney, but to have the one rear bit of spark in
the seating areas snuffed out is truly unfair. We just want you to know we enjoyed your dancing.

As for me, the tour ends here. It's been one of the most enjoyable eight days of my life, and certain highlights
spring to mind: In Perth it was The Kiss, introduced as a song they'd never played in Australia before and Shake
Dog Shake blasting off. On Sat in Sydney it was dancing for three hours, a fantastic vocal on Like Cockatoos, and
doing a request from the afternoon's DJing by playing The Drowning Man. On Sun it was the encores to die for,
and Melb was Disintergration, Pornography and great sound.

In my humble opinion, the best main set was Melbourne, the best encores were Sydney on Sunday and the best all
over show was Syd on Saturday night.