As The Cure wrapped up its second straight 48-song “Reflections” concert in New York City last night (Friday’s show was only 46 songs long), frontman Robert Smith signed off by saying, “We’ll see you again next year” — hinting that the revived band’s 2011 shows were no anomaly, and fans may in fact see The Cure back on tour next year.
No such plans have been announced, but it’s certainly hopeful news for fans who did not witness The Cure’s nine “Reflections” concerts, which featured performances of the band’s first three albums — 1979′s Three Imaginary Boys, 1980′s Seventeen Seconds and 1981′s Faith — in Sydney earlier this year, and then London, Los Angeles and New York City this month.
Right now, though, the only official Cure activity on the horizon is next week’s release of Bestival Live 2011, a recording of the band’s complete 32-song September performance and the first time the group has ever released a full concert on CD.
This weekend’s three “Reflections” concerts in New York saw the band extend its fairly rigid set, adding obscurities and concert rarities like “Do the Hansa” and “The Caterpillar” to the set, as well as more frequently performed hits such as “Inbetween Days” and “Close to Me.” For full setlists, videos and review, head over to Chain of Flowers.
PREVIOUSLY ON SLICING UP EYEBALLS
- The Cure to release ‘Bestival Live 2011’ CD next month with complete 32-song set
- Robert Smith to Rock and Roll Hall of Fame: ‘Jason Cooper is The Cure’s drummer… bah!’
- The Cure to perform ‘Reflections’ concerts in London, New York, Los Angeles in November
- The Cure nominated for induction into Rock and Roll Hall of Fame on 2012 ballot
- The Cure at Bestival: Roger O’Donnell rejoins band for 32-song set (photo, video, setlist)
- The Cure’s Robert Smith vows to complete second half of ‘4.13 Dream’ album
- Video: The Cure plays 44-song ‘Reflections’ concert with Tolhurst, O’Donnell
Saw the show 11/21, awesome. Best Cure show ever. It’s doubtful they will be back with the same trilogy of albums.
More than likely it will be The Top/Head on the Door/Kiss Me next.
I was also at the show on 11/21….Amazing, though I wasn’t super jazzed that they ended with Love Cats….I would DIE for a Head on the Door/Kiss Me/Disintegration tour!
I am hoping for The Top/The Head on the Door/and Kiss Me, Kiss Me, Kiss Me – plus all relevant bsides. It’d be 50 songs w/b-sides… and would end with “Sugar Girl”!
I just want to hear “Piggy In the Mirror”, “The Baby Screams”, and “A Japanese Dream” live again…
i love the idea in that i’ll get to see those songs performed live, but i don’t want the Cure to become a pure nostalgia act. According to Smith, as soon as these shows were done, he was going to focus on the album– you know, the one that was complete in 2008, but he held back because the record company would only pay for 1, then the mixing was taking place, then in early 2009 they were heading into the studio!? the album was actually becoming undone with each up[date. Anyhoo, he says he’ll get on it for real, so I doubt we’ll see any combination of albums played live. As far as his cryptic message “see you next year”… He does this all the time. Why do people still fall for it? Sure, they might tour or something, but until tickets go on sale, none of us should hold our breath. @Jason- sorry, don’t know why i chose your thread to reply to except to say i love the idea of tT/tHotD/KMx3 with b-sides played live. heck, any of the later albums with b-sides– imagine seeing Wish or WMS b-sides played live!? it almost hurts to think about it.
Oddly enough, Kiss Me was the album that introduced me to The Cure. I just happened to catch the video for Why Can’t I Be You and from there I was hooked. I wouldn’t really dig a show where they performed Kiss Me in its entirety. Trilogy and now Reflections are simply fantastic things the group is bringing to fans. Too bad it is only in select cities. Perhaps next they could do The Top, Head on the Door and b sides from Standing On A Beach. Now, some of those songs aren’t too good but many are so that would be cool. I’d like to see them shake things up a bit with encore 3. Instead of Let’s Go To Bed and other songs I hate I’d like to hear Just Say Yes, Cut Here, Mint Car, Wendy Time and Strange Attraction
Hey man, me too! http://www.makmodeler.com/?p=2196
Good write up, Jason. We are alike! I recently went through an old box and found four old cassettes I some how have managed to hold on to. TIB, The Top, The Walk and Seventeen Seconds. All pushing 25 years old. Years ago my dad threw my Cure collection in a lake because he despised their appearance. I secretly bought all the cassettes again but have no idea what happened to the rest. I’ve replaced them all with CDs over the years anyway. I don’t get in to buying the German or Japanese release of this or that, I just buy a copy of every single “main” release of any Cure album. And even ones I do not like such as The Walk/Japanese Whispers. The point is to have a complete collection and I do.
The Cure has been my favorite band since ’87 and my second fav is Love and Rockets. I truly consider L&R to be better musicians than The Cure but that is another matter. L&R is no more and Ash especially shows no interest in bringing back. Now, The Cure may not be putting out the best records of their long career (I didn’t care for 4:13) but the shows are simply more than a fan can ask for. Smith and Co. gives 100% and the set list includes something for everyone’s taste when it comes to the fans and which albums they favor.
I’m not sure there really is an answer to where I think The Cure could when it comes to making a new record that would knock my socks off because they have done so much it is hard to keep it fresh after all these years. Still, the tours completely satisfy and it is great to see this group remain important after all these years. They deserve the success. It is nice to see a lot of the groups from “back then” doing well. Morrissey has no problem selling tickets, new Pixies dates, The Furs! Good stuff. For years I refused to like the Smiths or Moz but like his album “Years Of Refusal” I have relented.
If it’s a Reflections type tour, I will totally be there. Just another Cure tour playing the “hits” I’m out. I would love a 17 seconds, Faith, Pornography…Disintegration tour! I know it will never happen, but a boy can dream
Trey , I’d settle for a Kiss Me , Disintegration and Wish tour ! I’m in Japan and know someone who spoke with Robert after one of the Sydney shows , and he told her that the band would be coming to Japan ” soon ” . 2012 ? One can only hope .
Robert said the same thing at the end of the Tues Los Angeles show. I doubt they’ll do another tour with Pornography, since they already did the “Triology” with Pornography, Disintegration and Bloodflowers. Now, I can see them doing a “The Top/Head on the Door/Kiss Me” tour.. but i bet it’ll just be a regular tour..
Was thinking “Top/Head/Kiss” myself as the next step for Robert and co. Which would be fine. So long as “Reflections” makes it to DVD a-la “Trilogy” shows…