Cursive recently began touring in support of their 7th studio album, I Am Gemini. I had the privilege of catching their show in Pomona, CA where they played a great set mixed with old and new tracks to please every fan in attendance.
With the crowd waiting in anticipation, the lights dropped and a number of cameras stationed throughout the venue began to roll. After a quick acknowledgement of the crowd from frontman, Tim Kasher, Cursive took the stage and went straight into one of their new tracks, "Drunken Birds." It translated well into a live setting with a better mix than on the album. They then took it back to Happy Hollow's, "Big Bang" before jumping into The Ugly Organ's, "Sierra." I've yet to hear "Sierra's" cello replaced with horns--as the band does with The Ugly Organ's songs when played live--and it was an interesting new take on the track.
The audience was pumped and ready to see where they'd take the set next. Cursive revert back to their new release and begin one of my favorites, "The Cat and Mouse." The band continues to blister through tracks. They touch back to 2000's Domestica with, "A Red So Deep," and the fans couldn't have been more thrilled. It's not until they're almost half way through the set that they take a moment to slow things down with "We're Going to Hell," from their previous record, Mama, I'm Swollen. They finish the track and Kasher finally takes a moment to breath and thank the crowd for coming out both literally and by playing the fan favorite, "The Martyr."
Many tracks from Mama, I'm Swollen were much more dance inducing than most of Cursive's albums, and it's evident when they jump into the record's single, "I Couldn't Love You," and I catch a glimpse of a couple pairs twisting around to the music. They play another fan-favorite, "The Recluse." There's something a little different about it. Maybe it was the key it was in or the tempo, but it definitely had more of dream-like feel to it. The band finishes their set with "From the Hips." Kasher announces they're gonna step backstage, "take a few shots," and then head back out to play some more.
Cursive walk back out and jump right into the energetic, "Dorothy at Forty," and the audience joins in on the "MO-OREs" in the choruses. After playing "Sink to The Beat" from their Burst & Bloom EP and an intense performance of "Art is Hard," they end the night with I Am Gemini's opener, "This House Alive." The show ends and the fans begin to head out. What's to become of the footage, I don't know? I sure wouldn't mind reliving the night through a DVD release of the show. Only time will tell.
