Live Review: Conversations With Nick Cave

As we wait in the queue that starts at Melbourne Town Hall's entrance and snakes around the corner into Collins Street all the way up to the Athenaeum, we wonder how all these ticketholders will be processed and seated between the advertised 6.30pm doors open time and 7pm showtime. Exchanging tales of first Birthday Party/Bad Seeds gigs attended and close encounters with Nick Cave helps pass the time and soon we're queuing up again to purchase Red Hand Files tea towels at the merch (even though Red Hand Files hand towels would be even better!). 

The doors close, house lights dim and Cave can be heard performing Steve McQueen ("Because someone’s gotta sing the stars/And someone’s gotta sing the rain/And someone’s gotta sing the blood/And someone’s gotta sing the pain") in the darkness. As we applaud, the stage lights illuminate and we see Cave, sitting at the piano surrounded by seated patrons/disciples up on stage. The Melbourne Town Hall Grand Organ makes a perfect backdrop for Cave's gothic style and The Ship Song follows, greeted by quiet reverence.

Then the house lights are brought in and latecomers are admitted. We suspect Cave detests latecomers and half-expect they'll be chastised. These in-conversation shows are an extension of The Red Hand Files website, which Cave created to answer the questions of fans. On this website Cave writes, "You can ask me anything. There will be no moderator. This will be between you and me. Let's see what happens. Much love, Nick." 

Cave directs our attention to the lightsaber-wielding assistants around the hall and instructs us to raise our hands if we wish to ask a question so that microphones can be distributed. He asks audience members not to film this show, requesting that we put our phones away, because people asking questions shouldn't fear winding up on the internet. 

While he speaks, Cave often paces the width of the stage in lengthy strides that show off the cut his immaculate three-piece suit and black leather shoes polished to perfection - he could even look down and catch his own reflection. Some questions have already been covered on The Red Hand Files, but Cave still answers these after noting, "And I've spoken about this many times".

He also occasionally (and hilariously) answers closed questions with an abrupt "no" or "yes" before relenting and offering up more information. Some super-fans can't resist announcing how many times they've seen Cave live/their loyalty before asking a question. Others ask more than one question and we wish the lightsaber-wielders would retrieve mics straight away.

There are a few Warren Ellis-related questions and Cave says that while he was recording Murder Ballads in Melbourne he caught a Dirty Three show at a pub and was so impressed that he approached Ellis afterwards to ask him to join the band. Ellis informed Cave that he'd already played on the last record. Cave then admits Ellis challenges him as a songwriter and a musician.

One question about recording with Johnny Cash leads to Cave proclaiming, "It doesn't matter what anyone says anymore, Johnny Cash recorded one of my songs [The Mercy Seat]." Cave impersonates an extremely ill, almost-blind Cash staggering into the LA studio a little bit late, "Are you there, Nick?" adding that The Man In Black then completely transformed, almost on a cellular level, once he sat down to sing. 

Cave's deft, percussive piano strikes, which open and close The Mercy Seat, make us flinch such is their vigour. "Even though my songs are sad, I'm in the business of joy," Cave later proclaims. 

There are moments of hilarity such as when Cave corrects the pronunciation of "ass" (not "arse") during a question about his book And The Ass Saw The Angel - "there's a difference and in fact it makes a helluva difference". "I'm sorry it was so hard to read," Cave apologises, adding he wishes someone would make it into a film. Another lovely moment occurs when an Irish fellow among the onstage congregation, who admits to having flown here for the opportunity to see this show after already seeing it elsewhere, asks Cave whether he does yoga or meditates because we've already lost David Bowie and Johnny Cash, and we don't wanna lose Cave. Cave wanders over and gives this fan a hug before admitting he doesn't do any exercise at all, however, he meditates and has done for about five years.

"I've seen concerts that have radically changed my life, in an hour," Cave admits, citing seeing The Saints for the first time as an example. 

Also already answered via The Red Hand Files, Cave is asked about the possibility of Grinderman reforming and says he doesn't rule out a 'Grinderman 3' album, musing, "Maybe in another ten years or something; Grinderman will just be so gross!" He then deems questions about politics and tennis off limits.

A lot of audience members lean in and place their heads on each other's shoulders or hold hands during Into My Arms.

After a question about whether he's haunted by the moose any longer, which Cave admits was related to depression, he says he just doesn't have "the stamina" for depression anymore so "kicked the moose out" of his life. Papa Won't Leave You, Henry follows.

Cave praises Andrew Dominik's One More Time With Feeling ("a very, very beautiful film") for having had an incredible healing effect — a gift from Dominik to Cave's family. "It became something we gave to our son," Cave explains. "Something beyond just burying his ashes in the ground." 

Lime Tree Arbour is a punter request, which Cave promises he'll play later. In the event that someone requests a song Cave doesn't think will translate, he simply says, "I can't sing that, no." An older gentleman decides to tell Cave that his daughters think he's "quite sexy for an old boy" and Cave's response is priceless: "Thank you for confirming my suspicions."

Peter Loy, chairman of the group campaigning for a Nick Cave statue in Warracknabeal, stands up to deliver a couple of questions including 'will he attend the unveiling'? Cave stresses as long it's as big as he wants it before agreeing, "Yes, I'll be there. I'll be there cast in bronze." 

Who knew you could just stand up and ask if Cave could sign some of your memorabilia? Or kiss his hand? Another audience member gifts Cave a book of poetry she wrote while grieving that she's since had published. Anything goes tonight.

"It's becoming more difficult these days to write certain songs... But thankfully rock'n'roll seems to have been kind of roped off and still anything still goes within rock'n'roll," Cave observes, noting that this definitely isn't the case with hip hop.

Cave's performance of Higgs Boson Blues dazzles, his upper register steeped in emotion.

When someone asks Cave what his favourite ice cream flavour is, Cave simply responds, "I don't wanna tell you." 

Probably the most exciting revelation from tonight is a Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds update: they've nearly finished a new record! "We've really nearly finished a new record, I would say," Cave divulges, "and it's an amazing thing in my opinion. I'm very, very excited about it." 

One punter goes there and asks how Cave's relationship is with Mick Harvey these days. He reveals they were at the same party on New Year's Eve, had a long chat and really like each on a personal level. It was just that their working relationship became toxic.

Lyrics within Mermaids ("I was the match that would fire up her snatch") remind us of Cave's unique artistry - we cannot imagine another artist on the planet penning these words let alone also getting a children's choir to sing them.

"I behave as if god exists," is ultimately how Cave describes his spirituality.

He concludes proceedings after almost three hours with the exquisite Watching Alice and Skeleton Tree, which is delivered with added fragility. There's inherent intimacy when these songs are performed by Cave solo on piano, but also extra emotional gravitas given we're all acutely aware that "something has ruptured" (Cave's words) his life - the tragic loss of Arthur, one of his twin sons, in 2015. Cave's generosity in sharing details from his specific experience with grief and how he came out the other side is undoubtedly therapeutic for those in the house currently dealing with their own loss.

Post-show, Cave jumps down into the front stalls to sign and pose for selfies and there's a mad rush to the merch desk as punters purchase items for him to sign.

Cave speaks of sentences and phrases shimmering and vibrating together when he knows he's onto something within the creative process and Cave himself shimmers up there on stage tonight. When Cave walks into a room, the whole atmosphere shifts, such is the intensity of his presence. He almost describes himself earlier in the evening while explaining how he regards the Bad Seeds as an Australian band: "That weird humour that Australians have where we don't realise whether we're being funny or not." Cave is utterly hilarious and we're so glad he made it out the other side, permanently changed but ready to embrace all that the next chapter in his life has to offer.