Missing out on Australian Open tennis finals was worth it for a double dose of Nick Cave in glorious full band mode.
Nick Cave the performer has two distinctive settings that I love equally: a fire-and-brimstone preacher prowling the stage with unhinged punk ferocity, and a subdued, reflective piano man. I’ve seen plenty of the latter at Nick’s intimate, confessional solo shows that I had attended over the last few years, but unbelievably it’s been over a decade since I last saw him with the Bad Seeds. I didn’t realise how much I missed the raw energy, physicality and showmanship until these two weekend gigs, with Nick and the band in impassioned, blistering form and at the top of their game.
I’ve never been to Alexandra Gardens for a concert, and I had no idea what to expect from the crazy erratic Melbourne weather, but it all worked out pretty well. Both nights were mercifully cool, with some rain on Saturday and strong wind on Sunday that made the stage rigging swing, shake and groan menacingly at times. I made it through the gates soon after they opened, and had roughly the same standing spot on both nights, about ten people away from the centre of the stage. General admission shows are a proof that mind over matter (mind over bladder?) actually works.
I was rather thrilled to have Kiwi singer-songwriter Aldous Harding as a supporting act. She wore what I could only describe as black activewear, throwing on a black leather jacket on the chillier Sunday night, and she continued to be the oddest creature I’ve ever seen perform. Her eccentric, somewhat awkward stage presence and minimal banter is probably not for everyone, but people next to me were quite charmed, with one lady declaring her a “quirky little darling”. Flanked by keyboard, clarinet and guitar players, Harding’s chameleonic vocals were spot on as she played a short and sweet selection of her unique take on folk.
Finally, Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds! As always, the man himself was immaculately attired in a suit and tie, and patent leather loafers (mind boggles at the notion of Nick Cave in activewear). The ever-revolving Bad Seeds ensemble included Radiohead’s Colin Greenwood and the great Warren Ellis, a dark, shambolic presence in the corner, looking a bit like debauched Karl Marx. There was also a splendid four-person gospel choir, which made me hope for more songs from the choir-heavy Abattoir Blues / The Lyre of Orpheus, one of my personal faves, but alas only the majestic O Children made the cut.
For a godless atheist like myself, a music concert is probably the closest thing to a transcendent religious experience, and Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds definitely take me there. It didn’t hurt that Nick spent a lot of time on walkway at the front of the stage, preaching fervently to the faithful, reaching out to clasp hands, launching himself onto them, urging the crowd to clap and sing along. His sardonic sense of humour and energy never flagged, even on the Sunday night when he visibly struggled with a cold (prompting an audience member to present Nick with a banana of all things, which he handed over to Warren).
Frogs from Wild God kicked off the show in an ecstatic fashion, and all but one song off the new album made it into the setlist; this was no nostalgic tour. I love the entire album, but the elegant Long Dark Night and Cinnamon Horses were the live highlights for me. I Need You off Skeleton Tree, performed with a close-up of Cave’s face on the big screen, was an emotional gut punch, with screen fading to black as Nick chanted, just breathe just breathe just breathe just breathe.
There were also audience favourites and deep cuts like Tupelo, Red Right Hand, From Her to Eternity and The Mercy Seat. The main set closed with White Elephant off Carnage, Cave/Ellis collaboration that I shamefully still don’t own. Live, it’s transformed into a growling, stomping beast of a song that almost made me forget missing Stagger Lee. At the very end, the gorgeous back-up singers made their way to the front, dazzling the audience with their smiles and silvery robes.
The only setlist variation between two nights happened at the start of the encore. On Saturday, O Wow O Wow (How Wonderful She Is) was dedicated to Anita Lane, a former flame and a one-time Bad Seeds member. On Sunday, Nick dedicated Wide Lovely Eyes to his wife, explaining that she asked him to play it because it is about her. I might have wished for a few more different songs thrown in, but I felt like I had nothing to complain about.
The rest of the very long farewell was pure Bad Seeds gold: raucous Papa Won’t Leave You, Henry; The Weeping Song; Henry Lee with one of the back-up ladies providing her powerful vocals to the duet. Nick movingly introduced Skeleton Tree by saying that the darkness once present in this song, written during a difficult personal period, has since disappeared. Shivers, The Boys Next Door cover I first heard at Nick’s solo show a couple of years ago, also made an appearance.
The shows ended in the best way imaginable, with the quiet sounds of Into My Arms, surely one of the most beautiful love songs of all time, with Nick inviting the audience to sing the final words together. A perfect finish to a couple of amazing nights.
P.S. The only disappointment was the merch, way too minimalist for my taste even if it does match the simple visuals used during the show. I’m willing to pay for an overpriced T-shirt, but not when all it has to show is some basic typography.
P.P.S. Though the crowd was predictably middle-aged and upwards, it was nice to spot a few young ones, including parents with teenage kids.
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