The Cure: 'Reflections'
Encyclopedia
The Cure: "Reflections" refers to a set of shows in which The Cure
played their first three albums Three Imaginary Boys
, Seventeen Seconds
and Faith
in full (as well as other tracks) at the VividLive festival at the Sydney Opera House on 31 May and 1 June 2011. All three albums were played in their entirety on both nights, along with several other tracks; the first show featured 45 songs, the second included an additional two non-album songs.
The Cure announced that these "Reflections" shows would involve a 'uniquely evolving' line-up, which includes former keyboardists Lol Tolhurst and Roger O'Donnell
(who left the band in 1989 and 2005 respectively), but notably did not include guitarist Porl Thompson
who rejoined the band in 2005. It was not immediately clear whether Tolhurst and O'Donnell would be rejoining the band permanently. It is also unclear as to whether Porl Thompson has left the band or simply not taking part in these particular performances.
Later in 2011, O'Donnell confirmed he would be rejoining the band on a permanent basis. The status of Tolhurst and Thompson is still unconfirmed.
According to a statement released by Vivid LIVE, "this will be the first, and only, time The Cure perform these albums in succession." However, the band went on to perform seven additional 'Reflections' gigs in November: one in London, and three each in Los Angeles and New York.
Three Imaginary Boys (1979)
The Cure Trio: Robert Smith
(voice & guitar), Simon Gallup
(bass), Jason Cooper (drums)
Seventeen Seconds (1980)
The Cure Quartet: Robert Smith
(voice & guitar), Simon Gallup
(bass), Jason Cooper (drums), Roger O'Donnell
(keys)
Faith (1981)
The Cure Quintent: Robert Smith
(voice & guitar), Simon Gallup
(bass), Jason Cooper (drums), Roger O'Donnell
(keys & percussion), Laurence Tolhurst
(keys & percussion)
10.15 Saturday Night, Accuracy, Grinding Halt, Another Day, Object, Subway Song, Foxy Lady (Jimi Hendrix
Cover, for the first time sung by Robert Smith
), Meathook, So What, Fire In Cairo, It's Not You, Three Imaginary Boys, The Weedy Burton (only performed on the 2nd and 3rd night)
Seventeen Seconds:
A Reflection, Play For Today, Secrets, In Your House, Three/Forever (& "Happy Birthday Simon", only performed on the 2nd night), The Final Sound, A Forest, M, At Night, Seventeen Seconds
Faith:
The Holy Hour, Primary, Other Voices, All Cats Are Grey, The Funeral Party, Doubt (for the first time performed live), The Drowning Man, Faith
Encore 1:
World War (for the first time performed live), I'm Cold, Plastic Passion, Boys Don't Cry, Killing An Arab (performed as "Killing Another"), Jumping Someone Else's Train, Another Journey By Train
Encore 2:
Descent, Splintered In Her Head, Charlotte Sometimes, The Hanging Garden
Encore 3:
Let's Go To Bed, The Walk, The Lovecats
The Cure
The Cure are an English rock band formed in Crawley, West Sussex in 1976. The band has experienced several line-up changes, with frontman, vocalist, guitarist and principal songwriter Robert Smith being the only constant member...
played their first three albums Three Imaginary Boys
Three Imaginary Boys
The album included an uncredited, final instrumental track informally called "The Weedy Burton". The fact was not acknowledged until the Deluxe Edition re-issue.-2004 Deluxe Edition:...
, Seventeen Seconds
Seventeen Seconds
Seventeen Seconds is the second studio album by The Cure, released in April 1980 by Fiction Records. It is the only Cure album to feature keyboardist Matthieu Hartley, and was featured in the book 1001 Albums You Must Hear Before You Die. The album reached number 20 on the British album charts...
and Faith
Faith (The Cure album)
Faith is the third album by British band The Cure, released in April 1981.- Overview :Faith is generally a brooding, atmospheric, and sombre album, although it has a flash of anger in the form of the song "Doubt", and some edge in the driving single "Primary"...
in full (as well as other tracks) at the VividLive festival at the Sydney Opera House on 31 May and 1 June 2011. All three albums were played in their entirety on both nights, along with several other tracks; the first show featured 45 songs, the second included an additional two non-album songs.
The Cure announced that these "Reflections" shows would involve a 'uniquely evolving' line-up, which includes former keyboardists Lol Tolhurst and Roger O'Donnell
Roger O'Donnell
Roger O'Donnell is an English keyboardist best known for his work with The Cure. O'Donnell has also performed in the Psychedelic Furs, the Thompson Twins and Berlin, as well as having an active solo career.- Background :...
