Cure - Wembley Arena, London, 28/3/2008
by Anthony Strutt
published: 24 / 5 / 2008

intro
Anthony Strutt watches the Cure play an all consuming, but stunning three and a half hour set to an audience of 12, 000 at the London Wembley Arena
The Cure have always been special to me, and this was a stunning show which was full of Cure magic. Now down to a mere four piece of two guitars, bass and drums and no keyboards but with Robert Smith, of course, on vocals, the sound they made was huge and loud and left everyone at Wembley Arena very happy with their massive 40 song, 3 hour 15 minute set. In addition to this we had a support band, 65 Days of Static, who are moody post rockers whom Robert Smith loves, and got the evening off to a decent start. The Cure came on at 8.10 p.m., and just played pretty much everything you wanted to hear and more as well, adding three new songs, of which one was the new current single,’The Only One’, and another was ‘Freakshow’ will be their next single in June. There were not many special effects, just The Cure and some effective lights, but it worked, The band looked liked you expect them to, but new member, or rather returning member guitarist Porl Thompson looked very Gothic with a spider's web drawn on his bald head. The set was completely all consuming. They played a 120 minute set for the first part of the show, followed by three encores of which I would have happily paid the £40 ticket alone, such was the strength of the songs played. They finally left the stage at 11.30 p.m. just about giving the 12,000 people in the audience time to get their last tubes home. I got home at 2 a.m., tired and very, very happy. Set list. Main Set: Plainsong Prayers for Rain A Strange Day alt. end A Night Like This The End of the World Love Song To Wish Impossible Things Pictures of You Lullaby From the Edge of the Deep Green Sea Hot! Hot! Hot! The Only One The Walk Push Friday I'm in Love In Between Days Just Like Heaven Primary A Boy I Never Knew (New song) Shake Dog Shake Never Enough Wrong Number 100 Years Disintegration Encore 1 : At Night M Play for Today A Forest. Encore 2 : Love Cats Let's Go to Bed Close to Me Why Can't I Be You? Encore 3 : 3 Imaginary Boys Fire in Cairo Boys Don't Cry Grinding Halt 10.15 Saturday Night Killing An Arab
Have a Listen:-
Picture Gallery:-


interviews |
Interview (2008) |
![]() |
Anthony Strutt speaks to former and founder Cure member Lol Tolhurst about his sixteen years in the band, and his current group Levinhurst, which will be releasing their third album next year |
live reviews |
Royal Albert Hall, London, 29/3/2014 |
![]() |
Anthony Strutt watches the Cure play en enthralling but massive 45 song set in aid of the Teenage Cancer Trust at the Royal Albert Hall in London |
Fillmore, Detroit, 10/12/2011 |
Royal Albert Hall, London, 15/11/2011 |
02, London, 26/2/2009 |
Brixton Academy, London, 25/2/2009 |
Royal Albert Hall, London, 1/4/2006 |
Old Billingsgate Market, London, 17/9/20 |
Old Trafford , Manchester, 9/7/2004...10/7/2004 |
Old Trafford Stadium, Manchester, 9/7/2004 |
Hamburg Color Line Arena, 9/11/2002 |
London Hyde Park, 27/7/2002 |
features |
The Cure (2010) |
![]() |
In our 'Soundtrack of Our Lives' column, in which our writers describe the personal impact of music upon their lives, Tara McEvoy writes about the enduring legacy of the Cure |
Trilogy (2003) |
digital downloads
reviews |
4.13 Dream (2008) |
![]() |
Excellent first album in four years from the Cure, but which has to grow on its listener before being fully appreciated |
Hypnagogic States EP (2008) |
The Perfect Boy (2008) |
Sleep, When I'm Dead (2008) |
Freakshow (2008) |
The Only One (2008) |
Taking Off (2004) |
The End Of The World (2004) |
Cure (2004) |
most viewed articles
current edition
Robby Krieger - Set The Night on Fire, Living, Dying, And Playing Guitar with The DoorsBoomtown Rats - Ten Songs That Made Me Love....
Lida Husik - Interview
Cathal Coughlan - Interview
Rick Wakeman - Interview
Peter Doherty and Frederic Lo - Cavern Club, Liverpool, 27/3/2022
Cliff Richard - Not Fade Away
Simon Bromide - Interview
Candlelight Tribute to Coldplay - Manchester Cathedral, Manchester, 1/4/2022
Wolfgang Flur - Interview
previous editions
World Party - InterviewSam Brown - Interview 2008
Cliff Richard - Vs Elvis Presley
Eric Chappell - Interview 1
Trudie Myerscough-Harris - Interview
Pete Brown - Interview
Ruskin Arms - The Image That Made Me Weep
Half Man Half Biscuit - Ten Songs That Made Me Love...
Melanie Blake - Interview
Joy Division - The Image That Made Me Weep
most viewed reviews
current edition
Rupert Wates - For The PeopleBanjo Jen - Fine Line
Kiki Dee and Carmelo Luggeri - The Long Ride Home
Bonham-Bullick - Bonham-Bullick
Dead South - Easy Listening for Jerks Parts 1 and 2
Family - A Song for Me
Loop - Sonancy
Stereophonics - Oochya!
John Mayall - The Sun is Shining Down
Weather Station - How Is It That I Should Look At The Stars
related articles |
Lol Tolhurst: Interview (2016 |
![]() |
Former Cure drummer and keyboardist Lol Tolhurst talks to Anthony Strutt about his memoir 'Cured' and his long-standing friendship with Robert Smith |
Pennyblackmusic Regular Contributors
Adrian Janes
Adrian P
Amanda J. Window
Andrew Twambley
Anthony Dhanendran
Benjamin Howarth
Carl Bookstein
Chris O'Toole
Cila Warncke
Daniel Cressey
Darren Aston
Dave Goodwin
Denzil Watson
Dixie Ernill
Dominic B. Simpson
Eoghan Lyng
Fiona Hutchings
Harry Sherriff
Helen Tipping
Jamie Rowland
John Clarkson
Julie Cruickshank