Pitchfork

Is it me, or are charity swag auctions the new childrens' indie rock comps? Remember when you couldn't do a cartwheel without landing on one of those things? No complaining though-- while the merits of the latter are debatable, you can never have enough good deeds. And all that's to say that the Cure are the latest act to contribute to a charity auction.

Robert Smith and his gloom patrol have lent an extra special guitar to a cause of a different sort. They join Henry Rollins, Metallica, Eddie Vedder, Steve Earle, and other outspoken supporters of the men believed wrongfully accused in the hotly-contested West Memphis Three murder case. Proceeds from the auction will go the West Memphis Three's defense fund.

The six-string up on the auction block is a Schecter RS-1000 acoustic (pictured), custom designed according to Smith's specifications, put to use in the studio this year, and signed by Smith and the other three present members of the band. Place your bids beginning tomorrow (December 11) via Skeleton Key Auctions or the Cure's website. The auction closes Christmas Day.

The Cure embark on that rescheduled North American tour in May, and they've added a run of European dates in the months between then and now. And speaking of causes, the Cure also appear on Waxploitations's recently issued Causes 1 compilation.

Cure-all:

02-09 Stockholm, Sweden - Hovet
02-11 Oslo, Norway - Spektrum
02-13 Copenhagen, Denmark - Forum
02-15 Hamburg, Germany - Color Line
02-16 Berlin, Germany - Arena
02-18 Warsaw, Poland - Tower
02-19 Katowice, Poland - Spodek
02-21 Prague, Czech Republic - Saska Arena
02-23 Vienna, Austria - Bank Austria Halle
02-25 Munich, Germany - Olympiahalle
02-27 Zurich, Switzerland - Hallenstadion
02-29 Rome, Italy - Palalottomatica
03-02 Milan, Italy - Palasharp
03-04 Marseilles, France - Le Dome
03-06 Madrid, Spain - Palacio de Deportes
03-08 Lisbon, Portugal - Pavilhao Atlantico
03-10 Barcelona, Spain - Palau Sant Jordi
03-12 Paris, France - Le Bercy
03-14 Antwerp, Belgium - Sportpaleis
03-16 Oberhausen, Germany - Konig-Pilsner Arena
03-18 Rotterdam, Netherlands - Ahoy Rotterdam
03-20 London, England - Wembley Arena
05-09 Washington, DC - Patriot Center *
05-10 Philadelphia, PA - Wachovia Spectrum *
05-12 Boston, MA - Agganis Arena *
05-14 Montreal, Quebec - Bell Centre *
05-15 Toronto, Ontario - Air Canada Centre *
05-17 Chicago, IL - Allstate Arena *
05-19 Kansas City, MO - Starlight Theatre *
05-21 Morrison, CO - Red Rocks Amphitheatre *
05-23 Salt Lake City, UT - E Center *
05-25 George, WA - The Gorge Amphitheatre (Sasquatch! Festival) *
05-26 Vancouver, British Columbia - General Motors Place *
05-29 Santa Barbara, CA - Santa Barbara Bowl *
05-31 Los Angeles, CA - Hollywood Bowl *
06-03 San Diego, CA - Cox Arena *
06-04 Phoenix, AZ - Dodge Theatre *
06-06 Dallas, TX - American Airlines Center *
06-08 Austin, TX - Austin Music Hall *
06-09 Houston, TX - Toyota Center *
06-11 Tampa, FL - St. Pete Times Forum *
06-13 Ft. Lauderdale, FL - Bank Atlantic Center *
06-15 Atlanta, GA - Gwinnett Center *
06-16 Charlotte, NC - Charlotte Bobcats Arena *
06-18 Cleveland, OH - TBA *
06-20 New York, NY - Madison Square Garden *

* with 65daysofstatic