5/5 – An exceptional concert which saw The Cure delight thousands of fans in London, debut new music live and play well-known favourites.
I have finally found the time to publish my review of The Cure’s spectacular album launch show at the Troxy in London, which I had the pleasure of attending over a month ago. Inspired by the recent digital release of a live EP entitled Songs of a Live World and the permanent live stream on YouTube, I wanted to recount my personal experience for posterity and future Edge-reading Cure fans. I have already shared my thoughts on the lead single, Alone, and the entire Songs of a Lost World album, but I could not resist the opportunity to write about their superb live performance. Therefore, let us cast our minds back to a cold and atmospheric night at the beginning of November when Cure fans were given a momentary insight into the lost world.
On the 1st of November, I found myself milling about in the queue outside the Troxy in East London, eagerly waiting to see The Cure live only hours after the release of their first new album in 16 years. Weeks earlier, I had frantically managed to secure tickets (which sold out in 4 seconds) for this intimate one-night concert with a capacity of only 3,000 fans. When I got off the DLR at Limehouse, the excitement was palpable as I began to notice fans proudly wearing Cure t-shirts from various tours and goths in full outfits, identifiable by their flamboyant hair and makeup. As I heard the faint tune of The Walk from a pub near the Troxy, I knew that this evening would be very special and one I would remember forever.
While queuing, I overheard enthusiastic discussions regarding Songs of a Lost World, what Robert Smith would play, and whether he would debut the previously unheard songs – ‘Warsong’ and ‘Drone:Nodrone’. As I entered the building, a Troxy employee handed me a free Cure Troxy badge marked with the date in Roman numerals, which I kept as a souvenir. Once I managed to get inside the beautiful Art Deco auditorium, the recognisable noise of roaring thunder rang out from the stage. Hundreds were already waiting for this once-in-a-lifetime intimate experience of witnessing a new Cure material live in a venue they have never played before. Luckily, I secured a good view of the stage, although it was incredibly crowded and became quite hot, especially when people danced later on.
The Cure performing Alone live at the Troxy 1st of November. Photograph taken by Anton
There was no support band (during The Cure’s last tour, they had been supported by the Scottish band The Twilight Sad), and I got there for doors, so I had two hours of standing before The Cure started, but it was worth it. The continuous thunder and conversations about the setlist only heightened the mystery. When the lights finally darkened as Robert Smith, dressed in his black Disintegration shirt, and the rest of the band emerged, the crowd’s cheers were deafening. They started by playing ‘Alone’, the album’s opening track that sounded phenomenal because of Jason Cooper’s sharp drums and Simon Gallup’s throbbing bass. Smith’s enduring voice, seemingly incapable of ageing, was exceptional as the audience listened in complete awe when he started singing.
As a result of the venue’s small size, it is the closest I have ever been physically to the band, and the atmosphere was incomparable to other Cure gigs I have been to before. They went on to perform other songs from the new record, including ‘And Nothing is Forever’ and ‘A Fragile Thing’. Both were brilliant and reminded me of the 2022 tour; Simon Gallup’s bass did have some issues (because of his strange coat), but the band’s resilience to deliver an evocative performance despite these minor technical issues was truly impressive. I was particularly excited to hear the brand-new tracks, and Smith said before Warsong, “Let’s see how this goes?” with a hint of uncertainty in his voice. On these songs, the contributions of Robert Smith and Reeves Gabrels’ guitars created a powerful wall of sound, which elevated Warsong’s intensity and the relentless desolation of ‘Drone:NoDrone’.
