To cap off Sunday at Riot Fest, The Cure will play their headlining set! You can look forward to tracks off of Wish, Disintegration and more from the quintessential rock band.
Narrowing down their range of songs, we spoke to other Riot Fest artists. Check out what the band’s told us when we asked: What is your favorite The Cure song and why?
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Phanie (FEA)
“Play For Today,” it was the first song shown to me by the Cure, and I was hooked ever since.
Jarrett D (Screaming Females)
Tie between “Grinding Halt” and the remix version of “Close To Me.” “Grinding Halt” because punk Cure is the best Cure. “Close To Me” remix because that song got me through a lot of shifts at a cafe in the early 2010s.
JT (Hawthorne Heights)
This is a hard one for me, because they are one of my favorite bands. If I have to choose, I think I am gonna go with “Just Like Heaven.” I think it has everything I love about the band and Robert Smith. It somehow feels romantic and dark, yet cheerful and happy at the same time. I can recognize the emotion and love of another person through his words immediately. On the musical dorkier side of things, I love the way the rhythm guitar is strummed in a way that only Robert could do it. So unique, and so fluttery, kinda like a heartbeat. So good.
The Wrecks
Have to say it… “Friday I’m in Love.” This song will forever live in my favorites playlist.
Geoff Rickley (Thursday)
“From the Edge of the Deep Green Sea.” It’s almost a deep cut… classic Cure songwriting, epic yearning, great storytelling. There’s something about that one. I’ve tried to write a song like it so many times and failed. It’s perfect.
Shane Told (Silverstein)
Oh, and now you make it even tougher! I could pick any song off of Disintegration, but I’ll go with “Pictures of You.” Just an absolute banger. I’d lie and say that was the first riff I played on my Robert Smith signature guitar but it was “Boys Don’t Cry.”
Calva Louise
“A Forest” We love how the song instantly creates a unique atmosphere and takes us in. The drums and the bass line captivate us, while the chord progression, sound effects and instruments fading in and out bring the Forest to life.
Ride
So many, but “Just Like Heaven” just levitates me.
Hotline TNT
“Mint Car” because when Robert is happy everyone is happy.
Enter Shikari
I remember my cousin making me a compilation tape of The Cure when I was about 11, and I immediately loved getting lost in their music. “In Between Days” was definitely one of my first favorites, but obviously, with a catalogue like theirs, it’s impossible to narrow it down to one! It’s only going to be my second time seeing them live, so I’m just glad they’re headlining so I don’t lose my voice before we play!
Enola Gay
“Killing an Arab,” it’s the song that introduced me to The Cure. An old friend of mine leant me Albert Camus’ The Stranger just so when I finished it they could show me the song. I can’t imagine how many people discovered the book as a result of the song. It’s incredible how music can turn you on to other forms of art. I also love when a song’s lyrics correlate with the music itself, like how the guitar was written in a Phrygian scale. Clever song writing.
Frank Turner
“Fascination Street” because of the bass line.
The Bobby Lees
Favorite The Cure song is “The Lovecats.” I like when Robert Smith tries to pet the baby kitten, and it bites his hand.
Just Friends
Probably “Close to Me” because the drum intro is so cool.
Jami (Code Orange)
They have so many amazing hits and deep cuts. I’ll probably go “In Between Days” for a hit and “A Letter to Elise” off of Wish for a still known but slightly lesser known.
Christian (The Black Angels)
Favorite Cure song is “Pictures of You.”
Riot Fest 2023 Tickets + Lineup
Catch The Cure’s Sunday set at Riot Fest 2023, along with The Mars Volta and more. Get your 1-day or 3-day ticket while they last!
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