(and I might easily have forgotten some)
The Cure, Bercy 12/3/2008
SOV review.
Invited by Liz, now Jordan’s wife. They came to Paris for this, we had a nice time in some café before heading towards the venue. I don’t know why I don’t remember this concert more vividly. An absolute epic of about 3h30, no support band and an incredible setlist. And with Pearl Thompson on guitar. Monumental and yet my memories are sketchy.
Sonic Youth, Le Petit Maroc, Saint Nazaire 9/8/2008
I can’t really say I remember much from the actual gig, to be honest. Fred J suggested that one, so we went together with him and his then GF, had a good time and decent drinking around Nantes the other days. I remember being impressed by……the huge cruise ships in the dockyards. So good times, but don’t ask me how the concert was. Huge outdoors settings too, doubt we were close to the stage. The setlist is here.
The Cure, Royal Albert Hall 29/3/2014
There must be reviews around, but anyway, here’s the setlist.
One of my favourite Cure concerts. A cross-birthday present (ideal in many ways, too ideal in being what felt so balanced), great company (it felt..but love can blind you), and one of the most surprising set list ever: Stop Dead, 2 Late (wow!), Harold and Joe, Bananafishbones, just happy days, happily drunk but still present.
Mew, La Flèche d’Or, 22/5/2015
With the setlist. Actually shocked they didn’t play Comforting Sounds? Hopefully at the last ever gig next year as I write. For some reason, while I’m sure I mentioned this gig (in the Paris venue guide indeed), I totally forgot to actually list it here. Now corrected, so yes, I mostly don’t precisely remember the gig in this old favourite venue, but just the amazement at bumpy into Ally outside the venue, which was a totally splendid thing, and the start of us talking music a lot when meeting at matches in the ensuing years, until we finally got to a gig together more than ten years later.
Metric, Le Bataclan 15/10/2015
Here’s the setlist.
I have no idea why or how I chose to go to concerts at that time, but they were (still are) one of my favourite bands. I am not sure I was in a situation to fully enjoy the show for both medical and psychological reasons, just remember Emily Haines taking to the stage in a spectacular costume. I don’t remember the music very much I’m afraid. Another reason why I’m looking forward to the concert next week so much! Of course, less than a month later, things would never be the same particularly in that venue.
The Corrs, Kew Gardens 16/7/2016
And another setlist for you.
Pretty much a garden party, good atmosphere, good company, and while I was not particularly a fan, this was a very pleasant performance in a pleasant setting.
The Cure, Bercy 15/11/2016
Random review picked from the web.
Going with John, we went to a pub just outside the venue. Those were strange times for me, I got drunk quickly, had a moment of panic during the concert when I thought I’d lost John (who obviously hadn’t moved, I was just lost), and didn’t remember it so well. So I didn’t even fully enjoy It Can Never Be The Same, despite it being the new song played on the day which I loved a lot.
Placebo, Bercy 29/11/2016
SOV review. Definitely gives you more than my one-liner below. 😀
With Aurélia from hospital times (she is a fan). Decent concert, but again, in these times, I’m not sure what anything was, I was still a bit all over the place.
The Cure, Hyde Park 7/7/2018
Review from RS. That’s RollingStone, not Robert Smith himself.
A Christmas treat from me to two friends. By all accounts a great concert. I was there. Day started pleasantly, England football match, many drinks with friends and friends of friends. Missed all the great bands playing before The Cure. And then it was so on/off. I was not quite there and ended up looking after someone for food/drinks and moods rather than enjoying the concert. The surreal shit (let’s call it that way) that happened on the way back was from another world, perhaps in a way the start of the end. Yeah, I did learn a lot that weekend, but I didn’t know it then. The DVD of the event released a year later was most welcome.
Sleaford Mods, Le Trianon 26/9/2018
SOV review.
I went with Ben, support band was pretty much unlistenable industrial noise. First time in that venue for me, a good place, and Sleaford Mods were great, venues with bouncing floors are really cool.