The Cure performing Drone:NoDrone at the Troxy. Photograph taken by author
The thumping bass and distinctive keyboards of ‘Warsong’ was even more compelling than the studio version. The guitar solo by Reeves Gabrels on ‘Drone:Nodrone’ was hauntingly excellent, and the performance featured highly thought-provoking projected images of Californian cities in a message against mass consumerism and the rise of technology. The fairground carousel returned for a deeply profound ‘I Can Never Say Goodbye’, where Robert pushed his voice to its emotional limits, and Rodger O’Donnell’s keyboards were flawless. ‘All I Ever Am’ was another display of fast-howling guitars with a quick bass tempo, as the whole band came together under Robert Smith’s eloquent lyrics about self-identity, which was its second live debut. However, the Troxy version of ‘Endsong’ was particularly majestic, promoted by Gabrel’s screaming guitar solo and as you might imagine, my head was banging to that iconic drum sequence.
After a 20-minute intermission, the band returned for their first encore, marked by the famous wind chimes of ‘Plainsong’. The stage background underwent a captivating transformation during ‘Pictures of You’, changing from the traditional picture of the back of a young woman to a unique image of Mary, Robert’s wife. The Cure continued to play a couple more tracks of Disintegration, along with fan favourites such as ‘A Night Like This’ and a fantastic version of ‘From The Edge of the Deep Green Sea’. The whole band felt more relaxed as they had the opportunity to dive into the back catalogue and play songs with great confidence. The audience’s passionate singing turned nearly all of the songs into unforgettable singalongs, making everyone feel like they were part of a grand celebration, similar to the anniversary concert I attended at Hyde Park in 2018.
The Cure performing Plainsong live at Troxy 1st of November. Photograph taken by author
The second encore was in honour of the 45th anniversary of Seventeen Seconds, where ‘At Night’, ‘M’, ‘Secrets’, ‘Play for Today’, and ‘A Forest’ all featured. ‘At Night’ was an excellent track with its harsh droning bass and has become a mainstay of Cure’s live performances. ‘M’ was another chance for Robert Smith to exhibit his masterful vocals, and ‘Secrets’, a track that has not been played since 2011, gained a loud cheer. There was some amusing confusion from comments made by Robert about O’Donnell’s keyboard accuracy. ‘Play for Today’ had everyone chanting, and the strobe effects were dazzling, exacerbated by the immense smoke on the stage. ‘A Forest’ has always been one of my favourite Cure songs, so seeing that again was a pleasure as the audience became ‘seduced into the trees’, ending with Gallup’s signature guitar solo. Robert and Gallup looked like they were reminiscing in this segment, appropriate for a concert about the fading past as they released Seventeen Seconds in their early 20s.
The final encore was a variety of pop hits, and by this point in the concert, many people were dancing, throwing their hands in the air, and swaying side to side. It felt like it had shifted from an album launch into a full-blown party with all the usual suspects. ‘Lullaby’, ‘The Walk’, ‘Friday I’m in Love’, ‘Close to Me’, ‘Why Can’t I Be You’ ending with ‘Boys Don’t Cry’. As an audience member, you could see the whole group was enjoying themselves and rifting off the positive response. There was a timing mistake on ‘Friday I’m in Love’, where some of the group were playing at the wrong speed and had to catch up to Robert, but it only added to the fun. At the end, Robert turned to the crowd and said, ‘See you again’ and was given a standing ovation as he disappeared off stage. As the lights turned back on, thousands of fans began pouring out of the Troxy, ready to face the dreaded post-concert depression and reflect on a wonderful evening.
As I emerged from the venue into the cold November darkness, my immediate reaction was that I had witnessed one of the most special Cure performances and how unbelievably lucky I was to get tickets to such an intimate show. The Troxy performance has once again proven that Robert Smith is a musical genius who is back in the form of his career. A 3-hour epic that integrated the despondent poignancy of a new album showcase and various encores of fan favourites, the Troxy will remain one for the ages. As Songs of a Lost World has reached Number 1 in the UK charts and been featured in numerous 2024 album of the year lists, it is clear their ability is enduring and still holds resonance worldwide even 16 years after their last discography entry. In a world of desolation, The Cure is one band that has never lost their talent, remaining true to their music and deserving all their acclaim.
You can watch the full live stream of The Cure’s Troxy performance here:
