Curiosa in Toronto to be broadcast live and uncut by The Edge 102.1:

"Toronto radio station 102.1 the Edge, announced yesterday they will broadcast a live concert featuring rock legends The Cure.  The concert will be held at the Curiosa Festival at the Molson Amphitheater on Monday, Aug.9.  the entire Cure set will be broadcast live and uncut, with no interruptions and in real time starting at 9pm.  This will be the Cure's only live radio concert broadcast in North America.  Alan Cross, program director at The Edge says, "We're thrilled that The Cure and Universal Music Canada can help us create this unique event."

"I'm hoping it will be like the best day out there anyone has this summer, if not, you know, this decade," frontman Robert Smith says about the tour. 
Announcer Dave Bookman will broadcast live from backstage, interviewing many of the bands featured  on the tour."

(Thanks to John and everyone else who sent this in)

Ideal Copy (who are quickly becoming the favorite record store of COF readers, judging by the e-mails I get) is upgrading orders of the US 'TEOTW' singles to UK singles:

Thank you so much for ordering the US release of the new Cure CD Single "The End Of The World" from The Ideal Copy!
 
As you may have heard, the US release has been pushed back 'til August 3rd due to a mastering error.You may ALSO have heard that the US release does NOT include the video for "The End Of The World". However, the European release includes the same 3 audio tracks as the delayed US release but ALSO includes the video for "The End Of The World"
 
As Cure fans ourselves, we think it's pretty crappy that the US release omits this crucial bonus video - and we're pretty sure you'd like to get
the CD single as soon as possible...
 
SO - we have decided to automatically UPGRADE your order for the US CD Single to the European CD Single FREE OF CHARGE -- AND better still -- it's shipping tomorrow (** see note below)!!
 
Not only will you get the superior European release AT NO EXTRA COST TO YOU - you'll even get it earlier!!
 
For those of you who would actually prefer to have the US release - please email me back as soon as possible and we will fill your order as
you originally intended (next week, obviously) - but - we figured the bulk of you would be pretty happy to hear about this!
 
And, as always, thank you so much for supporting The Ideal Copy! We really appreciate it.
 
If you have any questions, please feel free to email us anytime.
 
Cheers!

Jason, Chris & Dayna
 
*PLEASE NOTE - we are only offering this upgrade to our North American customers - we figure if someone from outside North America ordered the US version, they must WANT ths US version*
 
**ALSO PLEASE NOTE - if you ordered the US 7" Single your order won't ship until next week when the US 7" is released, but you'll still be
upgraded to the European CD Single (unless we hear back from you)

(Thanks Joey)

Update:  "Idealcopy.com upgraded customers who pre-ordered the single before July 20th. The UK version is now available on its own as well as the corrected US version."

(Thanks Chris)

Here's an article from The Tennessean. And another one from The Cleveland Free Times.

(Thanks Nick, James and Stephanie)

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July 27th

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July 26th

Check out the Curiosa merchandise stand.

(Thanks Kate)

Ticket info for Monterrey, Mexico:

$2100 Platinum      $183 dlls aprox
$1700 Gold           $148
$1400 Silver          $122
$1060 Preferential $92
$760   Barrier        $66
$760   East Barrier $66
$620 General        $54
$350 Sky              $30

Ticket sales begin next week (date unknown)

www.superboletos.com

Superboletos Phone Numbers

Monterrey:
81 51 38 06

Rest of Mexico:
01 800 26 53 867

In this web site they don`t have this info yet but i already confirm this prices by phone call. "

(Thanks Jorge)

"About the Monterrey Arena:

Tickets Office opens from 10:00 am to 8:00 pm (they don't say if this is from Monday through Friday only or if this applies on weekends too)
Restrictions: weapons, cameras, sound recorders, drugs, alcohol and masks (???)
Capacity: 17,200 comfortably seated
NOTE: I'd never been in this Arena (neither Sports' Palace in Mexico City), but I've heard (A LOT) that accoustic is great in the Monterrey Arena... not the same for the Sports' Palace though. :(

Here's the page where you can buy the tickets: http://www.arenamonterrey.com/wtweb/Main.do"

(Thanks Leobasita)

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July 24th

Just got a call from Nadine in West Palm and here are some of the notes she gave me: 

The time schedule posted on the gates was as follows:

4pm - Doors
5 - 5:25pm - Head Automatica (Stage 2)
5:30 - 6pm - Mogwai (Stage 1)
6:05 - 6:30pm - Cooper Temple Clause (Stage 2)
6:35 - 7:05pm - The Rapture (Stage 1)
7:10 - 7:40pm - Auf Der Maur (Stage 2)
7:45 - 8:25pm - Interpol (Stage 1)
8:30 - 9pm - Thursday (Stage 2)
9:15 - 11pm - The Cure (Stage 1)
11pm - Curfew

The Cure have a ton of merchandise. At least 8 different shirts (including all of the "character" and "swirly" ones we've already seen) and a special Curiosa Tour shirt with all of the bands on it. They also have caps, bucket hats, a messenger bag ($40), "baby doll" shirts, keychains, maybe a mousepad (or the 7" single, she wasn't sure), and more. So bring a LOT of money. : )

Here's the setlist for Interpol: Obstacle 1, Say Hello To The Angels, Evil, NYC, Roland, Slow Hands, Leif Erickson, NARC, PDA.

