“Put your hands in the sky…”  Robert Smith of The Cure dispenses with the chit chat in-between songs for the most part, but fans of the band are so into every thought expressed in every song that the subconscious grooves in the back of their mind move them to connect with the moment, as as he sang those words during “From The Edge Of The Deep Green Sea”, a majority of the sold out crowd at Shoreline Amphitheatre reached up to the blue above.  Not even a “hit” song for the band, that is the power of their music among the devoted.  But it wasn’t just those long-time, hardcore fans that turned out for this show, but quite a number of “casual” fans as well, as this current tour is their first major one in the U.S. in about seven years.  Apparently, their absence has been felt and their return is cause for celebration.  They are not touring just the U.S., but the world at large through the end of the year.  With their sprawling set lists and shows running around three hours non-stop with three or four encores, one wonders how they physically keep up…  yet the shows they put on are stellar and truly unique experiences.  The band has been recording and performing for so long – formed four decades ago – it is something just to hear the music from such different eras all performed in the same style and sound, with Smith’s matured vocals making them better than ever.  A spectacular evening of music from one of the most original and talented bands of my generation – live music events don’t really get much better than this.  One of the “must see” tours of the year, hands down.

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