The Cure Closes First Day of Øya in Oslo

On Wednesday night, August 7th,The Cure closed out the first day of Norway’s largest festival, Øya. Their set was two-hours-and-15-minutes-long, and had the band digging deep into their back catalog, and saw the frontman in an uncharacteristically playful mood.

“I’ve never seen him dance!” exclaimed one of his devoted fans in the crowd. This was the 8th time he´d seen Smith perform, and the first time he’d seen so many smiles and moves from the traditionally dour, reserved singer/songwriter.

While The Cure celebrate 40 years since their debut album Three Imaginary Boys in 2019, this year’s Øya festival also marks the 20th installment of the event, which mixes international acts with a heavy dose of Norwegian pop and rock artists. It has grown from a tiny gathering organized by friends and 800 paying customers in 1999, to a sold-out event in Tøyen Park in the heart of Oslo, with 70,000 attendees over four days.

The iconic alternative rock group delivered a set that balanced their biggest chart hits with lesser-known tracks from some of their acclaimed ’80s albums. The 60-year-old Smith danced during encores and even flirted a bit with the audience — excusing his lack of Norwegian skills — for the sold-out festival crowd of 17,500. The set from the recently inducted Rock and Roll Hall of Famers — the longest scheduled for any act at the four-day festival — was a dream come true for the festival’s founders, who have wanted The Cure for “a long long time,” says booking manager Claes Olsen.

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