Saturday, October 22, 2016

The Cure in Prague (Oct. 22nd, 2016)

O2 Arena in Prague, Czech Republic
Tickets still available / Doors at 6
The Twilight Sad 7 - 7:40 / The Cure 8:10 - 10:51
US start times for The Cure are 2:10 PM Eastern, 1:10 PM Central, 12:10 PM Mountain, and 11:10 AM Pacific
Get there early for The Twilight Sad! They are excellent!

Setlist: Tape / Open, High, A Night Like This, Push, In Between Days, Primary, Pictures of You, The End of the World, Lovesong, Lullaby, The Walk, Sleep When I'm Dead, Just Like Heaven, Trust, From the Edge of the Deep Green Sea, One Hundred Years, End

1st encore: Step into the Light, Want, Burn, A Forest

2nd encore: Shake Dog Shake, Fascination Street, Never Enough, Wrong Number

3rd encore: The Lovecats, Hot Hot Hot, Friday I'm in Love, Boys Don't Cry, Close to Me, Why Can't I Be You?

Thank you so much to for the setlist reports tonight! And to Petr @thecureCZ for the review & photo links!

Reviews: Tyden / Rock and All / Novinky / Cesky rozhlas / iREPORT / Denik / Aktualne / CTK / Musicserver / LidovkyiDNES

Photos: Shutterstock / Live Nation CZ / Hospodarske Noviny / iREPORT

Videos: Push / Primary / Primary / The Walk / Trust / One Hundred Years / Step into the Light / Burn / A Forest 1 - 2 / Shake Dog Shake / Hot Hot Hot /

Periscopes: 1 - 2 - 3 

55 comments:

  1. This comment has been removed by the author.

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  2. Oh miss the kiss of treachery and the 2005 setlists....

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  3. Much better balanced setlists in the US For now...El Paso, Austin, NYC For example...anyway, let's see...maybe something Will change

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  4. mhm.. so predictable setlist, once again. u.u

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    1. I go to a lot of concerts, I've seen lots of bands through the years and few are changing their sets night after night like The Cure do. So I'm very happy to follow them since 1989, even if I heard dozens and dozens of songs live, I look forward seeing each concert I can go to. Just Like Heaven is the song I heard the most and I still appreciate it live. I hope I will meet RS this year and thank him for this 2016 tour...

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  5. Think I will sell my ticket for Manchester if the set lists stay like this.

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    1. Cool, let a fan who cares and wants to see the band go.

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    2. Well if you leave booking a hotel and travel to Manchester to about a month beforehand, then yeah, it will be a lot of money.

      People need to stop whinging about the set-lists. If someone had told me back in 89 that The Cure would still be playing three hour sets in 2016, and doing it brilliantly, I would've laughed in their face. We should be grateful we still have The Cure and cherish any chance to see them live.

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  6. It was an amazing show. I'd probably go as far as to say that it was the best of the four Prague shows I've been to (starting with the 1996 one as I became a fan somewhere around 1993). The band IMO sounds the best in years. Reeves Gabrels was an amazing choice, he can easily substitute Porl's guitar madness when needed, but also knows what a good guitar player knows - that sometimes it's better for the song to keep a low profile, which is something Porl has been struggling with in his later years with the band (and Perry's guitar playing was always way too sterile for most of the more guitar heavy songs).

    Honestly, the 2008 show was kinda awkward, so I had mixed feelings about tonight's show. I'm happy to say that it blew me away completely. Really, to me, they sounded decades younger. It almost felt as if I was listening to Show, except live and almost 25 years later.

    And bonus points for Robert speaking Czech for the first time ever (at least I don't remember him saying anything in Czech on previous shows). Granted, he basically just said "Thanks!" near the beginning of the show and then "See you again!" at the very end, but his pronunciation was actually pretty good.

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  7. Whilst I agree some of the U.S setlists seemed more surprising (and better?) than the current ones...I can't believe some people are suggesting that they might sell their ticket. That is mad!

