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The CureLanxess- Arena, Cologne, Germany
22nd November 2022
The Cure - “Euro Tour 2022” - Support: The Twilight Sad

For their fans, this was the best news of recent years: THE CURE are coming on an extensive European tour in 2022 - and they even plan to have new songs with them! The British legends around frontman Robert Smith are playing 44 concerts in 22 countries as part of their “Euro Tour 2022” and come to Germany for seven exclusive shows! The last German concert was taking place in Cologne, just like last time in 2016 at Lanxess Arena and with support of THE TWILIGHT SAD.


The Twilight Sad

The Scottish Shoegaze / Indie Rock band was founded in 2003 as a trio by James Graham (vocals), Andy MacFarlane (guitar, accordion) and Mark Devine (drums). All have been playing in other bands and projects before and gained experiences. The first album of the band was critically acclaimed. There were a few line-up changes over the years. The band now consists of James Alexander Graham (vocals), Andy MacFarlane (guitar, accordion), Johnny Docherty (bass), Brendan Smith (keyboard) and Sebastian Schultz (drums). THE TWILIGHT SAD has already released five albums, six EPs and several singles. It is quite remarkable that THE TWILIGHT SAD’s live performance are very different to the album versions and it’s the intention of the band so that every live show is a special event. They already supported EDITORS in Germany and THE CURE in the past and now, they had the big honour to support THE CURE once again. With their Indie-Rock and Shoegaze influenced Pot-Punk, the band was surely the right choice as opening act and left a long-lasting impression. http://www.thetwilightsad.com / https://www.facebook.com/thetwilightsad

Setlist
01. Kill It in the Morning
02. Dead City
03. VTr
04. Last January
05. There’s a Girl in the Corner
06. I/m Not Here [Missing Face]
07. Let/s Get Lost
08. [10 Good Reasons for Modern Drugs]

Rating
Music: 7
Performance: 7
Sound: 8
Light: 6
Total: 7 / 10

twilightsad 2022 11 22 19.33.30 klein


The Cure

The announced brand-new live show with a length of announced 135 minutes once again promises emotional moments from all creative periods of the band - and for the first time also the presentation of brand-new songs! It is already certain before the show even started that old and new fans will go home happy from these shows as well. THE CURE’s impressive headlining shows in the festival summer of 2019 made it clear that THE CURE show no signs of tiring even more than 40 years after their founding in 1978. With an immense song selection from 13 studio albums, including pioneering works such as ‘Pornography’ (1983), ‘Disintegration’ (1989) and ‘Bloodflowers’ (2000) as well as over 40 worldwide single hits such as ‘A Forest’ and ‘Boys Don’t Cry ‹ or ›Friday I’m In Love‹, the band around frontman Robert Smith has always mastered how to make every concert a unique experience.

thecure 2022 11 22 21.32.19 klein

After countless awards, including the renowned Ivor Novello Award and two Grammy nominations, THE CURE were inducted into the “Rock’n’Roll Hall of Fame” in 2019. In the same year, the band began recording new songs for their long-awaited 14th studio album, which has now been completed and will soon see the light of day. Now, the band consisting of singer and songwriter Robert Smith, Simon Gallup (bass), Jason Cooper (drums), Roger O’Donnell (keyboards), Perry Bamonte (guitars) and Reeves Gabrels (guitars) is back in Cologne and anticipation is high. The Cologne show was sold out and the venue packed. No one knows if this tour maybe is the last. Anyone on stage is getting older and you never know what happens in future. So this was your chance for a great concert evening. https://www.thecure.com / https://www.facebook.com/thecure

thecure 2022 11 22 21.49.32 klein

Music & Performance
Well, when THE CURE speaking about a show of 135 minutes, the definitely understate. At the end, we experienced a show with little over 2 hours and 40 minutes (as we joked it was 242…) and two encore blocs which were longer than whole concerts of some other bands. We got several new songs, lots of old hits (especially the last encore) and some unexperienced songs. Sure, there is always something missing in a setlist, but with such a long history, you simply cannot do it right for anyone. At the end, they played so long and the show was worth any dime. Good sound, perfect light show and a band in best mood… close to perfect.

thecure 2022 11 22 22.08.52 klein

I travelled with a bus full of nearly 60 fans to Cologne, starting already at 15:30 in Münster. We arrived short past 18:00 at the arena, doors had just opened and people were queueing at the entrance. We soon entered the venue, checked out the infield and then decided to have a drink in the foyer since it was still more than one hour until the support act would start. We watched THE TWILIGHT SAD from the back and then in the changeover we found a nice spot left in the first third of the hall with a good view to stage. Sounds of thunder and rain sounded through the hall and soon, the concert would start. It was 20:45 sharp when the lights went down and the first sounds of ‘Alone’, one of the new songs from the upcoming new album ‘Songs of a lost World’ to be released beginning of next year, could be heard. It is fourteen years that the band did not release a new album, but fans still adore the band.

thecure 2022 11 22 22.56.35 klein

Robert Smith, head of the band, was looking as always with teased hair looking like a bird’s nest, dark painted eyes and red lips… just a bit older and greyer. But he and his band did not lose anything of the attraction the band always stood for… the melancholy and deep sadness of the songs. You do not go to a CURE concert to dance and jump… you just sway and sink into the deep mood of the songs. Surely a concert to forget time. During the main set and the first encore, the big hits are rare. There are just a few like ‘Pictures of You’ or ‘A Forrest’. THE CURE count more on the new songs and rarities like wonderful ‘The Last Day of Summer’. During all songs, the video walls behind the band were perfectly used for atmospheric videos or live impressions from the concert, not chowing close-ups of the musicians but creating a wonderful atmosphere supported by bright beams of light often wandering through the hall.

thecure 2022 11 22 23.02.07 klein

When I said THE CURE fans do not dance earlier, I was not completely right. During the second encore, people were dancing to some of the biggest hits. The opening was made with ‘Lullaby’, one of my personal favourites. I still remember when I was quite you and sad the video for the very first time. It really caught me. After ‘The Walk’, Robert announced another “new song” and started with the line “Tuesday is grey” and we all already started to smile and soon, the song was turning into ‘Friday I’m in Love’. Some more hits followed until finally ‘Boys Don’t Cry’ sounded through the speakers. We all knew that the show was coming to an end. It did not feel like it lasted already nearly 2:45. We and about 17,000 other fans left the hall with happy faces and later on talked about the show in the bas on the way back to Münster. THE CURE live somehow never fail. And even if none of their shows from the last years comes close to the ‘Trilogy’ tour it was an amazing evening… definitely a band you should see at least once in your life!

thecure 2022 11 22 23.13.21 klein

Setlist
01. Alone
02. Pictures of You
03. A Night Like This
04. Lovesong
05. And Nothing Is Forever
06. The Last Day of Summer
07. A Fragile Thing
08. Cold
09. Burn
10. The Hungry Ghost
11. At Night
12. Push
13. Play for Today
14. A Forest
15. Shake Dog Shake
16. From the Edge of the Deep Green Sea
17. Endsong
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18. I Can Never Say Goodbye
19. Plainsong
20. Prayers for Rain
21. Disintegration
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22. Lullaby
23. The Walk
24. Friday I’m in Love
25. Close to Me
26. In Between Days
27. Just Like Heaven
28. Boys Don’t Cry

Rating
Music: 10
Performance: 9
Sound: 9
Light: 10
Total: 9.5 / 10

thecure 2022 11 22 23.26.17 klein

All pictures by Daniela Vorndran (http://www.vorndranphotography.com / http://www.facebook.com/blackcatnet)

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