My eyeliner was black, my lips were red and I danced all night

I was trying to remember the last concert I went to, because it had been a while … at least before the pandemic. It was Culture Club and the Thompson Twins in October 2018, by the way.

My husband, Matthew, and I had been talking about who we each wanted to see in concert that we had never seen before. Without hesitation, I chose the Cure. Lucky duck, he had seen them sometime in the ’90s at Tingley Coliseum.

Never thinking they would ever come close to Albuquerque, I had come to the conclusion I would live the rest of my days without seeing Robert Smith singing the songs that helped shape the lives of many in my generation.

So earlier this year, when I heard the Cure was coming in concert, my heart stopped for a minute or two or three. I was so excited to finally be able to see and hear Robert Smith. I was counting down the days that I could get tickets.

When that day came to purchase tickets online, I was definitely on a mission to get as close (to me) as possible to the stage. It took a few minutes to actually log on, but after what seemed like “A Thousand Hours” I finally was able find those perfect tickets — third row.

Saying I was excited is an understatement. I think I called my husband in tears, telling him I felt it was “Just Like Heaven.”

I know many of you don’t understand the appeal of the Cure and Robert Smith, but I grew up listening to the words, to the charm and to the message of this band.

Call Smith New Wave, post-punk or even pre-goth with his wild hair, black eyeliner and red lipstick that could never seem to stay within the lines, but he’s been and still is a voice of our generation — those weirdos wearing Doc Martins, donning Mohawks and who danced to anything and everything.

As the concert got closer, I was literally counting the (In Between … ) days. When it finally came, I was in a daze until he walked onto the stage. I couldn’t believe it — Robert Smith was standing right in front of me.

And when he started singing, I was (Friday I’m) in love. (That song was actually performed during his second encore.)

For me, experiencing the Cure and Robert Smith in person some 40 or so years after first discovering them was magical. I hadn’t had so much fun and in years. I danced, I sang and I screamed for nearly the whole three hours they were on stage.

I’ve been to quite a few concerts in my time, including the second time seeing my boyfriend, Billy Idol, a few days later, but the Cure concert was something different — kind of enchanting.

Robert Smith isn’t your typical “rock star.” He cares about his fans. He understands his fans.

At the end of the concert, Smith walked across the stage not seeking alcaldes to boost his ego, but genuinely thanking us for what we’ve given him — love.

The Cure’s influence on me and others has endured time, enveloped generations and created a fan base like no other.