The Cure have been around for over thirty years and represent one of the first commercial successes of alternative rock.  They are one of those old bands that won't quit and thank goodness they have not, or the young people who missed them in their prime would also miss them completely, at least in a live setting.  Robert Smith said though before the festival in an interview that they or any band was not as important as the whole event, showing they were humble.

They started late, but it was to be expected and was worth the wait.  Porl Thompson was playing a beautiful guitar that was white with interesting black designs.  Robert Smith and him looked their age, but they began playing and the music sounded not too far from them in their heyday.  The first song was "Underneath the Stars" and had the crowd loving it.  The guitar work in "The End of The World" was nice and it was then I noticed the sign language woman on the right side of the stage.  If a more poetic band played, it would be understandable, but without disrespect to The Cure, why?  It did not hurt anything, so hopefully there were some deaf people enjoying the translation.  Maybe some of them were victims of the previous band My Bloody Valentine's wall of noise.

Despite the love shown to the band, there was only a couple of cloth signs held up by a mother and daughter.  Being next to them, I helped hold up one of the signs for a while as cameraman after cameraman came up to get a picture.  The entire show was well done and a testament to their commitment to music and the fans as they played three encores, numbering thirty-one and a half songs.  The reason for the half is that they played forty minutes past the curfew and were cutoff on the last song.  Jason Cooper kept playing though even then.  It seemed unfair how Paul McCartney was not cut off after playing even longer than The Cure, but who knows how long they would have played if allowed to do so.  What else could a fan ask for from this band?  The reciprocated appreciation was something beautiful and the world is blessed that great bands like the Cure have heart after so many years.  They definitely made for an amazing finish to the Coachella Festival. 

SET LIST

underneath the stars
prayers for rain
a strange day
alt.end
the end of the world
lovesong
to wish impossible things
pictures of you
lullaby
from the edge of the deep green sea
the perfect boy
wrong number
push
inbetween days
just like heaven
primary
shake dog shake
the hungry ghost
disintegration
one hundred years
it’s over

Encore 1:
if only tonight we could sleep
the kiss

Encore 2:
at night
m
play for today
a forest

Encore 3:
three imaginary boys
fire in cairo
boys don’t cry
jumping someone else’s train
grinding halt (partial)