(who left the band in 1989 and 2005 respectively), but notably did not include guitarist Porl Thompson
Porl Thompson
Porl Thompson is an English musician best known for his work with The Cure.-Life and work:Thompson is the oldest of four children; he has two brothers and one sister...
who rejoined the band in 2005. It was not immediately clear whether Tolhurst and O'Donnell would be rejoining the band permanently. It is also unclear as to whether Porl Thompson has left the band or simply not taking part in these particular performances.
Later in 2011, O'Donnell confirmed he would be rejoining the band on a permanent basis. The status of Tolhurst and Thompson is still unconfirmed.
According to a statement released by Vivid LIVE, "this will be the first, and only, time The Cure perform these albums in succession." However, the band went on to perform seven additional 'Reflections' gigs in November: one in London, and three each in Los Angeles and New York.
Show Lineup
The lineup for each album is as follows:Three Imaginary Boys (1979)
The Cure Trio: Robert Smith
Robert Smith (musician)
Robert James Smith is an English musician. He is the lead singer, guitar player and principal songwriter of the rock band The Cure, and its only constant member since its founding in 1976...
(voice & guitar), Simon Gallup
Simon Gallup
Simon Jonathon Gallup is an English musician and bassist of the post-punk band The Cure.-Early years:...
(bass), Jason Cooper (drums)
Seventeen Seconds (1980)
The Cure Quartet: Robert Smith
Robert Smith (musician)
Robert James Smith is an English musician. He is the lead singer, guitar player and principal songwriter of the rock band The Cure, and its only constant member since its founding in 1976...
(voice & guitar), Simon Gallup
Simon Gallup
Simon Jonathon Gallup is an English musician and bassist of the post-punk band The Cure.-Early years:...
(bass), Jason Cooper (drums), Roger O'Donnell
Roger O'Donnell
Roger O'Donnell is an English keyboardist best known for his work with The Cure. O'Donnell has also performed in the Psychedelic Furs, the Thompson Twins and Berlin, as well as having an active solo career.- Background :...
(keys)
Faith (1981)
The Cure Quintent: Robert Smith
Robert Smith (musician)
Robert James Smith is an English musician. He is the lead singer, guitar player and principal songwriter of the rock band The Cure, and its only constant member since its founding in 1976...
(voice & guitar), Simon Gallup
Simon Gallup
Simon Jonathon Gallup is an English musician and bassist of the post-punk band The Cure.-Early years:...
(bass), Jason Cooper (drums), Roger O'Donnell
Roger O'Donnell
Roger O'Donnell is an English keyboardist best known for his work with The Cure. O'Donnell has also performed in the Psychedelic Furs, the Thompson Twins and Berlin, as well as having an active solo career.- Background :...
(keys & percussion), Laurence Tolhurst
Laurence Tolhurst
Laurence Andrew "Lol" Tolhurst is a founding member and former drummer and keyboardist of British band The Cure. He left The Cure in 1989 and was later involved in the band Presence and his current project Levinhurst, a portmanteau of Tolhurst and his wife vocalist Cindy Levinsons' surnames...
(keys & percussion)
Setlist
Three Imaginary Boys:10.15 Saturday Night, Accuracy, Grinding Halt, Another Day, Object, Subway Song, Foxy Lady (Jimi Hendrix
Jimi Hendrix
James Marshall "Jimi" Hendrix was an American guitarist and singer-songwriter...
Cover, for the first time sung by Robert Smith
Robert Smith (musician)
Robert James Smith is an English musician. He is the lead singer, guitar player and principal songwriter of the rock band The Cure, and its only constant member since its founding in 1976...
), Meathook, So What, Fire In Cairo, It's Not You, Three Imaginary Boys, The Weedy Burton (only performed on the 2nd and 3rd night)
Seventeen Seconds:
A Reflection, Play For Today, Secrets, In Your House, Three/Forever (& "Happy Birthday Simon", only performed on the 2nd night), The Final Sound, A Forest, M, At Night, Seventeen Seconds
Faith:
The Holy Hour, Primary, Other Voices, All Cats Are Grey, The Funeral Party, Doubt (for the first time performed live), The Drowning Man, Faith
Encore 1:
World War (for the first time performed live), I'm Cold, Plastic Passion, Boys Don't Cry, Killing An Arab (performed as "Killing Another"), Jumping Someone Else's Train, Another Journey By Train
Encore 2:
Descent, Splintered In Her Head, Charlotte Sometimes, The Hanging Garden
Encore 3:
Let's Go To Bed, The Walk, The Lovecats