Music & Concerts
The Cure triumphs at Merriweather
Marathon three-hour set packs hits, deep cuts

Robert Smith of the Cure. (Photo by Bill Ebbesen; courtesy Wikimedia Commons)
Last Wednesday, June 22, British alternative-rock titans the Cure brought its first extensive tour of America in nearly a decade to Merriweather Post Pavilion. A sea of people packed the venue on a beautiful summer night to see one of the most enduring and influential bands of the last 40 years.
It was clear from the beginning that the Cure has lost none of its considerable power, as members started the show with the fiery rocker āOpenā from their 1992 album āWish.ā
Robert Smith looked and sounded much like he always has. He walked out on stage in his usual disheveled black frock, dark spiderweb hair and mussed red lipstick. Smith is now 57, but his distinct swampwater voice is as powerful as ever. Over the course of 32 songs, he switched back and forth between acoustic and electric guitar, keeping the between-song banter to a minimum (and most of the time his thickly accented mumbles were inaudible anyway). Bassist Simon Gallup, who has been alongside Smith since almost the beginning, stalked around the stage with restlessly intensity, while guitarist Reeves Gabrels, keyboardist Roger OāDonnell and drummer Jason Cooper formed a tightly wound and explosive musical unit. One might argue that Simon Gallupās bass was too high in the mix and Roger OāDonnellās keyboard was a bit too low, but that would be a minor quibble. By and large the Cure sounded fantastic.
The band effortlessly switched from brooding rockers to somber emotional pieces to ebullient pop, the schizophrenic combination for which the Cure is so famous. The crowd was incredibly enthusiastic as the band traipsed through its enormous catalog, pulling out big hits, deep album cuts and a few obscurities for the die-hards. āPictures of Youā was an early highlight, with the spine-tingling swirls of keyboard and guitar backing Smithās bittersweet memories of a love he let slip through his fingers. Big hits like āJust Like Heaven,ā “The Walk,ā āIn Between Daysā and āLovesongā had the large and surprisingly diverse crowd singing along to every word. The rarely played āBananafishbonesā was a treat, as was āAll I Want,ā a hard-edged deep cut the band dusted off from 1987ās āKiss Me, Kiss Me, Kiss Me.ā The behemoth of the main set was the seven-minute epic āFrom the Edge of the Deep Green Sea,ā which featured blistering guitar work by Gabrels.
The band played four encores, beginning with the throbbing bass-heavy āSinkingā from 1986ās āThe Head on the Door.ā An incendiary take on āShake Dog Shakeā was followed by the 1994 soundtrack hit āBurnā from āThe Crow,ā and then their old warhorse āA Forest,ā a classic from 1980ās āSeventeen Seconds.ā As the night wound toward its conclusion, the band amped the crowd to a fever pitch as they rampaged through a series of hits including āLullaby,ā āWrong Number,ā āFascination Street,ā āLetās Go to Bedā and āClose to Me.ā
By the time of āWhy Canāt I Be You?,ā a clearly winded Robert Smith gamely tried to hit the songās very high notes without much success, but it hardly mattered ā the crowd did a wonderful job filling in for him, singing every word with blissful euphoria. The show closed with āBoys Donāt Cry,ā a 1979 single that was never a hit on either side of the Atlantic but somehow 37 years later a packed amphitheater in suburban D.C. sang a long to every word as if it was a worldwide chart-topper.
At the end of the epic three-hour show Merriweather was still full. After the band waved their goodbyes to thunderous applause, Robert Smith stood alone in the spotlight on the stage, basking in the crowd’s love and appreciation. He paused momentarily in front of each section as the entire place stood and cheered, arms in the air clapping wildly. It was an amazing moment. Smith seemed like he didn’t want to leave the stage, he was so obviously touched and moved. Eventually he shambled off, looking over his shoulder one last time at the still-standing, still enthusiastically cheering crowd, and it was finally over just as the clock was hitting 11 p.m.
