I realize that I've stumbled upon a very old thread, but I feel the need to throw in my two cents.
Lately, I've been wishing that he ended after the dream tour or 2002 and left us with nothing but good memories....
Maybe this would've left you with good memories, but I didn't really discover The Cure until about 2003. I first saw them in 2004 (An Evening With The Cure, Everett, WA) and it was life changing. If they stopped in 2002, I obviously never would've had this chance. In fact, the thought of that actually makes me feel a little sick. Those memories are so precious to me. I think I was on a post-concert high for about a year.
I will agree that the 4Tour was lackluster, especially because Robert was sick. Vegas was a bit of a train wreck, but I still had a good time. My issues were mainly with Porl's noise... because that's what it sounded like to me--noise, not melodies.
And then Porl left again.
I went to Reflections LA and it was AMAZING. Robert sounded as young as ever, in my opinion.
Now, this summer, Robert's voice has been incredible. I think the whole band's energy has been fantastic, and they seem to be having a really good time. The band dynamics really influence the shows. Reflections + the Summer shows have been a complete turnaround from the lackluster 4Tour. Just watching the webcasts has made me a giddy 16-year-old girl again. I've also been seeing a lot of posts from young people who saw The Cure for the first time at Reading or Leeds and say it was the best night of their lives.
The Cure will obviously end sooner than later. I have faith that Robert will know when the time is right. Honestly, I don't believe they have the capacity to tour and tour and tour anymore, and from his interview responses, I think Robert understands that.
In conclusion, I guess the current Cure isn't for everyone, but that doesn't mean that some of us aren't wholly enjoying it.