The Cure Returns to Nîmes After 28 Years for Historic Residency Opener

For the first of three consecutive, completely sold-out concerts at the arènes de Nîmes, Robert Smith and his bandmates delivered a marathon performance running over two and a half hours. The historic southern French amphitheater, which holds up to 13,000 spectators according to regional event guides, has waited nearly three decades to host the British group again.

A 28-Year Wait Ends in the Roman Amphitheater

The last time The Cure played the ancient arena in the cité des Antonins was on July 23, 1998, just days after France won the World Cup. That 1998 date remains etched in local cultural history alongside appearances by Stereophonics, Sinclair, and Louise Attaque. More recently, the band’s last appearance in France occurred on November 28, 2022, in Paris, making this three-night residency their first French concert appearance since that year.

Die-hard fans who follow European tours recalled the 1998 visit, noting that Smith’s physical condition then contrasts sharply with his energetic form for the opening night of the 2026 run. The performances also serve as the grand finale of the 2026 Festival de Nîmes, which encompassed 31 musical evenings beginning in mid-June.

Opening Night Setlist Highlights Decades of Post-Punk History

Smith opened the Friday night show with Alone from their latest album, Songs of a Lost World, released in 2024 sixteen years after their previous studio output. Delivering the first lines with This is the end, Smith’s voice maintained its trademark melancholic yet powerful clarity.

The set balanced newer material with foundational new wave and cold wave anthems across nearly five decades of music. Essential bassist Simon Gallup anchored the stage alongside Jason Cooper on drums, whose tribal rhythms on Burn drove the performance alongside keyboardist Roger O’Donnell. Mid-set staples included Catch from 1987, Pictures of you, In between days, Just like heaven, and the hypnotic riff of A Forest.

Midi Libre reporting from the festival noted that the poignant It can never be the same (don't worry I smile) was played first, having not been performed yet this summer, followed for the fans by A letter to Elise (1992), which had been absent from concerts for ten years.

Returning to the stage after a long instrumental on Endsong, Smith addressed the crowd in French to introduce surprises, including A letter to Elise from 1992, which had been absent from live setlists for a decade. The final third of the concert accelerated through The Lovecats, Friday i’m in love, and Close to me, before culminating in an ecstatic finish on Boys don’t cry right at midnight.

From Orchies Classrooms to the Nîmes Stage for Zélie Zéphyr

For the northern French indie duo Zélie Zéphyr, originating from Orchies, landing the opening slot for The Cure represented an unbelievable breakthrough. Composed of vocal teacher Aurélie Delcourt and multi-instrumentalist Guillaume Pannequin, the act performed in front of thousands of spectators across Friday, Saturday, and Sunday.

The duo caught the legendary frontman’s attention through a YouTube music video that had garnered only 800 views. Initially suspecting a prank, Pannequin learned the news via a notification on his smartwatch while teaching a music class, forcing him to compose himself and finish the lesson. Delcourt found out shortly after welcoming a newborn child. Following Friday’s opening performance, the band has two additional nights to complete their run supporting The Cure’s final French shows of the tour.