Live at Glastonbury 1990

Lore & Background

By 1990, The Cure had evolved from a cult post-punk act into one of the biggest alternative bands in the world, riding the massive success of 'Disintegration' and its hit singles. Glastonbury that year was a muddy, rain-drenched affair, and the band's headlining slot on Saturday night became a defining moment of the festival. Robert Smith, in his iconic smeared lipstick and teased hair, led the band through a set that balanced the lush, melancholic grandeur of their newer material with the jagged energy of their earlier work. The crowd, soaked and ecstatic, responded with a fervor that has become the stuff of festival legend.

In Their Own Story

The rain had been falling for hours, turning the fields of Worthy Farm into a sea of mud and plastic ponchos. As dusk settled, the crowd pressed forward, a collective breath held in anticipation. When the first notes of 'Plainsong' echoed across the site — that shimmering, cathedral-like intro — the rain seemed to pause, and thousands of voices rose to meet Robert Smith's mournful cry. For two hours, the band wove a spell, from the slinky, dance-floor pulse of 'Lullaby' (Smith's eyeliner already beginning to bleed) to the primal, cathartic release of 'A Forest', which stretched into a ten-minute hypnotic trance. The set ended with 'Boys Don't Cry', the crowd singing every word back, a bittersweet anthem under the darkening sky. It was a moment of perfect, shared catharsis — the kind that only happens when a band and its audience are equally drenched, equally unhinged, and utterly present.

Reader's Guide

The 1990 Glastonbury set is notable for its pacing and breadth. The band opened with the atmospheric 'Plainsong' and 'Pictures of You', establishing a moody, immersive tone before shifting into the more aggressive 'Closedown' and 'Lovesong'. The middle of the set featured deep cuts like 'The Hanging Garden' and 'Primary', showcasing their early gothic sound. A highlight was the extended, hypnotic version of 'A Forest', which stretched into a ten-minute epic — Smith's voice cracking with emotion as the rain lashed the stage. The encore included 'Faith' and 'The Walk', before closing with 'Boys Don't Cry'. The performance was released officially as part of the 'Greatest Hits' DVD and has been widely bootlegged; fan recordings often capture the crowd's roar when the downpour intensified during 'Lullaby'. The rain and mud are often cited as adding to the raw, emotional intensity of the night, making it a touchstone for fans and a benchmark for festival performances.

Did You Know?

• The 1990 Glastonbury set is often cited by Robert Smith as one of his favorite live performances by the band.
• The performance was filmed by the BBC but not broadcast in full until years later due to rights issues.
• While The Cure's set is a landmark for the post-punk/goth scene, it was not the first time a band from that scene headlined Glastonbury.
• The rain during the set was so heavy that Robert Smith's makeup ran down his face, creating an even more dramatic visual.