The Cure: Festival 2005 Tour

Lore & Background

The 2005 Festival Tour was a crucial moment for The Cure, coming after the release of their self-titled album in 2004 and a period of relative quiet. The band used these festival dates to reconnect with their massive European fanbase, delivering marathon sets that often exceeded two hours—a rare feat in the tight, time-slot world of festivals. The tour was notable for its raw energy and the band's tight performance, with Robert Smith's distinctive voice and jagged guitar work cutting through the summer air at some of the continent's most storied festivals. The setlists were a careful blend of hits and deep cuts, with songs like "Pictures of You", "Lullaby", and "Friday I'm in Love" sitting alongside rarities like "The Baby Screams" and "A Strange Day". The tour's highlight was arguably their headlining slot at Glastonbury, where they delivered a powerful, emotionally charged performance that was widely praised by critics and fans alike. Despite the large scale, the tour maintained an intimate feel, with Smith's between-song banter—often dry, self-deprecating, or unexpectedly tender—and the band's improvisational jams creating a unique experience at each stop. The 2005 Festival Tour solidified The Cure's reputation as one of the greatest live acts of their generation, capable of captivating tens of thousands with their unique blend of melancholy and euphoria.

In Their Own Story

The sun had finally set over the muddy fields of Worthy Farm, and a hush fell over the sea of festival-goers. From the darkness of the main stage, a single, shimmering guitar note cut through the night air—the opening of "Plainsong". The crowd erupted, a roar that seemed to shake the very ground. Robert Smith, a blur of black hair and smeared lipstick, stood at the microphone, his eyes closed, his silhouette stark against the stage lights. For the next two hours, he led the band through a journey of sound that felt both epic and deeply personal—a rollercoaster of soaring pop hooks, droning basslines, and cathartic noise. As the final chords of "Boys Don't Cry" faded, the crowd's roar was a wave of pure, shared emotion, a testament to the night's magic.

Reader's Guide

The 2005 Festival Tour ran from June to August, covering major European festivals. The setlists evolved over the summer, with the band often swapping songs based on the venue and mood. Early shows featured a higher number of songs from the 2004 self-titled album, while later dates leaned more heavily on classics from "Disintegration" and "Wish". The Glastonbury performance on June 25th is often cited as a standout, with the band delivering a 23-song set that included the rare "The Figurehead". The Roskilde show on July 2nd was another highlight, though it was marred by a minor technical glitch that Smith turned into a moment of dry humor, joking with the crowd while his guitar was swapped.

Did You Know?

• The band's performance at the Hultsfred Festival in Sweden did not include a cover of "Foxy Lady" by Jimi Hendrix; no such cover was played on this tour.
• Robert Smith's guitar tech during this tour used a custom pedalboard that included a vintage Boss DM-2 delay unit, contributing to the band's signature sound.
• The Glastonbury set was not broadcast on BBC Radio 1; the band's 2009 Glastonbury set was broadcast, but not the 2005 performance.
• The band's performance at the Rock am Ring festival was filmed and later released as part of a DVD compilation of the event.