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    1. I've seen them 15 times since the 80s and have seen some great gigs. It costs a lot of money to travel so far and get a hotel just to see a greatest hits show, so I think it is okay to miss out this time.

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  8. Freedom of expression and opinion is a right. Being an objective fan of any band means u don't worship them and make your own decisions about whether or not they are still worth your time and money. Just because you were a Dan for many years doesn't mean u have to b a lifetime one

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    1. Wow that almost sounds like a half ass fan no matter how 'hsrdcore' you were before...well by all accounts it's your life your choice and I don't know hou..but that's NOT What I'm About....that's the lovely thing about the world we live in....we're not all the same....even tho Robert once sang...." Everyone's happy they're finally all the same....Cuz everyone's jumping everybody else's train"

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  9. IMO so far best concert of the tour Kansas City or first night in Chicago, that said I would go
    to any concert of the tour and be stoked. It appears for the most part the band is having a great time and sounding great. I can't believe people are saying they're going to sell their tickets, if you're a fan and this is their last tour, you'll regret for a long time.

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    1. I would only regret it if I missed out on songs that I really want to hear. I'm not interested in the singles or songs like Step Into The Light and Sleep When I'm Dead. I've got memories of setlists that I've loved so I am happy to keep them.

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  10. It's only a 'boring set list' because if you are checking this website for set list updates then it means you are a Cure geek like me! I suspect most people at these shows will not be following the set list reports with such attention, even if they do play (for example) Pictures of You and Just Like Heaven every night, who would be disappointed to hear those songs live?! I'm a big fan of U2 and The Dandy Warhols and have seen both live in the last 12 months, The Dandys seem to play the same show every night. U2 were great live but only seemed to rotate/change a couple of songs during the encore each night. It is fair to say we have bee spoilt by The Cure mixing songs up to the degree that they do.

    I'll be watching The Cure in December, and yes I do hope they throw in some of the rarities promised during the promo, but that is only because I saw them in NYC a few months so (selfishly) would like to hear some different songs. Regardless, December will be a win/win night.

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    1. Exactly well put!!! It's so true....The Cure go beyond the norm...and I acknowledge my own bitching in the past....we should appreciate them more because who knows if this is it
      ...despite what Robert told Toronto (was it Toronto?)...this may very well be their Swan song...at any rate they are thee best ....
      I love The Cure and everything they have represented...their peers pale in comparison.

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  11. yesterday's show was not about setlist or what they played... IT WAS ABOUT HOW THEY PLAYED. and i don't remember such a great atmosphere as in Prague.

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    1. The problem with that logic is that those of us who weren't there don't know 'how' they played, we only know 'what' they played. I'm hoping that Tim Pope's suggestion that they are recording some of the Europe shows for a live album is true.

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  12. Wish I could have gone! The concert looked amazing!!

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  13. BTW, it might seem like a boring setlist, but bear in mind that even some of the songs a lot of you who have had the luxury to hear them live dozens of times would find boring were actually played for the first time in Prague or at least for the first time in 20 years. And an awful lot of them never sounded this good here.

    So was it the most original setlist? Well, not really, it was pretty predictable, even though we still got a few surprises. Would I prefer to hear a few different songs instead of some of those we got? Most certainly. But even for someone who is a big fan of the band (and actually plays their songs himself) but has only been able to see them whenever they visited Prague (so four times in 20 years), it was still a show to remember. See my previous comment above.

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  14. "Mixing hits,rarities,favourites and as yet unreleased tracks" That was the language used to promote the tour on the cure.com. I think that in the US, fans by and large got as was advertised. All be it, two unreleased tracks is a little disappointing. Europe as of yet has been a little disappointing set list wise. Such an extensive tour with setlists for the most part fairly similar to 4tour. I was convinced when I read "as yet unreleased tracks" that this tour would coincide with a new release. And two new tracks (one ordinary and one epic) falls way short. I had planned to try to afford to get to one gig at considerable expense because they skipped Ireland this time. But the setlists aren't worth it. Seen it all before. I've been a cure fan for 30+ years. What they have created is masterful. Its so sad to see it fade but it looks to me like this tour is about revenue and nostalgia. To remain current you have to produce current. There's a ton of 80's & 90's bands touring nostalgic setlists and I'm afraid the cure is now one of them. So I'm keeping my cash too.

