Wall of Sound: October 22, 1997

Get out the black mascara and start teasing your hair: The Cure is coming--perhaps to a town near you. The Oct. 28 release of the group's new hits collection, Galore, will bring the British band to American shores for two separate trips. The first takes place later this month, when the band hits Los Angeles and New York for some heavy public appearances to promote Galore.

October 26: They'll be on "Modern Rock Live" from Los Angeles.

October 27: At 5:00 p.m., Cure leader Robert Smith will go on KROQ-FM to announce where tickets are being sold for the group's City of Angels performance the following night. The Cure will then do a midnight in-store record signing at the Virgin Megastore

October 28: The Cure will do a Web chat on www.liveconcerts.com from the House of Blues before playing a concert for five hundred fans at the Hollywood American Legion hall.

October 29: The group will make its first appearance on The Tonight Show, performing either its new single, "Wrong Number," or "Just Like Heaven."

October 31: The Cure then hits New York for a 7:00 p.m. record-signing session at the Tower Records in Greenwich Village, followed by a 10:45 p.m. concert at Irving Plaza, which will be broadcast nationally on radio and on the internet.

The band then returns to England for a month, coming back to the U.S. on November 28 for a series of radio-station holiday shows. The specific dates are still being confirmed, but the group is looking at playing in Boston, Philadelphia, Washington, D.C., Detroit, Chicago, San Jose, Seattle, Dallas, and maybe a couple of other cities.

Smith says the October shows "will be based around Galore. They'll probably be Galore and some of the other singles preceding Galore. I don't think we'll be introducing the heavier elements into those shows, because they're kind of friendly and I find it difficult pulling off some of the slower, emotional songs in smaller venues. I prefer the stuff that's more upbeat.

The second round of dates will be more adventurous, he says. "We're going to be re-working some of the singles, sort of like re-mixing them onstage," Smith explains. "We're embracing some new technology. I think when we come back in November and December, we'll be a bit further down the line. It'll probably be more satisfying. Also, I just want to have fun." --Gary Graff