The Cure Rocks Chicago

Saturday night I had a chance to see a band that had been part of my life for the past twenty plus years, The Cure. The British alternative band that most people only equate to "Lovesong" and "Friday, I'm in Love". The show was worth the wait.

The show opened up with the quartet powering into anthems that were less known but still held the audience captivated. During the less familiar songs, I closed my eyes and my junior high and high school days flashed back to me. There were individuals I hadn't thought of in almost 20 years whose faces or voices reappeared. Thoughs of joy and ackwardness resurfaces and awoke me to how you never tell how small little things when you are younger will guide you to where you will be later in life.

My only hope was that they would play one of my top five songs of all time "Pictures of You". Within the first 45 minutes the song unfolded and poured over me like a refreshing winter snow dusting. The only negative thought that crossed my mind was that how could it get any better from here. Fortunately, the hits (and memories) kept me awestruck - "Hot Hot Hot!!!", "Just like heaven", "Wrong number",

Smith was showing his age in his physical appearance. His appearance remind me of character "Old Deuteronomy" from Cats with makeup like Brandon Lee in Cats after he had been out in the rain. Although continually apologizing continually for his voice, the audience didn't mind, gratiously filling in the vocals when he dropped out.

The auditorium was rumbling after the first encore. Hoping for another, when in reality the set-list contained three. Smith did away with his guitar during "Why Can't I Be You" and displayed some of his signature goofy dance moves which brought on added fever. The final encore brought about the post punk early hits that established the band - "Boys Don't Cry", "Jumping Someone Else's Train", and "Killing An Arab". The arena had minor hysteria and for a second hopes of a fourth encore surfaced. Alas, the lights came up and it was not to be.

Three brilliant hours of music, which equates to about 2.25 Morrissey concerts.

Set :

1 - Plainsong
2 - Prayers for rain
3 - alt.end
4 - A night like this
5 - The walk
6 - The end of the world
7 - Lovesong
8 - Pictures of you
9 - Lullaby
10 - The perfect boy
11 - From the edge......
12 - Hot Hot Hot!!!
13 - Sleep when i'm dead
14 - Push
15 - Friday I'm in love
16 - Inbetween days
17 - Just like heaven
18 - Primary
19 - Never enough
20 - The only one
21 - Wrong number
22 - One hundred years
23 - Disintegration


First encore :
24- If only tonight we could sleep
25 - The kiss


Second encore :
26 - The lovecats
27 - Freak show
28 - Close to me
29 - Why can't I be you?


Third encore :
30 - Boys don't cry
31 - Jumping someone else's train
32 - Grinding halt
33 - 10.15 Saturday night
34 - Killing an Arab