via//chicago

np: "One Hundred Years" - The Cure

I was able to cross another band off the "bands I really need to see before I die" list last night, I went with my fiancee to see The Cure at Allstate Arena. It was a fantastic show, even better than I expected it to be. The band played for a full three hours, including three separate encores and a setlist that spanned their entire career. Robert complained several times about his voice and his between song banter seemed to be hampered by a slight cold, but I don't think he sounded all that band when singing. It was a great set that perfectly balanced the poppier side of the band with the more atmospheric, dirge-like numbers. "Pictures of You" was undoubtedly the highlight of the night for me, but the Kiss Me Kiss Me Kiss Me encore that paired "If Only Tonight We Could Sleep" with "The Kiss" ran a very close second. Most encouragingly, however, was how great the quartet of brand new songs sounded, it left me very anxious to hear the album when it finally comes out in September.

The setlist:
Plainsong
Prayers For Rain
alt.end
A Night Like This
The Walk
The End of the World
Lovesong
Pictures of You
Lullaby
The Perfect Boy
From the Edge of the Deep Green Sea
Hot Hot Hot
Sleep When I'm Dead
Push
Friday I'm In Love
Inbetween Days
Just Like Heaven
Primary
Never Enough
The Only One
Wrong Number
One Hundred Years
Disintegration

encore 1:
If Only Tonight We Could Sleep
The Kiss

encore 2:
Lovecats
Freakshow
Close To Me
Why Can't I Be You?

encore 3:
Boys Don't Cry
Jumping Someone Else's Train
Grinding Halt
10.15 Saturday Night
Killing An Arab

If you get a chance to see them on this tour, don't pass them up! The band is sounding fantastic.

Openers 65daysofstatic were pretty good too, but my anticipation for finally getting to see The Cure kind of overshadowed their enjoyable brand of instrumental post-rock. Didn't help that some terribly unfunny douchebag kept trying to blind the drummer with a laser pointer. That kind of thing wasn't funny 10 years ago and definitely isn't funny now.

Oh, yeah. Those of you looking forward to my best of the first quarter mix may have to content themselves with this muxtape that I put together. It's probably as close to a real mix as you're going to get out of me as we rapidly approach the wedding, with all the final planning that entails.