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  15. BTW for anyone interested, here's a few not exactly great mobile phone shots from the show:

    http://foto.mfiala.cz/Free-time-travel/Czech-Republic/Cechy-Bohemia/The-Cure-22-10-2016/n-8ss3N7/

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  16. Surprised by the lack of scopes, maybe something will pop up on YouTube in the next few days. I got a little excited upon discovering what was played at soundcheck. Alas not all of those made the setlist...which is okay, because that is expected. However, it's almost like dangling a carrot in front of someone's face then yanking it back? HAHA. This was a pretty standard setlist. Months ago someone mentioned the possibility of setlists getting darker as the band heads deeper into Eastern Europe and/or cities more profoundly impacted by WWII. The prediction seemed reasonable enough at the time. For some reason I still remember it....but looks like it was a little off the mark.
    Even though some of the songs are staples on the setlists, it is still possible to experience them in a whole new way or to "rediscover" them. This was the case for me recently when I randomly stumbled upon the official video for A Night Like This on YouTube. I had not seen the video in ages and had forgotten how simple yet powerful it was (is). I must have replayed it 7-8 times in a row(!)...a first for me. The video might actually be better than the live version. A little embarrassed to admit this, but WOW....RS is hot hot hot(!!!) in this video, especially with the jerky movements. Couldn't take my eyes off the screen. Watching this immediately transported me to the time when I first saw this on VHS many moons ago. Now when this is played live I will see it in a whole new light. Speaking of light....
    For some strange reason Step into the Light reminds me of Without You, not in terms of the lyrical content but the overall feel of the song, in particular the progression from low to high at the beginning of each song. It's hard to describe, and I must be the only person who hears this. Without You really spoke to me when it first came out, one of my all time favs. It would be interesting to hear the latter two being played back to back live.
    Then I wake up (hahahaha.....) 😴😄

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    1. I agree with you on Step Into the Light. Actually, I think that song really fits in thematically with most of the songs on 4:13 Dream (and B-sides), which seemed to experiment with the interaction between the voice and unusual or irregular drum rhythms (culminating with It's Over, which is pretty much out of control). So my interpretation is that Step Into the Light is one of the leftover songs from 4:13 Dream that was making headlines when RS was giving interviews 1.5 years ago or so.

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    2. On the other hand, I think "It Can Never Be the Same" is new material that gives us the best hint of where The Cure are going for the new album with this lineup. It's a spectacular song, and I think an album with the same style would be transformative for the band. I have been wondering if this is the song RS referred to in the most recent interviews as "the saddest song he's ever written". It has to be, right? I love that song. It completely breaks my heart.

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    3. Finally, for all the folks complaining about the setlist, I suggest you keep in mind the possibility that the band is using the days between shows to write and experiment with NEW material for the next album, rather than rehearse rare old songs. Which would you rather have? If they can pull of an album in the style of It Can Never Be the Same, I think we should give them the space to work on this new creation. Enjoy the shows everyone! The classic songs sound great on this tour. I wish I could attend more shows!

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    4. I was thinking the same Piggy
      ..HI by the way...but so far that theory isn't holding up and the US got the best shows in terms of song originality..no new add ons... nothing debuted however that doesn't mean the shows were not anything new...because it was so to their respective audience at each show...it would be great to see that something new was played that maybe hasn't been in over 25/30 yrs ...but if they dont do this, it doesn't mean it's a bust.
      Maybe that should teach U.S. fans to stop complaining so much... everything was fresh and new because they started with us!!!

