Review
Review
Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds at O2 Arena, 08/11/24
Rock's gothic preacher man and his Bad Seeds deliver a triumphant sermon on finding the light after unimaginable loss
Nick Cave’s personal tragedy has become inextricably entwined with his public profile and creative output over the past decade. Albums Skeleton Tree and Ghosteen were heartbreaking, harrowing listens, as the artist waded through the impenetrable smog of grief having lost his son Arthur. On his latest album with the Bad Seeds however, Wild God, Cave has purposefully chosen to embrace hope and happiness.
The prowling preacher man of yesteryear that delivered damning, sinister stories distilled from life’s shadowy corners is no more. Cave has instead evolved into a beacon for love and redemption in the face of unimaginable loss, one whose worldview invites the curiosity of fans – either via his music or those he responds to with his blog The Red Hand Files – who look to him for guidance and wisdom.
At London’s O2 Arena on a bitter November evening, there were nigh on 20,000 fans in attendance to see him deliver a sermon on finding the light, and life’s warmth once more. Wild God may have drawn criticism from some quarters for being a bit too on the nose about Cave’s spiritual leanings, but you’d have to be a real cold customer to begrudge his transformation.
Augmented by Radiohead’s Colin Greenwood on bass for this album and bolstered by backing singers, the Bad Seeds were in triumphant form. Expectedly, the bulk of songs came from Wild God on the night. The band have evidently entered their gospel era – if you can call it that – with songs such as ‘Conversion’, the title track, and ‘Song Of The Lake’ sounding particularly resplendent, their rich instrumentation coupled with Cave’s cries illuminating the cavernous venue. His exuberant foil Warren Ellis flung his violin around maniacally like he was undergoing an exorcism in real time.
The biblical connotations don’t end there. Cave communicates with the audience like a frenzied pastor expounding moral tales – which is now customary at all of his concerts –
who in turn pawed at his buffed black leather loafers, with the luckiest of his acolytes getting the chance to touch his outreaching hand. Some even handed letters to him, in the hopes he’d offer his council at a later date.
Tonight’s concert encompassed the full gamut of emotions. Cave snarled, spat, and kicked his way through the crescendo to the seminal ‘Jubilee Street’, induced goosebumps during the doomsaying ‘Red Right Hand’, conducted a choral sing-a-long of ‘Into My Arms’, and threatened with forceful menace on ‘White Elephant’ from his and Ellis’ 2021 album Carnage as Cave’s face was beamed both through the backdrop and flanking side screens like 1984’s Big Brother.
There were frequent bouts of wry humour too, particularly when Nick noticed a placard stating “suck my dick” in gothic script font, so launched his sweaty towel at it in response. Or when he encouraged an applause for creative conspirator Ellis, who ungraciously lapped up the congratulations by conducting repeated rounds. “The humility…” Nick joked. “He’s shy. Retiring. Broken. Withered… A genius,” which of course started another round of rapturous clapping.
But it’s when Cave is at his most vulnerable, that he is at his most devastating.
The O2 Arena was as still as the dead of night when he performed a solo, soul-crushing rendition of ‘I Need You’ mid-set, the lament to his wife Suzie. Visibly tearful throughout, his gaze fixed onto the sole camera in the spotlight’s solitary strand of light as his despairing delivery of the words, “I need you”, swept through the venue.
Representing the single ray of hope that’s worth grasping for in life’s darkest moments, it was just one enlightening moment in what was a concert of celestial scale that offered hope to everyone watching on.