1.Ā Open [āWishā – 1992]
2.Ā High [āWishā – 1992]
3.Ā Pictures of You [āDisintegrationā – 1989]
4. Closedown [āDisintegrationā – 1989]
5. Kyoto Song [āThe Head on the Doorā – 1985]
6. A Night Like This [āThe Head on the Doorā – 1985]
7. The Walk [non-album single – 1983]
8. The End of the World [āThe Cureā – 2004]
9. Lovesong [āDisintegrationā – 1989]
10. If Only Tonight We Could Sleep [āKiss Me, Kiss Me, Kiss Meā – 1987]
11. All I Want [āKiss Me, Kiss Me, Kiss Meā – 1987]
12. Push [āThe Head on the Doorā – 1985]
13. In Between Days [āThe Head on the Doorā – 1985]
14. Just Like Heaven [āKiss Me, Kiss Me, Kiss Meā – 1987]
15. Bananafishbones [āThe Topā – 1984]
16. Never Enough [āMixed Upā – 1990]
17. From the Edge of the Deep Green Sea [āWishā – 1992]
18. End [āWishā – 1992]
Encore 1
19. Sinking [āThe Head on the Doorā – 1985]
20. It Could Never Be The Same [new unreleased track]
Encore 2
21. Shake Dog Shake [āThe Topā – 1984]
22. Burn [āThe Crowā Soundtrack – 1994]
23. A Forest [āSeventeen Secondsā – 1980]
Encore 3
24. Dressing Up [āThe Topā – 1984]
25. Lullaby [āDisintegrationā – 1989]
26. Fascination Street [āDisintegrationā – 1989]
27. Wrong Number [new single for āGaloreā hits collection – 1997]
Encore 4
28. Hot Hot Hot!!! [āKiss Me, Kiss Me, Kiss Meā – 1987]
29. Letās Go to Bed [non-album single – 1982]
30. Close to Me [āThe Head on the Doorā – 1985]
31. Why Canāt I Be You? [āKiss Me, Kiss Me, Kiss Meā – 1987]
32. Boys Donāt Cry [non-album single – 1979]
Music & Concerts
Hereās everything queer that just happened at the 67th Grammy Awards
LGBTQ megastars among winners, performers

The 67th Grammy Awards featured debut performances by LGBTQ megastars Chappell Roan, Sabrina Carpenter, and Doechii ā all of whom also won awards at Sundayās awards ceremony, making the gay sons and thot daughters of the queer and trans world rejoice.
Though Roan was the only queer artist to take home one of the “Big Four” awards ā Best New Artist, Doechii, Carpenter, Charlie XCX, Billie Eilish, and Lady Gaga were also all nominated for one or more of the “Big Four.”
Carpenter, Roan, and Doechii also shocked audiences with their debut performances, showing us what it really means to be out and loud.
Doechii
The self-proclaimed swamp princess from Florida took home a well-deserved win for Best Rap Album (āAlligator Bites Never Healā).
She stunned audiences with her performance and her speech, dedicating her win to Black women everywhere. Only two other women have won the award ā Lauryn Hill and Cardi B since the category was introduced in 1989.
āI know there are so many Black women out there that are watching me right now and I want to tell you: You can do it. Anything is possible,ā said Doechii during her acceptance speech.
Chappell Roan
Roan won the Best New Artist award, prompting her to whip out her notebook and deliver a speech about her struggles with the healthcare industry after getting dropped by her first record label radicalized her.
On the carpet, she served looks on the red carpet while delivering Jean Paul Gaultier vintage realness and thanking the trans girlies who made her who she is today.
āTrans people have always existed and they will forever exist. They will never, no matter what happens, take trans joy away and [they] have to be protected more than anything because I would not be here without trans girls,ā said Roan on the red carpet.
She also served during her debut Grammys performance, turning Crypto.com Arena into the Pink Pony Club while dedicating the performance to Los Angeles ā the city that embraced her when she wanted to break into the industry. She used her acceptance speech as her opportunity to shine a light on her journey toward becoming the icon she is today ā and to no oneās surprise, it didnāt come easy to her.
Roan opened up about her struggles with healthcare and being dropped as an artist in L.A., leaving her without health coverage and scrambling for solutions. Seems like the healthcare system has radicalized yet another one.
St. Vincent
St. Vincent revealed that she has a wife and daughter during her acceptance speeches, thanking them after winning three Grammys for Best Alternative Music Album (āAll Born Screamingā), Best Alternative Music Performance (āFleaā), and Best Rock Song (āBroken Manā).Ā
During her red carpet interview, reporters asked Clark about the shocking news about her mentioning her wife and daughter, she responded āMost people were [unaware]. Itās young, so weāve kept it under wraps.ā The reporter then continued his line of questioning, meanwhile intrusive thoughts quickly got ahold of Clark, prompting her to interrupt the reporter to clarify that she meant the child is young, not the person in the relationship sheās in.
Girl, youāre good.
Sabrina Carpenter
Though Carpenter didnāt win any of the “Big Four” categories, she did win Best Pop Vocal Album for (āShort nā Sweetā) and Best Pop Solo Performance for (āEspressoā).
According to E!, Carpenterās acceptance speech was apparently censored, cutting her off after she said: āThank you, holy sh*t, bye!ā
The pop star was nominated for Record of the Year (āEspressoā), Song of the Year (āPlease, Please, Pleaseā), Best New Artist, Best Pop Vocal Album (āShort nā Sweetā), Album of the Year (āShort nā Sweetā), Best Remixed Recording (āEspresso – Mark Ronson x FNZ Working Late Remixā), Best Engineered Album, Non-Classical (āShort nā Sweetā) ā all within her first year as a record-releasing musician.
Charli XCX
Charlie XCX truly brought the brat energy to the Grammys with her performance of (āVan Dutchā), also taking home the wins for Best Dance/Pop Recording for (āVan Dutchā) and Best Dance/Electronic Album for (āBratā).
Lady Gaga
Best Pop Duo/Group Performance went to Lady Gaga and Bruno Mars. Gaga used her acceptance speech to advocate for trans people stating that we all need love and to be uplifted.
āTrans people are not invisible. Trans people deserve love. The queer community deserves to be lifted up. Music is love. Thank you,ā said Gaga.
No, thank you mother.
