The Cure: The Show of a Lost World: Troxy Live 2024 (Polydor, Blu-ray or DVD, NR, 167 min.). On Nov. 1, 2024, The Cure released their widely-acclaimed, Grammy-nominated album “Songs of a Lost World.” On the night of the album's unveiling, The Cure performed the record in full for the first and only time at London's Troxy in front of 3,000 fans. This concert film is a recut, remixed and remastered document of that night's full 31-song show. Directed by Grammy-nominated Nick Wickham, it has a new surround-sound mix by Robert Smith. The Blu-ray also has a Dolby Atmos mix. The album was The Cure’s first new studio album in 16 years.

The concert is divided into four sets, with the first being the 53-minute, 8-song “Songs of a New World” album. The album is a strong effort, from the opener “Alone,” with its refrain of “Where did it go” through to “Endsong,” with its long instrumental start and then singer-lyricist Robert Smith wondering what happened to his young self. The song is one of the evening’s highlights. (Note: The Cure has several songs that squeeze the word “song” together with the first descriptive word.)

“And Nothing Is Forever” opens and closes with Roger O’Donnell’s piano, while “A Fragile Thing” again touches on being alone and states, “There is nothing you can do to change the end.” There is a guitar start to “Warsong,” which states there is “no way to find to peace,” while the rocker “Drone: No Drone” says, “The answers I have are not the answers you want.” O’Donnell’s piano again starts “I Can Never Say Goodbye,” which talks of “something wicked this way comes.”

Jason Cooper’s drums start “All I Ever Am,” which has a typical Cure guitar sound from Smith and Reeves Gabrels. Gabrels also does a nice guitar solo near the end of “Endsong.”

The second set, entitled “Other Songs” lasts 64 minutes and includes 12 songs, starting with the guitar on “Plainsong” and Smith and Gabrels’ guitars leading “Pictures of You,” one of several of the more familiar songs in the set. During “High,” Smith acts a bit when delivering his vocal. Cooper’s drumming highlights both “Lovesong” and “Burn,” which is a more dynamic number. At one point in “Burn,” Smith and bassist Simon Gallup, who was constantly moving on stage anyway, perform back-to-back with their shoulders touching.

The fast “Fascination Street” features a guitar solo by Gabrels. After a fine “A Night Like This,” Smith plays acoustic guitar on “Inbetween Days” – also highlighted by keyboards and drums – and “Just Like Heaven.”

The third set features five songs from the “Seventeen Seconds” album, including “M,” “Play for Today” (with the crowd of 3,000 singing before than band started to) and “A Forest.”

The final set is the six encore songs, highlighted by “Lullaby,” “Friday I’m in Love,” the fast and poppy “Why Can’t I Be You,” and “Boys Don’t Cry.”

On supporting keyboards, guitar and some six-string bass is Perry Bamonte, who joined the band in 1990 through 2005 and then rejoined the band in recent years. The day after I watched the concert film, I learned of Bamonte’s death on Dec. 26 at age 65. Grade: concert film A

The Rubinoos: Live at Rockpalast 1978 (MIG, DVD and CD, 50:28 each). In mid-March of 1978, Earth Quake, Greg Kihn Band and The Rubinoos performed for Germany’s Rockpalast music TV show, which led to the Beserkley live album, “Bezerk Times.” Video/CD sets of the shows by The Rubinoos and Earth Quake have recently been released.

The Rubinoos were among the musical figureheads of the successful U.S. label Beserkley Records (1973-1986) from Berkeley, California. The label was founded by former A&M Records in-house producer Matthews King Kaufmann. The band’s likable members were Jon Rubin and Tommy Dunbar on guitars and vocals, Royse Ader on bass and backing vocals, and Donn Spindt on drums and backing vocals. Dunbar was the main songwriter. Rubin provides the booklet notes from last April. Rubin, Dunbar and Spindt are still with the band, with bassist Al Chan joining in 1980.

This 15-song show of power pop was recorded at the Audimax in Hamburg on Feb. 14, 1978. It includes their cover of Tommy James & The Shondells’ hit “I Think We’re Alone Now,” their single of which reached No. 45 in 1977.

The fun show starts with an a cappella version of “Rockin’ in the Jungle,” sung to handclaps. In his notes, Rubin explains how their equipment was held by customs, so they had to use Earth Quake’s instruments.

