My review of the preparations for Hyde Park, not the concert itself

[cheyler]

I wrote this on Saturday after The Cure show in the park had finished and before going into Seattle to see The Damned. I submitted it to The Cure's Facebook page and they looked at it and declined to post it, to no-one's great surprise. Well, I like it. This is not a review of the concert, this is a review of the preparations for it. So, here it is....


Conversation at CURE HQ some months ago...

"It's our 40th anniversary this year, what should we do?"
 "A gig?"
 "Oooh, THAT's a bit drastic...are you sure?"
 "The kids are gonna want SOMETHING..."
 "Oh, all right then."
 "What should we play?"
 "Let's just use this old set list here, it's from the 2016 tour."
 "Brilliant!"
 "Do you think we ought to acknowledge the occasion?"
 "Why?"
 "Ummm..."
 "Wait, we have a POSTER here that acknowledges the occasion..."
 "That's MORE than sufficient, don'tcha think?"
 "Now, where can we ensure that we get an absolutely MASSIVE crowd that won't be able to see or hear us very well?"
 "How about Hyde Park?"
 "Wow, a second brilliant idea, might have to move you up on the list of seniority."
 "Should we rehearse a couple songs we haven't done in a long time?"
 "Nah, that would just confuse the situation. We already have to cut about an hour off our normal set time because it's a festival. You know how much the boys and girls LOVE foreshortened festival sets! Nothing but glowing reviews last time around!"
 "Almost. That GLOW in Washington State was from a wildfire..."
 "Nobody's perfect. Anything else?"
 "Well, we have an opportunity to play ANOTHER gig two weeks before the gig in the park."
 "The Hyde Park poster says ONLY EUROPEAN APPEARANCE IN 2018..."
 "You don't really think anyone's gonna NOTICE that, do you?"
 "Nah, let's just hope no one mentions it. The kids won't care."
 "Any chance BREXIT will happen between the two gigs? 'Cause then TECHNICALLY..."
 "Don't be an ****... I might have to re-think your promotion after THAT remark."
 "Should we call Nigel just to be on the safe side?"
 "No. You KNOW he doesn't like it when we call..."
 "The pre-publicity for this Festival Hall gig is making it sound like several former members are going to be appearing on stage with us. Is that true?"
 "Oh, please. What do you take me for? Besides, our fans don't go for the nostalgia schtick."
 ********************************************************************************************
 Next time you're in America (if and when), why not turn Kansas into a festival site and both start and finish the tour by playing just one gig to half-a-million American Cure fans? The way you treated your hometown fans last Saturday was disgraceful. You underestimated EVERYTHING from start to finish. There may have been only one bridge left to burn, but it's gone now.

On behalf of the fans in the one city guaranteed NOT to appear on the itinerary for next year's world tour: Seattle

[Ulrich]

"The kids are gonna want SOMETHING..."
 "The kids won't care."

Kids? Did you say KIDS?????? 
You certainly meant "50+ year old grown ups complete with beer belly"? 
 

On behalf of the fans in the one city guaranteed NOT to appear on the itinerary for next year's world tour: Seattle

Yaaawwwn... When are you gonna get over it?
Didn't they play Vancouver in 2016 to reward the "hard core" of fans who turned up for one of their club gigs in the early days? 

[MeltingMan]

@cheyler

O come on, Craig. You know that those festivals are in a way unavoidable. It's good for the masses
and that's it. Eighty percent of them didn't even notice that Lol wasn't there. Yes, it's truly sad.
I wonder what will happen after BREXIT.

[cheyler]

Most people didn't have a clue.  I heard many people shouting "Boris!" when Jason walked on.  A lot of fans were expecting more, apart from a recycled set-list I mean.  Lol refused to commit to an answer every time I asked him.  Which is only natural I suppose.  Andy also refused to commit, he just said "Listen to the RS interview on BBC6" and left it at that.  Then the day or two before the gig, he announced that he would NOT be there.  So did Lol.  With all the media coverage, it was difficult not to expect more.  RS didn't even quash the rumors or suggestions.

[cheyler]

"The kids are gonna want SOMETHING..."
 "The kids won't care."

Kids? Did you say KIDS?????? 
You certainly meant "50+ year old grown ups complete with beer belly"? 
 

On behalf of the fans in the one city guaranteed NOT to appear on the itinerary for next year's world tour: Seattle

Yaaawwwn... When are you gonna get over it?
Didn't they play Vancouver in 2016 to reward the "hard core" of fans who turned up for one of their club gigs in the early days? 

