Live Review: Nick Cave

This was billed as a Nick Cave solo show, though with a supporting band of four members that header seemed to be more about emphasizing the fact that this was not with the full complement of the Bad Seeds.

Indeed, with the exception of multi-instrumentalist Warren Ellis, his fellow musicians were held back in the shadows on stage to leave Cave upfront in full glare. It also gave a looser and more relaxed feel to the show as Cave worked his way through a large part of his most recent album, Push The Sky Away, and a few other choice songs.

He opened with We Real Cool and immediately took on the persona of a preacher man, though preaching to the already converted. Initially two of the crowd stood at the front of stage, which Cave milked for all it was worth with his exaggerated gesticulations, but before long the whole front of stage was crammed with standing devotees. Pity those that got tickets near the front for a supposed all seated show.

For just on two hours Cave played up to his most dramatic and theatrical best with his songs delivered in a typically compelling manner. Higgs Boson Blues wallowed in its own intensity whilst the story-like agitation of Sad Waters was laid bear with Cave at the piano. He explored extremes of emotion in the vulnerable Love Letter whilst his band stepped it up when necessary with the stabbing violence of From Her To Eternity and the sheer power of Jack The Ripper. Most impressive of all though was the power of Cave’s voice which ripped through the passion of Up Jumped The Devil and was positively mesmerising in the set highlight The Ship Song.

Cave clearly relished this more intimate than usual show as much as his audience, all of whom stood by the end.