The Cure - Reflecting on Reflections

OK so I wrote this really long post about the concert... then the Internet ate it...

So instead I'm not going to review the show - I'm going to tell you how this whole experience has made me feel... if you want to read a review might I suggest here which is my mate...

So The Cure... I first heard them when I was a teenager... I must have heard them on the radio but the moment when I really took notice was in a car parked in my mates driveway (a farm in Terara NSW). He had a tape (probably a copy) of this band he liked. It was Kiss me Kiss me Kiss me and we listened to the whole album 4 of us jammed into the car... lucky we didn't drain the battery... That for me was the moment I remember that I realised that this band, this group meant more to me then a single, or an album. The songs touched me and reach out to me... Even more when I started to get the back catalogue (again mostly through tapes coping mates CD's then returning the favour when I got a few albums on CD - don't judge me it was the 90's and we were all doing it!!!)

It was all we could do to get all the albums all the live material and Video's (yes VHS type videos) of the band... Many nights I spent recording RAGE on ABC to edit out the rare Cure film clip to a battered VHS, we shared and traded these rare clips like gold... not realising in years to come you would be able You Tube them... or buy a DVD full of them all!

Then Wish came out and a tour was announced.

This was 1992 and I was 16 years old...

My mate's Mum took us, three of the original 4 (and Tim's little sister - Tim was in Brazil, he got girls we got the Cure - I think we won, girls blah they are everywhere)

I would see them 5 more times after that first concert... and all of the shows were different. I even have a list of the tracks played - it is quite impressive with many songs that are rarely (if ever) played live. I was happy to have been able to see them so often and with such great company and with a great crowd of Cure fans...

Then Reflections was announced. A twin to the previous Trilogy (Pornography, Disintegration, Bloodflowers) but for the first three albums. This would take us on a journey from the post punk Cure to the beginnings of the Goth era. Albums that gave us such seminal hits as Three Imaginary Boys, A Forest, Primary - the lead in to the dark Pornography - which in turns leads into the pop - top 20 hits of the mid - late 80's and 90's. This was the beginning, the start, the raw unformed Cure... This would be a once in a lifetime event and I had to be part of this. We all had to be.

The trio got back in touch and between us we hatched a plan on how to get tickets. We would all go online, pre-registered and ready for the opening of the ticket sales... We would be 3 against many thousands wanting to get the 4,000 tickets (spread over two nights). We had little chance, almost none, but still we would try - we had to.

It was Tuesday when I got the email, two whole days before the launch, "You're going to the Cure" read the subject line... that was all nothing more. I rang almost immediately to find out what that meant, was it true? If so how?

Apparently the demand from out of State and indeed overseas was so high the ticket seller released some tickets early to allow time for travel arrangement and such.  One of the subscribers who got that early notice posted the information on a Cure web forum. Col was at home that day, checking Twitter when he got notice of the advance sale. He lives out of NSW (therefore out of State) - without hesitation he bought 4 tickets for the first night and forwarded an email to us all. We really were going...

It strange - I really didn't think I would get to see them. We stood an almost zero chance and yet fate played the cards we needed and we went.

What was it like?

It was magical... from the friends I went with who like me grew up with the Cure, knew all the words (and even how to play); to the two lovely French guys we met who had traveled out to see the show. The fans around us were dedicated fans, ones who lived and breathed the Cure (sometimes more heavily then others) but they all were there to be part of something special. This would NEVER happen again.

I am glad that they filmed this event so that not only can I have my memories but I can re-live them again when I play the DVD... hear the crowd roar at the opening of A Forest feel the vibe of good vibrations as Lol Tolhurst entered the stage for the first time with the band since 1989... It was more then a show, more then a concert, it was a home coming, an affirmation from all the dedicated fans but mostly it was a gift from my favourite band to me (and 3,999+ other people)

You know what is so special about living in the future? I can share part of that with you... You Tube it and see for yourself - but for me this song sums up so many memories... I'm sure I have a scratched, flickering VHS somewhere with this film clip - why not a video phone short grab instead...

