“Simon Price is a goth aficionado, and his encyclopaedic knowledge of The Cure was a pleasure to study and absorb - highly recommended for superfans or anyone with an interest in one of our most treasured bands of the past four decades” Tim Burgess

Ballina Fringe are excited to announce an Irish exclusive and special Q&A event for fans of the legendary English goth band The Cure.

The event is a discussion and Q&A with acclaimed music journalist Simon Price about his book Curepedia, described as an encyclopaedic biography and homage to The Cure.

Curepedia (published by White Rabbit) was ranked by The Guardian as one of their five best music books of 2023.

For this Fringe event, Irish based journalist and documentary-maker Paul McDermott will pose the questions before we open it up for an audience Q&A, where you get to ask the questions.

Don’t miss this chance to hear from a bona fide Cure expert.

Despite forming in 1978, The Cure continue to be a massive draw for Irish audiences as shown by their 2022 sell-out show at the 3 Arena. Songs like Lullaby, The Walk, Friday I’m in Love, Close to Me, In Between Days, Just Like Heaven and Boys Don’t Cry still inspire a fervent brand of fandom in Ireland.

The bands iconic status as elder statesmen of Alternative Rock remains undiminished - if anything, their tireless touring has ensured that it has grown with every passing year - and lead singer Robert Smith is an endlessly fascinating figure to successive generations of fans. The Cure's influence reverberates through genres including Emo, Goth, Industrial and Indie Rock.

In Curepedia, Price also goes beyond the music in this mammoth biography, offering a detailed analysis of The Cure’s wider cultural impact on British male mental health, toxic masculinity and stoicism in the face of emotional trauma with an essay on Boys Don’t Cry. Over the years, the song has become more than a pop song but an antidote to the “English stiff upper lip” mentality and an anthem for male sensitivity.

Providing rich cultural context for the inspirations behind the band’s ever-evolving and diverse discography, Curepedia is the go-to book for every Cure fan.

Simon Price
Simon Price is a Welsh music journalist and author. He wrote extensively for Melody Maker in the 80’s and is a regular contributor to The Quietus and The Guardian among others. He’s also the author of Everything: A Book About Manic Street Preachers. It was named Book of The Year by NME and Rock Book of The Decade by the Guardian.

https://linktr.ee/simonprice

Paul McDermott
Paul is a journalist, lecturer and award winning documentary producer. He also produces the critically acclaimed No. 1 podcast To Here Knows When - Great Irish Albums Revisited.
https://www.paulmcdermott.ie/

This event is presented by NCF & October Nights.
https://www.instagram.com/octobernightsfest/

We thank Mayo County Council for their support.