26/04/1982
the recording is pretty good for 1982--an excellent bonus really. it's not soundboard and/or radio broadcast quality--not that perfect or brilliant--but even so, a good mix of instruments and vocals with just some distortion in louder places...not perfect--but really good.
unfortunately, the recording is missing the lead-off track of the night, "the figurehead." the applause and robert saying "thank you" starts the recording right after "the figurehead" must have ended...so that's unfortunate.
"the drowning man" is very good, and then "a short-term effect" comes next...any recording w/"a short-term effect" is pretty cool in my book--and it's good. the early period cure live show staple, "in your house," is good and clean too.
the crowd brightens up a bit when it recognizes the intro chords of "three imaginary boys," and then the band follows that w/"the hanging garden." "the hanging garden" actually sounds pretty good and solid--especially for 1982!!
the drowning man
a short-term effect
in your house
cold
three imaginary boys
the hanging garden
siamese twins
other voices
m
one hundred years
primary
play for today
a forest
pornography
10.15 saturday night
killing an arab
forever
the performance of "one hundred years" is marred (at least here) by the drum machine being way too low...almost inaudible it seems at some places--so there's no real punch or drive or momentum involved at all. all of the force and power was lost...can't be sure that this is way the crowd heard the performance, but i can't imagine that it could have been any different.
the band picks everything back up w/a charged version of "primary," with some excellent sounds from the bass/guitars stuff...pretty sweet. "play for today" keeps the audience and energy moving, right into another old classic single, "a forest." "a forest" starts off kinda different (it almost sounds like a few mistakes were involved, and then kinda played around with) but it's still good because it's all worked out.
the set closes w/"pornography." it's a good performance--pretty claustrophobic and strange.
after the normal set, the cure classic encores take over..."10.15 saturday night," "killing an arab" and "forever." all are pretty good and charged takes--nothing overly important--but all energetic!
given that this recording misses the opening song of the night--this isn't perfect but still almost must-have. the recording sounds good and captures some of the feel and overall mood of the fourteen explicit moments tour...not perfect, but a good atmospheric recording from 1982. an excellent pick up, almost must-have, highly recommended....