THE CUREHEADS + SIOUXSIE AND THE BUDGIEES – THE FACTORY LIVE, WORTHING 26.9.26
“The best of The Cure and Siouxsie and the Banshees – LIVE”
Formed in 1990 The Cureheads have toured in the UK, the USA, continental Europe, and South America, playing festivals, including opening for Echo and The Bunnymen and The Pretenders at Guilfest. The band re-create the experience of seeing a mid to late 1980s concert by The Cure, including not only the sound, but also the sights and wardrobe.
The Cureheads: Goth and Great Tunes:
There are tribute bands, and then there are tribute bands that make you do a double take and wonder whether Robert Smith has secretly escaped from The Cure and turned up at The Factory Live for the evening. Enter The Cureheads.
This was The Cure – or at least the closest damn thing to them without actually having to wait for Robert Smith to decide whether he fancies another world tour. The look was right, the sound was right, and most importantly, the atmosphere was right. The Cureheads managed to capture that wonderfully strange mixture of melancholy, drama and infectious pop that made The Cure such an important part of alternative music.
The Cureheads weren’t simply going through the motions of recreating a famous band’s greatest hits. They brought the energy and character needed to make the songs feel alive. The guitars shimmered, the bass rumbled, and some super drumming, all linked in unison to give that unmistakable Cure sound, and Gary Clarke’s vocals captured the distinctive character of Robert Smith without turning into a comedy impression. These guys were serious!
The beauty of a good tribute band is that they remind you why you loved the original in the first place. The Cureheads certainly achieved that. They delivered the familiar songs with enough authenticity to satisfy the die-hard fans while keeping the performance energetic and entertaining for everyone else.
‘In Between Days’ had the crowd moving, while ‘Lovesong’ provided one of those moments where the entire room seemed to collectively remember just how bloody good The Cure could be. The huge songs from the setlist that have somehow become part of the soundtrack to several generations, ‘Play For Today’ and ‘Close To Me’.
By the middle of the set, the crowd was fully committed. There were plenty of people singing along, plenty of dancing and, naturally, plenty of black clothing and makeup. The Cureheads name is taken from the Irish slang term for anyone with that “1980’s mop haired ‘Gothic’ look”.
It was all very nostalgic and faithful to the originals, without becoming predictable as The Cureheads dipped into the back history. By the final number, the audience had been taken on a proper journey through The Cure’s remarkable catalogue – from jangly indie classics to epic, atmospheric masterpieces. Other songs included the wonderful ‘Push’, ‘Torture’ and ‘Lets Go To Bed’.
From the infectious energy of ‘Boys Don’t Cry’ early in the performance to one of the closing numbers, ‘A Forest’, the set travelled through the many different faces of The Cure.
By now the audience was completely on board. Heads were nodding, feet were moving and voices joined in from all corners of the room. There was something wonderfully nostalgic about it all.
The familiar Cure sound filled the room with ‘The Walk’ and ‘Inbetween Days’ – chiming guitars, driving bass, pounding drums and vocals that captured the distinctive character of the original material. This wasn’t simply a band playing Cure songs; there was a genuine attempt to recreate the sound, mood, style and atmosphere that have made The Cure such an enduring force.
Tonight, at The Factory Live in Worthing, The Cureheads set about proving that you don’t necessarily need Robert Smith and the original band to recreate that unmistakable Cure atmosphere! Well played.
The Cureheads understand that a tribute act has to do more than simply reproduce the notes. It has to capture something of the spirit of the original – and tonight there was plenty of that spirit on display at The Factory Live as we had ‘Letter To Elise’ and ‘Friday I’m In Love’ to close down the set. The only disappointment was that eventually, someone had to turn the amplifiers off.
This was a thoroughly enjoyable night for Cure fans, casual listeners and anyone who appreciates a great live band with a catalogue packed with memorable songs. So, if you’re a Cure fan, put on the black clothes, apply the obligatory excessive amount of eyeliner and get yourself along to see The Cureheads.
The Cureheads setlist of songs by The Cure:
‘Burn’
‘Play For Today’
‘Charlotte Sometimes’
‘Boys Don’t Cry’
‘Pictures Of You’
‘Lullaby’
‘Lovesong’
‘Push’
‘Close To Me’
‘Fascination Street’
‘Torture’
‘The Walk’
‘Let’s Go To Bed’
‘In Between Days’
‘Just Like Heaven’
‘A Forest’
‘Letter To Elise’
‘Friday I’m In Love’
‘Killing An Arab’
The group is named after Peter Clarke, known as Budgie, the iconic drummer for Siouxsie And The Banshees. They recreate the sound, the look, and post-punk/gothic style of Siouxsie Sioux and her band. They frequently tour alongside The Cureheads for joint alternative goth-rock club nights and double-headline bills. Two great tributes, one shared band, one venue, what’s not too like!
Siouxsie and the Budgiees brought the dark, dramatic sound of Siouxsie and the Banshees to The Factory Live, delivering a punchy set packed with the songs fans came to hear. Siouxsie commanded the stage with effortless confidence from the get go. The band fired up the first song of the set with ‘Israel’.
From the brooding atmosphere to the instantly recognisable riffs, the band captured the spirit of the originals, with classics such as ‘Hong Kong Garden’, ‘Spellbound’, ‘Christine’ and the blast that is ‘Halloween’! Tonight the Factory Live sound levels were loud and the spirit of Siouxsie is louder!
The vocals were top notch tonight, a great mix from the sound deck. The set highlights for me included an early ‘Hong Kong Garden’ and then the furious ‘Halloween’ towards the end of the session. I can confirm that the band saved some serious ammunition for that one.
The tight band and “Siouxsie” had played a blinder of a session, with a dynamic setlist and closing with ‘Dear Prudence’, getting the crowd moving one last time.
It was a nostalgic trip into the darker side of post-punk, played with plenty of energy and attitude. For Banshees fans, it was a night of familiar songs, loud guitars and wonderfully gothic nostalgia.
Another night at The Factory Live where the live music did exactly what it was supposed to do: shake the room and put a smile on people’s faces.
Siouxsie And The Budgiees setlist of songs by Siouxsie And The Banshees:
‘Israel’
‘Hong Kong Garden’
‘Candyman’
‘Cities In Dust’
‘Christine’
‘Cannons’
‘Face To Face’
‘This Wheel’s On Fire’
‘Painted Bird’
‘Cascade’
‘Arabian Knights’
‘Happy House’
‘Halloween’
‘Spellbound’
‘Dear Prudence’
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