HE
CURE
THE CURE
Henry J. Kaiser live performance
October 9, 1985
By Brian Schroeder
Opening the pages of the
famous pink section, the guide to en-
tertainment in the Bay Area. I found
a small 3
5 advertisement that
caught my eyes in liking approval
The Cure was touring to back their
new Lp The Head On the Doc and
date was set at the Henry J. Kaiser
auditorium I was consistant at dal
ing numbers for a source to enter
that performance and quite possibly
fake some shots Alter much ado
the contacts were made. The vehicle
was hardly puting as it roomed
down the speedy lanes of congested
traffic As wo amived the security vi
lently herded us into obedient lines
(they love the power. It was a one
band night, no warm-up act just a
solid evening with The Cure. Waiting
in the special line to get in we had
missed the songs Finady we gut
the passes and lushed to the soon
point. Hoy, it says photo pass dont
open the camera to see if there's film
in it. Sometimes the trains of those
put in charge are ke those of graz
ing amal in a pasture,
Inside the achoring, three-quarters
ful high conged auditonum
Robert Smith introduced Primary
off of ther Fath Lp. This was their
fourth number and at first glance you
could tell the band was vory comfort
able with the surroundings and be
ginnings of this performance Work
ing my way to about 20 Seet back
The Cure, Pori Thompson, Robert Smith, Simon Galup, Boris and Laurence Tolhurst, Photo: Brian Schroeder
from stage front, I postisoned myself
For photos. Security had denied ac
cess to the pit, even though I had
a photo pass Directly in front of me
stood Robert Smith with dark hair
tufted and teased in multitudes of
hanging directions. He stood quite
motionless poised in front of the
microphone, shyly glancing over the
crowd and gently crooning out the
songs. Dressed in a baggy navy blue
suit over a white t-shirt Robert was
the center of attention. The mut
color Tights Bashed on and off again,
ways in his direction Bassist
Simon Gallup, back alter a period of
leave from the band, stood to the left
in a stylish slump, fingering his way
across the frets of the bass A mas
sive stack of leased, dark, drooping
mals gave Simon the appearance of
being taller than he was Guitarist
Port Thompson slood to Robens
sight, dressed in a pink shirt draping
open, his appearance was very fem
inne, with dirty blonde hair tussed
back neaty Port smlod as he
charmed the crowd with melodic
guitar chords and occasional key
board pieces At furthest stage night
was keyboardist Laurence Tolhurst,
standing over his keys, looking very
olum in a blue closed-collar shirt Ho
didn't make many gestures. Most of
his concentration was on keyboard
work The four at stage front were
very subtle, but the way the crowd
reacted you'd think it was a crazed
rock band. As the sights zoomed
about in brilliant colors and lighting
back-drops added monsterous
shadows, the audience schimed in
accordance When familiar sounds
were played they would pogo
about lunging forward, squishing
the people who stood from the stage
to about lon rows back. To stage eft
prevailed a pit of thrashers This 1
found unusual since The Curo is
hardly a band to thrash to, yot those
kids were thrusting their bones in the
fashion. The crowd around them
didn't seem to mind. The majority of
the audience were dressed in a
Cure fashion: similarties to the
band, but in legions of vanefes The
stench of hair spray fled the atmos
phose, supporting crimped waves of
leased-out hair. The slow of fans had
obviously dressed for the mode of
this occasion
tionally Then the haunting harmony
of A Forest and ending their set
with the fitoonth number Sinking"
off the new Lp. Quite naturally the
crowd cheered and roared, domand
ing the band return, which they did
about ten minutes later and would
do so two more times, with long inter
vals between aach. But this didn't
quiet the crowd who stomped
chantad and howled. On The Curu's
first encore they played, "Close To
Me and the stunning "Charlotte
Sometimes Six Different Ways."
The Exploding Boy, and the original
Cure smash Boys Don't Cry for tho
second. And in the third encore it
was 10 15 Saturday Night King
An Arab and a singalong rondson
Hordes of dry ice was being used, of "Do You Wanna Touch which left
pouring white smokey wipers across the crowd quite refreshed. Twenty-
the stage and reflecting greenish three songs into the night the five
hues from the lighting offects which members stood upon the stage,
gave the essence a mystical feel bowed, said good-night and walked
creepy in delight as The Cure con- away It was a show of charm with
tinued the musical endeavors. To- a pleasant aura surrounding the
night the polite mob of fanatice mind. Delightful and not disappoint
would get an excellent dosage Their ing, The Cure proved they can bring
fifth number was "The Hanging Galive what has been recorded with a
den trom that the countdown went
as follows Cold, the smash hit "n
Between Days The Walk next,
the crowd went bananas a sing-
along trenzy to the giant chart-bust
ing hit Let's Go To Bed, followed by
the tasty A Night Like This The
Cure were delivering a selection of
greatest hits packed in with nearly
their entire new Lp. It win awe inspir
ing Continuing with the playlist
Push Screw and A Hundred
Years which was performed excep
class that has made them strikingly
unique
Backstage in discussions with the
band members, I found myself in a
small conversation with Robert
Smith, regardless of the young fans
who interrupted for attention. He
questioned the nature of the name
THRASHER on my jacket. It's a
skateboarding magazine followed
with, "Do you skate? Nah," he said,
Tm 100 cld (26) but I had a blast
watersking over the summer
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