Last, but not least
It is also worth noting that our tried and true ally, Alicia Keys used her moment on the Grammys stage to advocate for the restoration of DEI initiatives.
“This is not the time to shut down the diversity of voices,” said Keys. “We’ve seen on this stage talented, hard-working people from different backgrounds, with different points of view, and it changes the game. DEI is not a threat, it’s a gift ā and the more voices, the more powerful the sound.ā
Music & Concerts
Gay Menās Chorus starting the year with a cabaret
‘Postcards’ to be performed at CAMP Rehoboth

The Gay Menās Chorus of Washington will perform āPostcards,ā a cabaret, on Saturday, Jan. 18 at 5:00p.m. and 8:00p.m. at CAMP Rehoboth Elkins-Archibald Atrium.Ā
In this performance, the choir will share hilarious and heart-warming stories and songs about the travel adventures theyāve had and hope to have. Songs include āMidnight Train to Georgia,ā āStreets of Dublin,ā āMagic To Do,ā āHome,ā and āI Left My Heart in San Francisco.ā Tickets cost $35 and can be purchased on Camp Rehobothās website.
Music & Concerts
WMCās āComfort and Joyā fuses drama, well-being, light
Soloist describes production as āreverent and beautifulā

āComfort and Joyā
Washington Master Chorale
Sunday, Dec. 22, 5 p.m.
Church of the Epiphany
1317 G St., N.W.
washingtonmasterchorale.org
With its warmth and unfettered imagination, itās no surprise that the Washington Master Choraleās enduringly popular winter program remains a holiday favorite.Ā
This December the Washington Master Chorale (WMC), helmed by out artistic director Thomas Colohan presents āComfort and Joyā a selection of British and American works like āLute-Book Lullaby,ā āI Saw Three Ships,ā āPuer Natusā by Samuel Scheidt and āHosanna to the Son of Davidā by Orlando Gibbons.
In addition to these Christmas classics, WMC will perform 2022 Florence Price Commission Winner Mason Bynesās āEphiphanytideā and Äriks EÅ”envaldsā āNorthern Lights,ā the firsthand accounts of arctic explorers Charles Francis Hall and Fridtjof Nansen and their experiences surrounding the fabled aurora borealis.
Described as āreverent and beautifulā by āNorthern Lightsā tenor soloist Opal Clyburn-Miller, āComfort and Joyā fuses drama and well-being, and the import of light.
And as an artist who uses they/them pronouns, Clyburn-Miller says where classical music is concerned, āit seems people are put in their boxes and thatās where they stay.ā They add, āthereās been some progress. Itās pretty much a traditional art form.ā
With regard to their career, Clyburn-Miller, the Baltimore based Peabody Conservatory student, says the work usually comes through word of mouth: āYou show up, youāre a good colleague and people want to work with you again.ā
The solo piece, according to Colohan, is perfect for Clyburn-Miller. The soloist says in response: āMaybe I have the imagination to think of what Northern Lights might look like in Eastern Europe. Iāve never been that far north but I can put myself in that sense of wonder and astonishment.ā
But the gig hasnāt been entirely without its tests. The lyrics are in Latvian, a new language for the meticulous singer.
āItās been a bit tricky getting the Latvian down,ā they say. āUsually in my singing experience, itās been German, Italian and French, and Iām familiar with Spanish and some Hungarian and Russian, but this is entirely new.ā
A perfect chorale venue requires easy parking; good acoustics; a concert level Steinway, and an excellent organ; a sanctuary wide enough to accommodate a 50-person chorale; and audience friendly loos, says Colohan.
The Church of Epiphany meets most if not all of these requirements.
Raised Catholic in Richmond, Colohan came out at Ohioās progressive Oberlin Conservatory. Around this time, he remembers visiting Washington for a music educatorās conference and partying at JR.ās, Badlands, and other bars. He says, āI saw that D.C. had a huge population of clean-cut gay boys. That journey which started with me being gay, prompted me to ask questions.ā
As WMC artistic director since 2009, Colohan, who lives with his partner in Silver Spring, became increasingly interested in secular poetry and literature, especially the ways in which it intersects with chorale music. For him, that became the heart of the art form.
āMy secular approach is wider than some. Iām like the curator of the museum going down to the basement to bring some stuff up. You cannot hear the music if we donāt sing it.ā
Heās remained conservative as an aesthetic but not an ethos. āI can wear a blazer and not be crazy right wing. Spiritually speaking, Iām Zen Buddhist now.ā
A lot of the concert is about darkness and light. Colohan says, āIn ancient times when the world became darker, the days leading to the solstice were scary and then on the 22nd they saw that days were getting longer and it was lighter.ā
āComfort and Joyā closes with a candle lit chorale memorably singing āSilent Night.ā
-
District of Columbia3 days ago
Booz Allen withdraws as WorldPride corporate sponsor
-
a&e features23 hours ago
D.C.ās most eligible queer singles
-
District of Columbia2 days ago
Protests against Trump executive orders to take place in D.C. on Thursday
-
Out & About5 days ago
Camp Rehoboth Theatre Company kicks off new season