Spafford Debuts The Cure Cover In Boston

Spafford premiered a take on The Cure’s “Love Song” during their Friday night concert in Boston. The quartet kicked off the evening’s second set at Big Night Live with the cover debut.

Guitarist Brian Moss, drummer Nick Tkachyk, bassist Jordan Fairless and keyboardist Andrew “Red” Johnson covered Scissor Sisters’ “Take Your Mama” for the first time this year to kick off their first set in Boston. Spafford then dug in on the reggae-tinged original “People” before showing off their improvisational prowess on +18-minute “Plans.” Friday’s “Plans” saw the band explore various soundscapes and featured plenty of shredding from Moss towards its conclusion.

Brian also shined in leading the “Diana” that followed “Plans.” It was then back to the jamming with a “Lonely” that birthed an adventurous segement in which the band strayed far from the song’s typical structure. Red propelled his bandmates to big heights on the “Lonely” in Boston and took a beautiful piano solo during the set-closing “Virtual Bean Dip” that ensued.

Spafford’s first “Love Song” began Friday’s second set. The Cure put out Disintegration track “Love Song” as a single in 1989 and it scored the legendary British band their lone top-10 hit on the Billboard Hot 100 chart.

The Arizona-based four-piece stuck close to the original for “Love Song” and then worked beloved staple “America” into what was seemingly “The Reprise.” However, Spafford faked fans out and instead launched into classic “Salamander Song.” The group went on to end Friday’s second set with expansive versions of “Ginger Stardust” and “Dirtbath.” Both songs date back to 2019.

After teasing “The Reprise” during the second set, Spafford played the bluesy number in full as their encore in Boston. Listen to an audience recording of Friday’s concert captured by 603Brett:

Setlist (via SpaffNerds)

Set One: Take Your Mama, People, Plans, Diana, Lonely, Virtual Bean Dip

Set Two: Love Song [1], America > The Reprise [2] > Salamander Song, Ginger Stardust > Dirtbath

Encore: The Reprise

• [1]: First Time Played
• [2]: Fakeout