Sunday, May 8, 2016

The last time The Cure played Lakefront Arena


Aug. 25th, 1996 - New Orleans, LA (UNO Lakefront Arena)
(Attendance: 4,941 / Capacity: 7,861 / Gross Sales: $115,538)

Setlist: Want, Club America, Fascination St., Lullaby, Strange Attraction, This is a Lie, Just Like Heaven, Jupiter Crash, Round & Round & Round, Lovesong, Mint Car, Catch, The Drowning Man, The Kiss, Charlotte Sometimes, If Only Tonight We Could Sleep, Dressing Up, Return, Treasure, Trap, Prayers for Rain, Inbetween Days, From the Edge of the Deep Green Sea, Bare, Disintegration

1st Encore: The 13th, Hot Hot Hot, Let's Go to Bed, Why Can't I Be You (That Old Black Magic/Young at Heart/Moon River("Old Man River")/Lovecats)

2nd Encore: Boys Don't Cry, 10:15 Saturday Night, Killing An Arab, Faith.

Soundcheck: The 13th, Figurehead, The Drowning Man, Just Like Heaven, beginning of Plainsong, Want.

Robert: "There's like a whole glut of songs we haven't played in years. Apparently 'cause we're in New Orleans, and it's a dark kind of city. I will see if that's true again later. This is called If Only Tonight We Could Sleep"

Trent Reznor, Marilyn Manson, and Clint Mansell were at the show.












 



 





After the show, the infamous Trent & Robert brohug happened at The Blue Crystal. Alternative Press has the story:

""Every city in America has at least one Gothic club. In New Orleans, it's the Blue Crystal. When a band like the Cure is in town, the Blue Crystal throws a party after the show. The club called Reznor, the closest thing they have to a local dignitary, to invite him to the Cure after-show party. Further conversation revealed that the only way the Cure would show is if Reznor is there, too. You can't hear it anywhere in Nine Inch Nails, but Reznor is a Cure fan from way back. He considers the Cure's The Head On The Door" one of the best records ever." His favorite description of himself: "Robert Smith with a head cold."

"I end up going to the club, and surprisingly, everyone from the Cure is there. And the bartender calls me over and says, 'Robert really wants to talk to you.'" Reznor smiles, makes a face that says: You mean I have to meet one of my teen idols in a goth club in Louisiana? Now? In front of all these people?

"It ends up," Reznor says, "me and him, hugging on the dance floor. He's like, 'I love you, dude,' and I'm like, 'I love you too, man.'" The Cure fans formed a loose circle around the pair while New Order's "Blue Monday" pumped out of the speakers. "It was the greatest scene," Reznor says.

"We were both fairly incoherent," he feels compelled to add."

Sorry, there's really no point to this post. Just traveling down memory lane a bit, before this week's shows.  Kinda excited. :)

14 comments:

  1. Thanks for sharing this great story Craig. Have a wonderful time this week!!

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  2. My first Cure show ever, so a great memory for me as well.

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  3. What time should we arrive at UNO if we have general admission tickets? I would like to be in the front if possible. Thank you

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    1. Impossible to say right now. If you have to be on the rail, between Robert and Roger, you better plan to get there very early. I've seen some of the more fanatical people lineup between 10 - noon.

      If you just want to be near the front, say 5 rows back. 4 would probably fine.

      But it really all depends on how many fans go early. I didn't get in line for the El Paso show until an hour before doors opened, and I ended up right in front of Robert, 4-5 rows back.

      I will be posting line reports on show days, if I can get reports, so we can get an estimate of the crowd size.

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    2. Thank you so much for the info

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    3. I can give you reports if you'd like, cuz I plan on going early

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    4. Yeah, that would be great! Thanks!

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  4. A lovely post to kick the week/tour off.

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  5. I'm pretty excited. Although Chicago is still a month away.

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  6. Ahh this makes me so happy! So giddy for my flight into New Orleans tomorrow, I just want it to be Tuesday already

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  7. Craig, have a very nice time! It's really cool that they begin their tour just in Nola! Enjoy!

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  8. cripes what a set! hopefully we'll have similar amazingness this time too! have a great time, craig! i know i will! :)

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  9. What a great story! Thanks for sharing!

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