The Vancouver date in 1981 was at the Commodore.  If they REALLY wanted to 'reward' those in Vancouver, they could have scheduled one club date, the Commodore is still there after all...

'Kids' was a slight generalization, but very likely true.  I'm sure there were plenty of "old codgers like us" as Simon has said.

As far as the Seattle comment, of COURSE I'm over it.  Two years ago.  They don't want to come here?  No problem.  It's not as if we're talking about the Prayer, Wish or Bloodflowers tours. It wasn't a complaint, it was a prediction.  Now we wait...

[cheyler]

I'm wondering how this Tim Pope film is going to turn out.  The first half of the gig shows the band blinking and squinting into the bright sunshine like moles that had suddenly evolved eyes and the crowd was the first thing they saw.

[Ulrich]

IF they did a club show in Vancouver (or Seattle) you'd be the first to complain that you couldn't get a ticket (as it would sell out in no time)... 

I'm wondering how this Tim Pope film is going to turn out.

It will be released one day together with all the footage from South America 2013... 

[A Strange Girl]

 "Let's just use this old set list here, it's from the 2016 tour."
 

Yeah, I must admit the set list is quite disappointing, at least for a 40th anniversary show...There was so much hype around it

[dsanchez]

@cheyler: if it makes you less unhappy, The Cure only played ONE time in my hometown Lima, compared to the dozen of times they already played in Seattle (and the nearly FOUR-HUNDRED times they played in the US: http://www.cure-concerts.de/main/stats.php)

Yes, if I was Robert Smith I would have invited ex-members to play some songs and would have chosen another venue/event rather than a soulless festival such as British Summer Time and I would have included Pornography, Faith and 17 Seconds mainly, but this was his party, and in the end I am glad I was part of it

[MeltingMan]

  RS didn't even quash the rumors or suggestions.

I won't deny that The Cure is in good shape and I'm happy with all those, who saw the band
for the first time last Saturday. I'm aware that this is a very important point to the group itself,
but we must finish the "cat and mouse" game. Robert is convinced that people are talking endlessly
about "nothing". OK, but then: cards on the table! Prince e.g. (may he RIP) was known for refusing
interview inquiries - for understandable reasons: he knew that he would be misinterpreted by journalists
and the public. Therefore he authorized other (studio-)musicians. No problem. The Cure is on its right path,
but the bridge to the fans is crumbling.

[Ulrich]

... the bridge to the fans is crumbling.

I can only guess that Robert thinks the "bridge to the fans" should be the music (the songs & the live shows).
Of course, without new music for several years now, we don't really know what the current Cure line-up is all about, but maybe someday...

[chemicaloverload]

“soulless festival”  Yes David, soulless is one word for it. But you know, it was a way to reach the masses and however everyone views it, in the end, missing things or not, I was happy. Happy to be there, listen, enjoy and just be lost in the crowd for a few hours. Kiddo was happy, therefore, I was happy.

And Ulrich, word on the bridge stuff. There’s a saying I was taught, say what you mean and mean what you say...and if you can’t do that, say nothing.

[dsanchez]

“soulless festival”  Yes David, soulless is one word for it. But you know, it was a way to reach the masses

Yes, I also think Robert wanted and event where he could reach lot of people (I wrote that on my review too) and this was it. I was also very happy, regardless of nature of the festival itself.

[Ulrich]

There’s a saying I was taught, say what you mean and mean what you say...and if you can’t do that, say nothing.

Well, I try to.
There is a reason why Robert didn't do any interviews for years. (It was bit frustrating for me, because I always loved to read those interviews, with Robert trying to explain why he did this or that. They always helped me to understand his point of view.)

Yes, I also think Robert wanted ...

I'm not so certain about the thought of "Robert wanted...". I might be wrong, but I had the impression that The Cure received an offer from BST to play Hyde Park (with the addition that it would have to be the "only show" in Europe) and they agreed to do it. At least that's how it sounded to me. (And Robert wasn't too pleased about the "only show" part of the deal, when he received the offer to curate and play at Meltdown...)

Anyway, I saw them in Hyde Park 2002, I saw them in Finsbury Park 1993, so I won't complain, I had my share of "special" events. 

[theenglishleft]

What a shame that some people have to be so negative. A bitter Yank writes. Seen the boys 9 times and this was an absolute joyous experience. Sure, there was no 'Cold' or 'Funeral Party' but what do you want for a festival show? The fact is that this band are nearly 60 and have given us a lifetime of immense experiences and music. Just be glad they're still here, smashing it! As for Cureation, it's hardly their fault that The Cure community built a hype around it.