-
play_arrow
Newport City Radio – Live Right here, Right Now
-
play_arrow
Charlie From Dream Team Bargains.
Wednesday, I'm In Love
There are very few bands that can make a crowd of thousands stand in silence before making them dance, but The Cure have always existed in that strange space between melancholy and euphoria. On paper, The Cure and a blazing hot summer evening at Blackweir Fields might not seem like the most obvious combination. A band whose music has long been associated with rain-soaked streets, heartbreak and existential loneliness performing to a packed outdoor crowd in the sunshine felt like a contradiction – but somehow it worked perfectly.
With around thirty five thousand people filling the sold-out field on Wednesday 24th, the crowd was an eclectic mix. There were plenty of people in classic Cure-inspired black outfits – I myself came dressed as what I can only describe as a mix between a bat and Dr Frank n Furter from Rocky Horror – but there were just as many people dressed casually, there for the songs they had grown up with or simply to see one of the most influential bands of all time. The ages ranged from lifelong fans to younger people discovering the band, which showed just how far The Cure’s music has travelled.
It was Just Like Heaven
The band opened with Plainsong, instantly creating that familiar atmosphere. From where I was standing near the back of the crowd, I wasn’t expecting it to feel quite as impressive as it did. At a show this size, being further away can sometimes take you out of the experience, but the sound carried incredibly well. Even from the back of the field, it never felt like watching a gig on a screen.
Robert Smith’s voice was probably the biggest surprise of the night – he sounded identical to the recordings, that distinctive, emotional quality that has defined the band for decades. He was absolutely incredible, with the same raw, haunting vulnerability that has made him one of alternative music’s most distinctive frontmen. Nobody yearns quite like Robert Smith, and Wednesday night proved he still can.
We were Praying for Rain
The setlist was a perfect balance between the songs everyone was waiting for, new material from last year’s Grammy winning album Songs Of A Lost World, and deeper cuts for the longtime fans. But what stood out was how easily the band moved between those two sides. One moment the crowd was swaying dreamily, completely absorbed in the atmosphere of songs like Disintegration, and the next everyone was jumping along to Friday I’m in Love or Lovecats.
Smith also took time to chat with the crowd between songs, even throwing in a little Welsh – a “diolch yn fawr” here and there. It was a small touch, but one that very much went down well with the Cardiff crowd, judging by the cheers.
And the encore. WOW.
Not many bands can come back out and deliver a ten-song encore, but the crowd reaction showed that these songs still have a huge impact. Starting with Lullaby (a personal favourite!), the encore wound its way through hits such as – fittingly – Hot Hot Hot!!!, Lovecats, Friday I’m in Love and Close to Me before ending with a low, moody rendition of Boys Don’t Cry. Thirty five thousand people were singing back the soundtrack to different parts of their lives.
I’ve been to a lot of gigs over the years, and this was genuinely one of the best. After nearly three hours and a ten-song encore, The Cure proved that some bands really do deserve their legendary status.
Post comments (0)