There are some Video Pro Shots existing of one of the three New York, Hurrah April 1980 concerts. Seems impossible to find out the exact date of the concert that was filmed according to Charles Libin who filmed it with Paul Cameron ...from Charles Libin (
Website &
YouTube):
Paul and I shot many bands. Tapes of some had gone missing back then. Thankfully we still have The Cure and a few others... At Hurrah we dodged many a beer bottle with eyes to our cameras (Sid Vicious had attacked Patti Smith's brother on a night there when we were bartenders). It is a bit fuzzy... Generally we would try to shoot the final show of the bands appearances (studying their first night's sets) so I'm guessing we shot the 17th. Sadly I've only a few more Cure films to post.
from the book 'Ten Imaginary Years'
On 10 April, The Cure went to America for the first time.
Robert: "We'd obtained cult status out there but we only played New York, Philly, Washington and Boston. We played three nights - 15, 16 and 17th - at Hurrah in New York and it was packed."
Simon: "It was done on a shoe-string budget but it was lots of fun. Instead of having cans of beer backstage, we'd have shots of Southern Comfort!"
Robert: "It was like a holiday. Even at this point, everything we did, we didn't think we'd be doing again so we used to go to bed at about five in the morning and get up again at eight just to go out and see New York."
On his return, Robert told Record Mirror how America meant "being bombarded by people who all ask the same questions and all want to shake your hand . . . you just find yourself getting sucked into the whole rock 'n' roll trip which we're trying so hard to get away from" while Sounds' Phil Sutcliffe, who'd accompanied the band to New York. told, in an article "Somebody Get Me A Doctor", how Robert had done his utmost to avoid having his picture taken with Debby Harry.
