Live report May 29th Shoreline Amphitheatre San Francisco CA

For me it is always a sign of a truly exceptional artist and muscianship when they don't play the same setlist every night. I love it when artists change the setlist giving each show its own identity.

Like the Rolling Stones, Prince, David Bowie (I've been fortunate enough to have seen all of them multiple times) and the Cure definately are part of this elite group of artists. They have consistantly changed their setlist night after night. This adds an element of anticipation for the fans and overall is great for the audience and the musicians that are performing.

That being said, the experience of seeing the Cure the second night of their two nights at Shoreline Amphitheater was like some religious awakening. In my personal life in the last few years I have gone through some undesirable experiences, most recently breaking my hand and having permenant nerve damage to my hand. A nightmare scenario for a musician that plays piano and guitar.

After what I had been through I was really looking forward to seeing one of my favorite bands, and the Cure definately delivered. I thought the setlist was very well balanced playing songs from nearly all their albums with the exception of a few recent releases. The setlist wasn't heavy on one particular album. The band was tight, they sounded like their albums and the crowd loved them.

I was also moved by Robert Smith's gracious appreciation for his fans. Many of the fans walking to the stage handing him roses, cards and what looked like a book at one point. He seemed to really enjoy their generosity and he also seemed to be in good spirits laughing and making jokes between songs. He mentioned how he forgot the words and that there were so many words. His fans loved it and laughed along with him.

The highlights for me were Burn (I posted a video I shot of this at the show), A Strange Day, From The Edge Of The Deep Green Sea, and Charlotte Sometimes.

The concert was so good I wish I could have gone to more than one but at the same time I feel fortunate that I got to see this one. It was an amazing night and like a mini vacation. It was the best Memorial Day ever.

Here is picture of Robert Smith I took at the show.