
Standard setlist : Open, High, Pictures Of You, Lullaby, Just Like
Heaven, Fascination Street, One Hundred Years (or A Night Like This), Trust,
The Walk, Let's Go To Bed, Friday I'm In Love, In Between Days, From The
Edge Of The Deep Green Sea, Never Enough, Cut, End -
Lovesong, Close To Me, Why Can't I Be You -
The Figurehead, Primary, Boys Don't Cry -
(A Strange Day), A Forest
02nd
Marseille, Palais des Sports
First concert with Roberto Soave replacing Simon. Roberto actually already
knew some songs like Primary but had to learn the others very quickly. The
soundcheck in Marseille lasted hours, seeing how things were going to turn
out. Considering the conditions, it's amazing the band was able to adapt
themselves so quickly to this situation. Of course this first show was quite
short (about 100 minutes) but better than a simple cancellation.
04th
Barcelona, Palacio de los Deportes
Already a better performance with four other songs added to the set. The
end of Cut was a bit extended, probably due to not being sure when to stop
playing with Roberto. Robert Smith told the audience that they couldn't
take requests "given the circumstances".
06th
Madrid, Palacio de los Deportes
One Hundred Years was added to the set after they rehearsed the song during
the soundcheck. Worth noting was Foxy Lady being played as well (probably
for fun). The track would eventually end up on the setlist on the following
week ! Roberto's third show was already as long as the standard concert
for this tour.
08th
San Sebastian, Velodromo Anoeta
The show was originally planned in Bilbao. Porl joined the Cranes (opening
act) on stage that night. And as it was his birthday, Robert Smith sang
"Happy Birthday" to him during A Forest's extra lyrics ! The Figurehead
included an improvised verse. Tonight's "new" song with Roberto
was A Strange Day.
11th
Toulouse, Palais des Sports
If there weren't enough troubles already, Robert Smith lost his voice on
One Hundred Years. Just being able to whisper... Fortunately (and thanks
to Trust's long intro) he recovered it. On a more humorous side, he went
blank for a second on Friday I'm In Love forgetting a line and announced
Why Can't I Be You as "Pourquoi il n'est pas possible pour moi d'être
vous" (which is sort of the French translation for the title).
12th
Bordeaux, Patinoire de Mériadeck
Pratically the same concert as the previous night The only difference was
A Strange Day instead of Figurehead. Boris broke the snare drum on Why Can't
I Be You. A technician actually replaced it during the song. Strange they
didn't wait for the final encore to do this, as it was almost the end of
the show anyway.
13th
Rennes, Salle Omnisports
The group tried the extended version of Why Can't I Be You ? to introduce
some change in the set list.
15th
Liévin, Stade Couvert
A day off was the opportunity to learn and add a few songs to the set :
A Night Like This, Catch. Forever probably came as a surprise to Roberto
Soave since Robert Smith started the song without warning or waiting for
A Forest's ending. Open included some improvised lyrics. A great night,
truly, with Robert telling a joke about a wasp or playing A Forest's intro
just lying down on the floor... Before the Cure concert, he and Porl joined
the Cranes on stage : Robert playing 6-strings bass parts replacing
Allison Shaw singing (as she was sick). The tickets were certainly worth
double their value that night !
18th
Birmingham, NEC
Back to an almost basic set. The Figurehead included an improvised verse
while Primary had a few improvised lines as well (and a different 6 string
bass solo). Lovesong was dedicated to Mary (the band's wifes and girlfriends
attended the last shows of the tour). Robert Smith told again the wasp joke
before Why Can't I Be You ?
19th
Birmingham, NEC
An unusual night with the premiere of Foxy Lady and The Kiss. Some lyrics
were forgotten on Open. Robert Smith (sounding relatively tired) asked somebody
to tell a joke before The Walk. And to his surprise ("that's uncanny")
that was the one about the devil worshiper selling his soul to Santa ("That's
the joke I was going tell"). So before the next song, Robert actually
tried to tell another one (about Prince Charles this time) before declaring
"I'll come back to this one". A short extract from The Drowning
Man was sung before Primary. The idea of playing the song again was probably
in the air (that would occur later).
23rd
Manchester, GMEX
The return of Simon Gallup on stage. So the mood was pretty enthousiastic.
Some lines from Over The Rainbow weres sung by Robert on the Why Can't I
Be You's extra bit. Strangely, A Forest didn't include the usual extra lyrics,
they were kept for the end of Faith : mainly lines from 2 Late.
24th
Manchester, GMEX
The weirdest show of the tour : a random set list. Robert announced
that they would play everything the audience shouted. And left
the mystery complete without explaining the reason why. After 7 months on
the road and probably a bit of a boredom knowing the ordinary set list by
heart... That's understandable. Another fun night then by the end of the
tour. A Forest didn't include the extra lyrics again and Foxy Lady saw Roberto
Soave as guest on bass.
26th
London, Olympia Grand Hall
Great show with rarities being played. Some improvised lyrics on Pictures
Of You. A Forest didn't include extra lyrics. Roberto Soave joined the band
on Forever.
27th
London, Olympia Grand Hall
Part of the show was filmed by MTV. The band played 10:15 Saturday Night
and Killing An Arab for the first and last time of the year. Both songs
weren't rehearsed at all (no bass solo on 10:15). Faith didn't include extra
lyrics (they were kept for A Forest this time).
28th
London, Olympia Grand Hall
Robert revealed that they argued for real about what songs they're gonna
play for the encores. He also had a word about the Girl From Ipanema guitar
chords he's been playing for some time before songs (usually Boys Don't
Cry). Roberto Soave played bass on Foxy Lady and joined the band again on
A Forest.
30th
London, Olympia Grand Hall
Fourth concert in the same venue. And the soundcheck proved the will to
try songs they've never played before on this tour : Pornography, The Drowning
Man. Robert Smith asked how many people came on the previous nights to be
sure. Funnily, At Night got a false start so the group had to start the
song again. They also played The Same Deep Water As You since that was Roberto
Soave's favorite Cure song. He actually joined the band on stage for that
song, as well as on A Forest (no extra lyrics) and replaced Simon Gallup
on Foxy Lady. Not bad to play one song per encore with friends.
December,
03rd
Dublin, Point Depot
The last concert of the year and apparently the mood wasn't to try rare
songs during the set despite You Really Got Me from the soundcheck. So they
played a standard one contrary to the previous years where the last show
was always this "good bye" ceremony. But they ended the concert
with Forever (with the Cranes joining on stage). Worth mentioning was that
Robert Smith also joined the Cranes during their set for a song that night.