5 REASONS TO SEE ...
The Cure, last surviving British post-punk band, by Shawn Conner
THE CURE
May 31 at 6 p.m. | Deer Lake Park Tickets: $57, ticketmaster.ca
1 The legacy One of the last standing of the first wave of British post-punk bands, The Cure is now in its 40th year. The U.K. goth-pop group has a number of classic albums under its belt, including 1989’s Disintegration.
2 The wait It’s been eight years since The Cure’s last major North American tour. Naturally, the shows have been selling out — Burnaby’s is no exception.
3 The set list The shows on this tour, which started May 10 in New Orleans, have been going for as long as three hours. The 30-plus-song set lists encompasses everything from ancient, dusted-off B-sides to two new songs, as well as wellknown numbers such as Pictures of You, Just Like Heaven and Fascination Street.
4 The jerseys Frontman Robert Smith, 57, never fails to impress with his sartorial splendour, whether it’s a hockey jersey for the team in whatever city the band is playing in that night, or bright red lipstick and platform leather boots. The lineup also includes longtime members Simon Gallup (bass since 1979) and Roger O’Donnell (keyboards since 1987), Jason Cooper (drums since 1995) and former David Bowie associate Reeves Gabrels (guitarist since 2012).
5 The fans At least one reviewer of a show on the current tour mentioned that “the best part of The Cure’s performance was the camaraderie. The band’s music transcends age groups, cliques, race and gender.”