The stage design doesn't look to be anything too special , just a couple of arcs over the stage for the lights and a white curtain behind them. Jason's drum kit is all silver, and Simon doesn't have his England flag over his gear anymore, but he does have one for a football (soccer) team, though she couldn't read what it said.

Nadine will call me with the setlist shortly after they finish, and it will be posted on the WPB page.

Just checked TM for Tampa, and there are still some excellent seats left. I just pulled 2 seats in 102 (center), Row E, then pulled up two pit tickets. If you've been waiting, now's the time to buy.  

---

We finally have an official time for The Cure to take the stage at Curiosa - 9:15 each night. So given the 11pm curfew at most venues, The Cure will be doing a 1 hour and 45 minute set. That's official and confirmed, so no more e-mails with theories on how they will still be able to play a 3 hour set. No one wanted to believe me, but I'll forgive you. : )

Ticket info for Mexico City: 

"Tickets go on pre-sale on July 30th at 11:00 hrs (Mexico City time) 'til August 1st (pre-sale is only for those lucky that have BANAMEX
credit card...) Tickets will go on sale for general public at August 2nd at 11:00 hrs...

Official prices:
 
NIVEL A   $1200 pesos (aprox. 105 dlls)
NIVEL B   $800 pesos (aprox. 70 dlls)
NIVEL C   $600 pesos (aprox. 52 dlls)
NIVEL D   $350 pesos (aprox. 31 dlls)
NIVEL E   $200 pesos (aprox. 18 dlls)
  
I attached the seating chart
 

No info for the Monterrey show yet...

This info is according with OCESA (the guys that will bring The Cure to México)... For the ones that know spanish:
 
http://www.ocesa.com.mx/ocpDes.php3?op=not&genero=pop&idNot=201&clas=E

(Thanks Leobasita)

More defective singles for the collectors: 

"Hastings is really good at carrying US singles. I had no trouble finding a defective copy of TEOTW at hastings. So, if people are looking for them, that'd be the first place i'd go. "

(Thanks Pharaoh)

"I just wanted to let you know that TEOTW single with the defect is at Amoeba records in Los Angeles."

(Thanks Spencer)

"Just thought i would let everyone at chainofflowers know that i found the defective single for 'the end of the world' at Tower Records in
Brea, CA. they had about 7 other singles when i stopped in there today. good luck everyone."

(Thanks Tony)

Oh you're not leaving here until you read more reviews of 'The Cure' : ) 

Houston Press


"I found this in an antipodean traveler's magazine here in London (TNT) a few weeks back. 

The Cure
TNT Magazine July 5, 2004
by Will Fulford-Jones

And so among the older generation, the struggle for relevance continues. Morrissey appears to have won the battle if not the war, with a mediocre
album whose commercial success has nonetheless re-bestowed on him the iconic status he tossed away around the time of the execrable Maladjusted.  Depeche Mode, on the other hand, are on the fast track to humiliation after a fallow period  punctuated by a couple of utterly desperate solo albums, and while the Pixies' recent shows were belters, there wasn't a new song in sight.

The Cure, of course, haven't been in any way relevant since Dubya's dad was in the White House, Thatcher was in 10 Downing and you were in high school.  But their lucky 13th album comes dressed in a measure of bravado that suggests they've forgotten the past 15 years and have finally made a worthy follow-up to the career-defining Disintegration.  Naming your album after your band is the kind of confidence trick artists pull when they're starting out, not when they're decades into a career.  But following on from the dismal Wild Mood Swings and the not-much-better Bloodflowers, it's no surprise The Cure feel positive about The Cure.

They have, at least in part, producer Ross Robinson to thank.  On paper, it's a highly unlikely marriage:  Robinsons' resume includes work with Korn,
Slipknot and Limp Bizkit, hardly kindred spirits with Robert Smith.  But the choice proves inspired.  The Cure is the most convincingly intense record
they've made since 1989's Disintegration, whether on the thrash of Us or Them or the epic The Promise.  But it's also, conversely, the band at their
most confident and their most relaxed.  If The Cure is a definitive record, it's one by default; if Bloodflowers and Wild Mood Swings sounded like The
Cure trying hard to be The Cure, this time around, they're simply being themselves.  In other words, this is ultimately just another Cure album, but
since we haven't had a good one of those years, it's more welcome than it might have been.  Whether it'll mean a damn thing to anyone younger than the band themselves, who are now 26 years old, is another matter entirely.

Score:  7 "

(Thanks Tracy)

Chart update for 'The Cure': 

Italy - Drops from #5 to #13.

Germany - Drops from #14 to #22.

and for 'Teotw':

Curespotting:

"It has been a "busy" week here in Brazil.. The Cure was in the front cover of the "Arts and Leisure" supplement of three of the most
important Brazilian newspapers ( Folha de Sao Paulo, Zero Hora and O Globo )... some interviews and positive reviews, but nothing really new
to worth the translation. Also, MTV Brasil premiered "The Cure - Making a Video" last Wednesday... the clip might be entering their playlist now..."