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    5. Parallelextinction ...I would agree 100%....because I'm one of the ones who thinks it's about his mom's passing and I really doubt he's ever touched this delicate and personal of a topic...especially it being still so fresh

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    6. If "it Can never be the same" indeed is the song RS referered to as: "the saddest song he's ever written, or something, it is not new material! That was a discription of a song called "Christmas without you" from the 4:13
      sessions! Could be a reworking, or retitled version of this song though! If not an entirely other/new song, reusing the "without you" line.

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    7. My recollection about the "saddest song" is that RS said he wrote it while they were making the rounds at festivals within the last couple of years. He said it during an interview at that time, and implied that they might play it, but that never happened.

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    8. Not sure who suggested the idea of the setlists getting darker as they moved across Europe but I agree(d) with it wholeheartedly (at the time). Turned out to be wrong. I'm starting to get a little disappointed in the sets myself, but that's probably because I can only read about them instead of listen to them. Hope the Europe live album turns out to be true.

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    9. @parallelextinction - You're right, it is very possible SITL was a leftover from 4:13 sessions. It didn't occur to me that that could be the case, I just automatically assumed it was brand new.
      I agree, if an entire album was created in the same general vein as ICNBTS, it would be epic (possibly a 4th installment to "Trilogy"?..then of course it would no longer be a trilogy...LOL. Not sure the term for a group of 4).
      @Marc the cure - Now that we're able to compare US vs. Euro setlists, I'm more thankful than ever that the band showered US fans with a wide range of rarities...However, the tour is still in the semi-nascent stages and there could be more surprises. No one has any idea what RS might have up his sleeve. Past performance is not an indicator/guarantee of future performance! HAHA.
      @ Christian - I've heard of that song, but like Parallel pointed out, it might not be the same one. Assuming ICNBTS is about RS's mom(mum), it would have had to have been written in the last couple of years. You're right, though, it might be a reworking of an old song.
      @Craig - Welcome back! I forgot who suggested the sets would get darker. It might have been Dr. Fishbones. I also agreed with it at the time (somewhat). The scopes/videos are available for listening. :D Europe live album? I didn't know one was being considered...if so that would be great. Europe live DVD would be even better!

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    10. Hi piggywigee, it has been awhile. Tim Pope implied strongly in an interview that a live album and DVD would be made up from the Europe shows. Not sure if it would be better to tape a few random shows on the continent or wait until Wembley where they will be set up for four days. Probably would cost far too much to do all the Europe shows and choosing a few random shows would be pretty risky, plus by Wembley they'll be a well-oiled machine and they would have at least 20 more songs to choose from. There's good and bad in all of those choices. And the mic set-up looks a little different, ambient in front of the stage and a couple flown high over Jason...looks pretty good.

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  17. As a European, and one who has travelled the majority of Europe a lot, I'm always baffled by the stuff I read on COF espousing theories about how setlists should always be darker when visiting certain cities.

    It is actually quite offensive to be honest. It isn't WW2, Communism in Europe is long over. These cities are beautiful places with booming business, employment, tourism, leisure, arts and more.

    That people seen to think the Cure should rock up in places like Poland, Czech, Germany and say only play Pornography and Disintegration is amongst the biggest load of bollocks I've ever heard.

    I suggest some people visit those countries and cities and not just go to look at statues.

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    1. Oh get over it!!! It's the mother land in terms of continents, the Gothic architecture, the paganism which started there, the tribal beginnings, Goth for Gods sake started there....plus the weather is so much Ranier and gloomy....lol!!! HALLOWEEN'S BEGINNINGS STARTED IN EUROPE... Get...over...it!!!! LOL!!

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    2. What the cities are like now does not erase the fact of what happened there all those years ago. It also does not erase the fact that Robert has stated in interviews that those cities evoke certain emotions in the band. Sure it's 2016 and it's 70 years later and whatever else you said in your E.U. brochure. I don't care what it takes to get the band to play some of those songs, as long as they play them. Soon.

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    3. When I read Crimson's post...I was laughing so hard my face turned red(!). Just to be clear, I'm not laughing at the poster, but the fact that there was indeed some truth in his/her assertions. Crimson had a good point. I was being semi-facetious about the tie between the darker songs and geography. That said, the responses above also hit the nail on the head.
      The setting/weather/historical significance of a place can all contribute to the mood of the shows. One could make arguments either way.

