Chicago Prays for Rain: The Cure at United Center
Ghostly strobe lights illuminate the dark figures onstage and a swarm of people below as the lead singer proclaims: “Boys Don’t Cry.”
On June 10, The Cure continued their “Shows of a Lost World” tour at the United Center in Chicago. The show, encompassing the band’s long legacy, was gorgeously haunting.
The Cure is an English rock band that formed in the late 70s. Having since amassed a nearly cult-like following, their recent tour was highly celebrated.
Upon arrival, the massive venue was packed with people: an array of generations dressed in the same black clothing and dark makeup, standing in merchandise lines that snaked around the whole building. Excited chatter reverberated throughout the arena over the light rain sounds playing from the stage as the audience made their way in.
The Twilight Sad, a Scottish band, performed the opening act. Combining dark lyricism with post-punk sound, the band set a daunting and brooding tone, making for the perfect prelude.
After much anticipation, The Cure stepped onstage and were greeted with a surge of applause. The first notes of “Alone” flooded the arena, a song both chilling and heart-wrenching. Robert Smith’s immortal voice sang out and gave goosebumps to the entire audience.
Smith was adorned in his iconic black eyeshadow and hair. Having performed for several decades, he possessed a magnetic stage presence, walking back and forth across the stage to address the audience in a seemingly personal manner and occasionally stopping to peer straight into the cameras.
The Cure performs at the United Center in Chicago for their “Shows of a Lost World” tour. Photo by Ava Rainwater
The set totalled 31 songs, lasting well over two hours and dipping into the band’s many widespread albums. It oscillated between high-energy songs, such as “Lovesong,” and somber ones like “I Can Never Say Goodbye,” written about Smith’s late brother. For the first time in five years, “Like Cockatoos” was performed.
The Cure returned for two extensive encores. At the beginning of the second encore, the stage’s backdrop metamorphosed into an eerie green spider web across which a spider crept. The otherworldly song serenaded the audience into a hypnotic sway as Smith warned about the Spiderman.
The atmosphere was simultaneously alive as it was reverent, the crowd filled with devotion. Smith thanked the audience for their roaring applause, commenting that it was “very sweet.”
The Cure will return to Chicago in September for Riot Fest, then play a series of shows in South America. If given the chance, seeing the Cure is a remarkable experience. Whether a younger generation fan or a fan for decades, no one will ever forget “A Night Like This.”