The Cure Kick Off Three-Night Stand at Madison Square Garden

Review and live photos from the band’s sold out performance

Last night, The Cure made their triumphant return to Madison Square Garden in New York City. While the sold-out crowd would have preferred a much shorter gap, the 29-song set proved to be well worth the wait. It was exactly seven years ago to the day that the group ended their last three-day run at the World’s Most Famous Arena. Interestingly enough, The Cure also played at The Garden on this day in 2008. Looks like MSG might have a new tradition, just not an annual one.

The Twilight Sad set the tone early on with a passionate set. Frontman James Graham was wearing a Cure t-shirt, clearly displaying his admiration for the band they were serving as special guests for. Early in the set, he spotted a Scottish flag in the audience, a nice nod to the band’s native land.

They rolled through an eight-song set comprised mostly of tracks from their latest LP, 2019’s It Won/t Be Like This All the Time.

Before The Cure came out, sounds of raindrops and mild thunder played through the arena speakers. It was oddly soothing, and a very fitting foray for the band that was about to play. Meanwhile on the concourse, merch booth lines nearly wrapped around the entire arena, almost running into each other. It could be attributed to the band’s popularity and the size of the crowd, sure, but price was another huge factor at play. After battling for decent ticket prices, band leader Robert Smith further took care of his fans by assuring them that The Cure’s concert collectables wouldn’t cost them an entire week’s pay. The move seems to have paid off for both the band and the fans, literally. Stuff wasn’t expensive, so people bought a lot of it.

The band took the stage and Robert Smith took a moment to take it all in, strolling around the stage staring out into the crowd that was giving a standing ovation. One fan in the front row even gave him flowers. It was a moment seven years in the making, and everyone in the building – including the band – soaked up every second.

Smith donned a David Bowie shirt, which wasn’t necessarily a random fashion choice. The Cure’s guitarist Reeves Gabrels wore a long-sleeved tee that simply read “Staten Island.” Reeves, who’s been with the band since 2012, is from Staten Island and had collaborated with Bowie for over a decade. He was also a member of Bowie’s band Tin Machine.

The Cure opened with “Alone,” a new song that saw its debut on the band’s European tour last year. They launched right into their seminal hit “Pictures of You,” a sweeping seven-minute epic that you just get totally lost in. It wouldn’t be the only long song of the night, as “From the Edge of the Deep Green Sea” would get played later on, clocking in around eight minutes.

Other highlights early in the evening were “Burn,” their contribution to The Crow soundtrack, and “Lovesong” from their watershed album Disintegration, among others. That album would get more attention later on in the set, with the band performing five cuts in total from the record.

The Cure went on to blow through a staggering 29 songs during a set that lasted nearly three hours. The played almost until the clock struck midnight, closing out the evening with a barrage of hits including “Friday I’m in Love,” “Close to Me,” “In Between Days,” “and “Just Like Heaven.” The finally closed things out with their signature song “Boys Don’t Cry.

The Cure are one of those rare bands who’s live shows seem almost other-worldly. Diehard and casual fans alike can just get lost in their soundscapes. The love that The Cure and their fans have for each other is what continues to make them an arena sellout all these years later.

The Cure are coming back to The Garden for two more shows tomorrow, June 21, and Thursday, June 22. The band’s Shows of a Lost World Tour rolls on through July 1, wrapping up at Miami-Dade Arena in Miami. After that, hopefully it won’t take them another seven years to come back.