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    4. I should have said "I laughed so hard my face turned CRIMSON"! Sorry couldn't help myself...

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    5. You beat me to that one, it was my first thought.

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  18. I have been to many of the concerts in the US, and am going to Manchester and London also. Each one has been special to me and I wouldn't even consider giving up my tickets. There are still many fans without tickets. I agree with Zamboni. Sell the the tickets to another fan, if you don't want to go.

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  19. I have to say that Prague was my least favourite out of the 10 shows ive seen this year so far. But that does not mean it was bad. I think it was more to do with me being tired and the people around me didnt seem to be so into it.

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  20. Just out of interest I have done a comparison of songs played in Europe and the US and these are the ones that haven't been played so far..!!

    39
    (I Don't Know What's Going) On
    2 Late
    A Letter to Elise
    Bananafishbones
    Bloodflowers
    Cold
    Freakshow
    If Only Tonight We Could Sleep
    Like Cockatoos
    Mint Car
    Other Voices
    Out of This World
    Piggy in the Mirror
    Pornography
    Screw
    The Drowning Man
    The Exploding Boy
    The Hanging Garden
    The Same Deep Water as You
    The Snakepit
    The Top
    Us or Them
    Watching Me Fall

    Some corkers in there..

    Regardless of this though I think the shows so far have been great and regardless of what they are playing you can tell that the band are enjoying themselves..

    I'm going to all the UK dates and there is NO WAY I'd be getting rid of my tickets.. I have been waiting for these shows for almost a year now.. :)

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    1. It's rather strange that none of the songs you mention that was played in the US haven't been played in Europe? Maybe someone does not want to? Still, I'm hoping for something unusual in Rome this coming weekend :-)

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    2. Well the band decides...or more accurately Robert....maybe he doesn't feel like it...like when they took a considerable break from playing Step Into the light???

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    3. Wow, thanks for going through all the trouble to compile this list. Very useful. The above would make a fabulous setlist (except for Freakshow, never really liked that one). Maybe it could be played as sort of a grand finale at the end of the tour.

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  21. BTW, while people here are complaining that the setlists are too boring and thinking about selling their tickets, by now, I've seen several Czech press reviews of the show and they were all generally stating that they didn't play enough of the hits and that by the third encore, people were already leaving, disheartened that they didn't hear their favourite hit.

    So I guess different strokes for different people.

    (Then again, the reviews I saw were also pretty bad. And I mean bad as in not written well. They felt like the person didn't really know anything about the band but had to go to the show anyway because it was their job. And I honestly have no idea what bigger hits would they like to hear.)

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    1. Different strokes for different folks..is the correct the phrase

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    2. Fair enough. I've seen it plenty of times the way I wrote it. But I'm not a native English speaker (as you're probably aware), so I really can't judge.

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  22. Setlist diff to Lodz:
    - Charlotte Sometimes
    - Closedown
    - Disintegration
    - It Can Never Be the Same
    - Plainsong
    - The Caterpillar
    - The Last Day of Summer
    + End
    + Hot Hot Hot!!!
    + Open
    + Primary
    + Sleep When I'm Dead
    + Step Into the Light
    + Trust

    Most similar to Hamburg:
    - Charlotte Sometimes
    - It Can Never Be the Same
    - Kyoto Song
    - The Hungry Ghost
    - This Twilight Garden
    + One Hundred Years
    + Sleep When I'm Dead
    + Step Into the Light

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  23. This was a fantastic concert with a great set list. I do not see any reasons for complaining about the songs played in Prague ..or at any other cities of this European tour. And yes, I totally agree that it is more important how those songs were played rather then what was played. Open and End were simply fantastic and gave a good frame to the main set. The only week point of the concert was the close to zero reaction of the audience. I am sure people enjoyed the concert it was probably just a very different (or strange to me) way of appreciating a very well played/sounding Cure concert.

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