Bonjour

Back from Paris and I have to admit to have thoroughly enjoyed myself and am keen to return and explore a good deal more particularly the Latin Quarter which appeared to be a fine and groovy place full of hepcats. I reckoned that my last visit to Paris was in 1978 on a Sir Thomas Rich’s French exchange – a fairly eventful trip – but it suddenly dawned on me that S, H and I had gone there to see The Cure in concert in about 1988. That was a fun trip and The Cure were on decent form. I’m heartily trying to remember who supported them and now that is bothering me greatly….

Five minutes later and an internet search tells me that Shelleyan Orphan (of course!) were the support band, and the concert was at the Palais Omnisports in July 1989 (nearly right). Sorry to be a trainspotter but I need to preserve the set-list for posterity: Plainsong, Pictures of You, Closedown, Kyoto Song, A Night Like This, Just Like Heaven, Last Dance, Fascination Street, Lovesong, Charlotte Sometimes, The Walk, A Forest, Inbetween Days, The Same Deep Water As You, Prayers for Rain, Disintegration,Encore 1:Llullaby, Close to Me, Let's Go to Bed, Why Can't I Be You?,Encore 2: Hot Hot Hot, A Strange Day, It's Not You, Three Imaginary Boys, Fire in Cairo, Boys Don't Cry,Encore 3: Homesick, Untitled, Faith.

I confess to remembering very little of these songs being played. It was a huge venue – possibly the largest I’ve seen a band in, come to think of it – and the French kids were lappin’ it up and dancing like crazy thangs. Sadly I know exactly what I would have been wearing: brown scuffed desert boots, Wrangler Ohio jeans, red plaid shirt untucked, tee-shirt underneath, black jacket. I always wore this combination of clothes back then and with a large, well-tended quiff I no doubt thought I was the cat’s whiskers. How wrong I was. Happy memories though.