Also fun is the bouncy “Peek-A-Boo,” followed by the nice “Falling in Love,” sung by Dunbar, and “Hard to Get.” The song “Hey Royse” is sung to bassist Ader, who responds during the song. The upbeat “Wouldn’t It Be Nice,” asks if the girl could come over tonight. It is one of several songs about sleeping together, with “Promise Me” another one.

Rubin’s guitar is fine on “Make It Easy,” and the band covers The Beatles “Please, Please Me” – very appropriate for Hamburg. “Walk Don’t Run” actually is a surf instrumental, and Rubin changes into “ROCK” eyeglasses and a fringe vest for the closing fun of “Rock ‘n’ Roll Is Dead,” on which Rubin plays Jimi Hendrix-style.

Note that the clothing the band wears in the booklet and foldout sleeves is different from what they are wearing in the show. I would guess the pictures are from March 15. Grade: concert A-

Earth Quake: Live at Rockpalast 1978 (MIG, DVD + CD, both 49:46). Earth Quake was formed in the San Francisco area in 1966 as Purple Earthquake, drawing its influences from rock and blues bands of the 1950s and 1960s, including The Kinks, Muddy Waters and The Yardbirds. After two albums on A&M Records (1971-72), Earth Quake released four albums on Beserkley Records between 1975 and 1979, as well as working with other musicians. They backed Jonathan Richman on his 1974 recording of “Roadrunner,” and worked with Greg Kihn, who sang backing vocals on some of their records, and guitarist Gary Phillips (previously of John Cipollina’s Copperhead). The band split up in the early 1980s.

Guitarist Robbie Dunbar, the band’s sole survivor who wrote the booklet notes last July, is the best thing about the band. He also is the brother of The Rubinoos’ Tommy Dunbar. The rest of the band here is guitarist Gary Phillips, bassist Stan Miller, pianist John Doukas and drummer Steve Nelson. All but Nelson also sing.

The 8-song show was recorded March 15, 1978 at Audimax in Hamburg. At the time, the recording was being taped for a live album. Dunbar’s guitar shines on “Hit the Floor,” “Street Fever” (with good vocals by Phillips) and “Saving My Love.” They are more of a rock band than The Rubinoos, with the last four songs all lasting more than seven minutes, with the middle two longer than eight minutes. I do not especially like Doukas’ vocals, except on “Mr. Security.” Grade: concert B-

The Quireboys: Live at Rockpalast 2007 & 1990 (MIG, DVD, 130 min., + 2 CDs, 126 min.). This British rock band was formed in 1984 in London, with strong ties to Newcastle. It was originally known as the Choirboys, then the Queerboys, billed as the London Quireboys in the United States and Canada, and settling at last as The Quireboys. The vocalist is Jonathan Gray, known as Spike here, and the guitarist is Guy Griffin. The other four members are different for the two shows.

Show one (56:23) was recorded April 4, 1990 in Cologne, Germany. It has 15 numbers, including their whole debut album, “A Bit of What You Fancy,” for the first 12 numbers. Their blues influences can be heard in “Whippin’ Boy,” “Sweet Mary Ann” and their encore cover of Muddy Waters’ “I’m Your Hoochie Coochie Man.” The other encore is the Rolling Stones’ “Doo Doo Doo Doo Doo (Heartbreaker).”

From their album also are the basic rocker “7 O’Clock,” the rocking “Long Time Comin’,” with Chris Johnstone’s piano, and slide guitar playing on both “Hey You” and “There She Goes Again.” One can hear their comparison to The Faces here.

The slightly better 2007 show (70:18) was recorded Oct. 18 at the Crossroads Festival in Bonn. It has 14 numbers, with eight from their debut album repeating, including the final six. The show is better lit than the one 17 years earlier. Rock is emphasized more, particularly on the opening trio of “Louder,” “Misled” and “The Finer Stuff.” “This Is Rock ‘N’ Roll” is a shouter with lots of piano by Keith Weir. Spike often urges the crowd to clap and has several beers during this show.

A good change of pace is “Mona Lisa Smiled,” with its guitar solo, before the final six from their debut album. Grade: 1990 show B; 2007 show B+