As part of the celebration for Wish’s 30th Anniversary, The Cure have posted a remastered HD version of the Play Out concert film on their YouTube channel. Originally released in 1992 on VHS and Laserdisc, Play Out follows The Cure as they play a series of concerts in January and February 1991, including performances in small clubs and studios as well as Wembley Arena and MTV Unplugged.
The songs performed include the usual Cure staples (e.g., “Pictures of You,” “Fascination Street,” “A Forest”) as well as some lesser-performed gems like “The Big Hand,” “The Walk,” and “A Letter to Elise.” There’s even some behind-the-scenes and backstage hijinks and frivolities, which dispel the myth that Robert Smith et al. are just a bunch of mopey gloomsters.
Though perhaps not as essential as 1987’s In Orange or 1993’s Show, Play Out is nevertheless a fascinating time capsule that captures The Cure in all of their early ’90s glory.