Yours Gave Me All

I feel the walls close in on me

I just wish they’d let me be

I don’t want to stay

I can’t take another day

Singing to myself, I slip

Laugh as I fall, I cry

But yours gave me everything

Yours gave me all

I don’t need it this time

I just wish it’d all be mine

I journey on to never end

I won’t find my heart again

Singing to myself, I slip

Laugh as I fall, I cry

But yours gave me everything

Yours gave me all

I hear the voices scream outside (let me out)

I hear the voices scream out loud (let me out)

I feel all their pain (let me out)

I feel it again and again and again

Coming closer to it, I flinch

Feeling it touch me, I hide

But yours gave me everything

Yours gave me all

Easy

My Vampire Song

I’m just faking it again

Playing at what’s right

Falling into traps

And screaming at the night

I’m just losing it again

This tortured soul of mine

Lost in one’s mind

And trapped in life divine

I’m just feeling it again

Developed and refined

Into a great monster

For you to fear and hide

It all becomes so easy

When it’s in this head of mine

Although you seem to fear me

You know that I am right

Everything’s so easy

When you see it in the night

Yet it will be gone from you

When everything’s too bright

It’s not easy being me

You know that much is true

It’s in everything you make

It’s in everything I do

Now it comes to this

The end that might be true

To find what lies beneath

The flesh and blood in you

I step into the room

All anger spread before me

And open up a void

To let you slip on through

It all becomes so easy

When it’s in this head of mine

Although you seem to fear me

You know that I am right

Everything’s so easy

When you see it in the night

Yet it will be gone from you

When everything’s too bright

Cradling your head

I cover you in kisses

You are now all bled

And smothered up in wishes

All those dreams come true

It’s in everything we do

From hope and from fear

I’ll be coming after you

Although you run to hide

Get lost deep inside

It’s not that hard to find

The screaming child inside

It all becomes so easy

When it’s in this head of mine

Although you seem to fear me

You know that I am right

Everything’s so easy

When you see it in the night

Yet it will be gone from you

When everything’s too bright

Even though you don’t see me

I’m waiting for you here

Even if I seem to go

I’ll be coming in the night

It all becomes so easy

When it’s in this head of mine

Although you seem to fear me

You know that I am right

Everything’s so easy

When you see it in the night

Yet it will be gone from you

When everything’s too bright

It all becomes so easy

When you’re screaming in the night

Although you seem to fear me

It’s just a little bite

Everything’s so easy

When you don’t put up a fight

I’ll be gone from you

When everything’s too bright

Drown

Leaves blowing in the wind

Twisting, twirling

Falling, still again

Just like your love

It comes, it goes

And changes every day

You wait momentarily with one

Then finding another you move on

Not seeing the people

Frowning on you

Not knowing

Over and over in this

Rushing torrent of life

You suck us dry

And leave us bare

Taking everything and you

Go on your own way

Your lovers drown in your

Mad swirling whirlpool of lust

Only finding you’re gone

Just before they drown

In your deep black sea of love

We drown in your deep black sea of love

We drown in your deep black sea of love

Drown, drown, drown, drown, drown

They drown

They drown

We drown

Madness

No one knew you were crying

No one knew you were dying

Every night

The pain you hold inside

In which you try to hide

Enveloped in the darkness

I stand before you

You know it’s true

I’m cold like ice

And I’m taking it twice

So I’m kicking in the door

And screaming at the wall

With ears I fear

The glowing screams of pain

The waves that crash in the sea

Bring memories of death to me

Every time

Seeing you standing there

Your heart full of despair

And you seem not to care

Leaves me open and bare

Madness eats out my mind

If you come remember to be kind

Every morning

As time stands still

It grows over me

Eating away at my will

So I’m kicking in the door

And the writing’s on the wall

With arms I feel

The lovesick kiss of shame

I’m beaten and alone

I’m sinking like a stone

I’m dying, I’m crying

Alone in my madness

And I’m kicking in the door

And tearing down the walls

With ears I feel

The glowing screams of pain

And I wish for peace again

Whoa!

Sinking deeper

Sinking deeper

Into my madness

Sinking deeper

Sinking deeper

Into my madness