Originally published at Bevilacqua.us. You can comment here or there.
It was 1989. I had just turned 14 in July. I was in my Freshman year at Cheltenham High School. I wouldn’t classify myself as a Goth as I was both on the Football and Track teams at the time as well as participating in High School band and orchestra. I did, however, love the dark sounds of the British Goth bands The Cure, Peter Murphy, and Sisters of Mercy. Not really a surprise if you know my current tastes in music. I just love the dark.
Life, on the other hand, was bright and interesting. I had spent the past two years in public Junior High ultimately recovering from the six years in Catholic Grammar School spent in Saint Luke’s in Glenside, PA. My first year in Junior High I made some incredible friends that had such real interest in life, living, sports, biking, music, partying, girls what have you. I was finally able to be a kid and happily did so. Such a wonderful and dramatic change in my quality of life.
At this point I had a friend named Colin. Colin and I had been friends for a few years now, lived sort of close to each other, and ultimately shared tastes in music. He even purchased me R.E.M.’s Green for my 13th Birthday. He also was very much into The Cure stemming mostly from his older sister’s tastes. At one point, his sister was kind enough to take Colin and I along to the TLA on South Street so that we could watch the film The Cure in Orange (France) on the big screen. At this point I was very into The Cure. Like a true musical intellectual, I studied much of Boris Williams’ drum chops from sheet music as well as learned the harmonies on the piano. I recall being very excited when my friend Colin told me his Mother was willing to take us to see The Cure at the Spectrum. I remember the night of the concert vividly.
It was my first concert. I was young and impressionable. But as far as concerts go, this was one unforgettable experience. They utilized high powered black lights like I had never seen before. The stage was set in almost a black lit fog as if they had somehow transformed the Philadelphia Spectrum into Sleepy Hollow or some Poe novel. All of the effects fit the music, and the music, the performance, and the sound simply blew me away. I had already memorized every track from Disintegration which they played most of live that night. It was truly an experience like no other. Not bad for my first concert.
And here’s the ticket stub to prove it.
It’s worn. I wish I had taken better care of it. Fortunately, I was able to reference this event through this site:
http://www.cure-concerts.de/concerts/198
Yes, the Pixies opened for The Cure. I wasn’t ever a fan.