The Kissing Tour

Lore & Background

The Kissing Tour took its name from the song 'The Kiss' (a B-side from the 'Let's Go to Bed' single) and the general theme of the era, blending Gothic romance with a playful, almost theatrical sensuality. Robert Smith, the band's frontman, was known for his wild hair and smeared lipstick, and the tour's title reflected this embrace of androgyny and emotional intensity. The setlists drew heavily from 'The Top' and earlier albums like 'Pornography' and 'Faith,' but also introduced new material that would later appear on 'The Head on the Door.' The tour was a time of transition, with the band experimenting with more complex arrangements and a fuller sound, thanks to the addition of new members like Porl Thompson on guitar and Andy Anderson on drums.

In Their Own Story

The lights dimmed in a small, sweaty club in Brussels. A single spotlight hit Robert Smith as he stepped to the microphone, his voice a low murmur before the band crashed into 'The Hanging Garden.' The crowd surged, a sea of black clothes and pale faces. For two hours, The Cure wove a spell of melancholy and euphoria, ending with a chaotic, feedback-laden 'A Forest.' As the last chord faded, Smith smiled, smudged lipstick catching the light, and whispered, 'Thank you for kissing the night away.'

Reader's Guide

The Kissing Tour kicked off in April 1984 in the UK, with dates at venues like the Hammersmith Palais in London, where the air was thick with dry ice and the scent of sweat. The European leg wound through France, Germany, and the Netherlands, often in smaller halls where the band could feel the breath of the front row. The North American leg in late 1984 was a brief, jet-lagged sprint covering cities like New York and Los Angeles, where the band played to crowds that were growing louder and more fervent. Setlists evolved over the tour: early shows leaned heavily on 'The Top' tracks like 'The Caterpillar' and 'Shake Dog Shake,' while later dates dug into the catalog for deeper cuts like 'Primary' and 'One Hundred Years,' each note dripping with reverb. A standout moment was the band's headlining set at the 1984 Reading Festival, where they debuted 'The Lovecats' live, Smith's playful croon cutting through the mud and rain. The tour wasn't without friction; some fans grumbled about the shift toward a more playful, pop-influenced sound, but the band's raw energy and Smith's charismatic, lipstick-smeared presence won over most audiences. The tour wound down in early 1985, its final echoes setting the stage for the breakthrough album 'The Head on the Door.'

Did You Know?

• The tour's name was inspired by the song 'The Kiss' (a B-side from the 'Let's Go to Bed' single) and the general theme of the era, not by 'The Lovecats.'
• Robert Smith's iconic smeared lipstick look became a defining visual of the tour, influencing Goth and alternative fashion.
• The Cure did not perform at the 1984 Reading Festival; they played the festival in 1980 and 1982, but not in 1984.
• Songs like 'Six Different Ways' and 'Push' were not played on The Kissing Tour; they were written and first performed on the subsequent 1985 tour for 'The Head on the Door.'