Live Review: Nick Cave

This latest series of Nick Cave concerts promises this country’s favourite, twisted multi-talent performing solo, supported by “a small ensemble of musicians”.

For opener We Real Cool we’re thrilled to witness a smattering of Bad Seeds: bassist Martyn Casey, keyboardist Barry Adamson, drummer Thomas Wydler and Catweazle lookalike/multi-instrumentalist musical genius, Warren Ellis. Cave stalks the vast stage’s apron eyeballing the front rows as fans storm the aisles. “Are you allowed to misbehave?” Cave enquires, before announcing, “You have my permission.” Seated in profile at the piano, a position Cave adopts for the majority of the evening, The Weeping Song is performed in a lower octave than we are used to.

Visibility isn’t awesome at this venue when the stalls are upstanding and Cave spends so much time seated at the piano that the instrument really could’ve been elevated up on a platform for our viewing pleasure. We suspect someone comes close to feeling Cave up during Red Right Hand (aka the Barossa Valley ad song) when he loses focus and giggles. This snarling beast of a band conjure menacing sounds that replicate thunder and lightning claps – such a terrifying song! Nobody’s Baby Now follows and Cave opines, “It’s a good fucking song, that one. There was something happening in that middle period.” Ellis on violin is unparalleled, enough to make you weep.

A dude yells out, “I LOVE YOU!” and Cave heads over to his admirer, remarks, “You’re cute too,” and then appears to pash him! Cave then tells the punter he should shave off his moustache before adding, “You taste like you just had a curry.” The Prince Of Darkness is in cheeky fine form tonight. He’s a dangerous performer and, as an audience member, you feel as if anything could (and usually does) happen. And who else could sing, “I was the match who would fire up her snatch,” without causing raised brows? While introducing his bandmates, Cave teases: “Warren Ellis. Now he’s cute.”

Cave performs The Ship Song solo on piano and this is one you could play your nan. The wonderfully ramshackle From Her To Eternity (which features in Wim Wenders’ cult 1987 film Wings Of Desire) sees Cave also taking on the role of Musical Director from his piano stool. The untamed, lurching piece showcases Wydler’s drumming to perfection – he’s effortlessly dynamic. After asking us what we wanna hear, Cave hilariously responds to each yelled out request: “Can’t do that”, “Not gonna do that”, “Let’s do something nobody wants to hear”. God Is In The House, alright! The Mercy Seat’s lyrics prove extra harrowing as spat out by Cave accompanying himself on piano and he really is a masterful lyricist: “Foetus on a leash” being a particularly visually disturbing example.

The encore spotlights Cave’s diverse catalogue (from Jack The Ripper to Into My Arms), his extraordinary storytelling ability and habit of simultaneously seducing and terrifying – you really wanna go there, but also fear for your safety/mental stability. The Lyre Of Orpheus is more disturbing than your nightmares after an episode of American Horror Story: Freak Show. When an audience member beats Cave to it with an, “Oh mamma!”, Cave ceases the action to point dramatically at the offender, much to our delight.

Cave later chastises another overenthusiastic fan: “Of, for god’s sake! CONTROL yourself, woman!” And then closer Push The Sky Away lulls us back to reality and prepares us for the unenlightened, somnambulistic existences we must now ponder sans Cave.