"On meeting The Cure"

I first heard of The Cure from my older sister. I don't remember exactly how she heard of them. This was probably back in the late 80's. I wasn't quite into music yet, but I would play card games with my sister in her room and The Cure would always be in the background. I remember that I didn't like the band, because of the way my sister started acting. She shaved the back of her head and started wearing strange clothes. Not so much Goth, but totally different from normal. A lot of thrift store shopping.

When I was about 13, in 1993, I was with a friend and I heard The Cure again...the Show CD. In that car ride I realized that I truly liked the Cure. The music and the lyrics were brilliant. And I practically knew all of the words from those days of playing cards in my sisters room. I immediately became obsessed with the band. Literally, the Cure and Robert Smith were all I thought of everyday. I bought every CD they had, oversized posters, T-shirts, anything Cure related. I even started buying vinyl records and I didn't even own a record player. I found chat rooms that were solely based on the Cure. To talk to other Cure fans was amazing, because there weren't that many around. My sister had even grown out of them a little bit.

My first concert was the Wild Mood Swings tour in 96. It was amazing. I just couldn't believe how phenomenal they were. I didn't get bored or sit one-second of the show. I look back at that show with such fond memories. It will never compare to any other show. 3 hours of simply the Cure and no opening band to sit through. I loved that. I wanted to see them again so badly. I would email them and beg them to come back. I said it would be a "dream" to see them again. Ironically enough when they toured again in 2000 it was called the Dream tour. I always wondered if I helped them think of that title. Or perhaps it was a dream for a lot of people.

When they came back to the states they played a few promo shows. I was the first in line to get tickets here in Atlanta. It didn't matter. The tickets sold out in seconds. I was so upset. The radio stations hoarded all of the tickets and had giveaways. I tried and tried winning, bu to no avail. Then finally a day or so before the show, I actually won! I was the 99th caller and I answered their question right. They listed 4 song titles and I had to know which wasn't a real Cure song. Not only did I win 2 tickets, but I also got to go to the stage rehearsals.

The day of the show, before we enter the venue we are told "no camera's and don't even try talking to them." I was upset because I wanted to bring my camera and my number 1 goal for the past 6 years had been to meet Robert Smith. We went in, listened to the band jam a little bit and then finally he came out. I was 2 feet away from Robert Smith! It was amazing, I can still remember it like it was yesterday. He sang a few songs and then it was time to wrap things up. We were ushered to leave. I just couldn't do it. I couldn't be that close and not meet him. As everyone else was leaving, I turned around and said loudly Robert! He knelt down on the stage to greet me. We spoke a few minutes and he signed several posters that I had. I even made him laugh. Then the rest of the crowd saw what I was doing and they turned around as well. The whole band signed things for us.

At one point a lady was taking pictures. I was so bummed because we had taken our camera to the car. I told Robert that and he said I could go get it. The security guard up front would not comply. I said "but ROBERT SMITH said I could go get it!" To no avail. I was so disappointed and I let the security guard know it. As a gesture of kindness he let us stand at the front of the line to this general admission show. Once inside we were right there in front. I also got to take a few live shots, because we had gotten our camera back by then. Still to this day I am bothered that I didn't just sneak my camera in. So there it was, my dream had came true. I met the Cure and I got to be front row of such an intimate concert.

Now to Today, My attitude towards the Cure has changed. I still love them and I consider them my favorite band, but the passion I once had for them is gone. In my opinion the albums have started going down hill. Bloodflowers was good, better than Wild Mood Swings. But I just don't care for the last album The Cure. No song at all on that album really appeals to me. Maybe it's just I haven't given it a fair try. But I never had to "try" before. I just loved the songs the first time I heard them. Then there is a little underlying bitterness that I have inside. I don't know where I read this but Robert Smith said in an article something like "if you don't like this new album, then you are not a true Cure fan."

That statement was quite a blow to me. In my opinion I was a huge fan. I mean, I did own everything they made and I listened to their music all the time knowing all the lyrics. I traveled to Baltimore and even London to see them perform. How could he say that I wasn't a true Cure fan? I don't know. I still have faith in them to put out another good record like disintegration. I've seen the Cure 6 times since 96. The whole Curiosa idea was by no means appealing to me. I don't want to see 10 other bands. I want to see The Cure and that's all. I still went to the show and the Cure performed well. But please, mix it up a bit.

I've been reading the setlist and it's always the same. I mean the setlist changes a bit from city to city, but has it really changed all that much from 1996? I bought my 80 dollar ticket during the presale last year. I'm ready to be blown away by a change of scenery.

(From: Rebekah V., USA)