You could tell Nick Cave was up for it straight away on an overcast and relatively cool summer evening: "F...ing Brisbane!"
The Brisbane Showgrounds (27 January) was filled with the alternative crowd you'd come to expect – the type of crowd that is spiritual, but not in your typical way.
For this crowd is awakened to the spirit of Nick Cave, a feeling that cannot be replicated, is hard to define, but unites us all in the way we feel when we hear his music, but most importantly when we see him or even, god forbid, get to touch him.
The aura of Nick Cave is undeniable. Dressed to the nines, a suit, tie and white shirt. His hair immaculate. His loafers shining. Even later, after almost three hours of performance he will still look immaculate. That is why he is our God.
This tour, off the back of his and The Bad Seeds' 'Wild God' album of 2024, their 18th album overall, moves to an arena-style backdrop. Whilst the Brisbane Showgrounds' main arena isn't necessarily a 'real' arena, the performance is arena-like in its scale and its majesty.
Cave asks the audience to be involved throughout the show and to share in the ecstasy of the performance. Because that is what Cave is feeling, that kind of ecstatic rush that only comes from live performance and being with your people.
The first three tracks are all from this new album and immediately, whether you know them word for word or you are just warming into the night, the energy is palpable.
With no fewer than 11 people onstage, including 4 gospel-like backing singers plus The Bad Seeds in all their glory, the production is impeccable, but mostly serves as a powerful support to the all-encompassing focus of Cave himself.
He dashes around the stage and over onto the custom walkway that parades in front of, and into, his adoring crowd. The path from his piano to the front of the stage is well-worn and serves as a small obstacle to where he craves to be, there, touching his brethren in a way that no other performer can.
"Stop touching me there, it's sexual harassment in the workplace!" he exclaims at one point, half-joking, half-serious. In all honesty, it's part of the show, but the real emotion felt by the crowd is also. Grown men cry as he sings 'O Children', the memory of his own echoing around the grounds.
In 'Jubilee Street', the microphone starts to cop it, being tossed erratically behind him as he focuses on the crowd unencumbered, the poor roadies having to search for the discarded weapon on multiple occasions. One wonders if Cave brings his own set to every show.
'From Her To Eternity' sees Cave's tie come off and the pure visceral energy cranked up another notch as he screams: "Cry! Cry! Cry!" Then, as if to let the sweat dry on the skin, Cave settles in at the piano for beautiful renditions of 'Long Dark Night' and 'Cinnamon Horses'.
As 'Tupelo' powered us into the second hour, there was a sense this show had a lot more emotion to come and if you weren't feeling the goosebumps already, the precise beauty of 'Joy' felt like the crowd was holding their breath as Cave sang "and I jumped up like a rabbit and fell down to my knees". The city fell silent, just for that moment and it was gorgeous.
As if to test our mettle, 'I Need You' dragged us further down, ending in the repeat refrain of "just breathe". The whole night felt poignant, scarily relevant and hugely powerful in that moment.
The joyous bell-ring of 'Red Right Hand' brought us to our senses. We sang through it with gusto as well as 'The Mercy Seat' taking us right back 1988, the words powerful in the air from a song that used to end his shows.
'White Elephant' was an interesting choice for the final main set song, but it didn't make it any less impressive before the band, the singers and Cave walked off stage triumphantly, the crowd echoing the "yeah, yeah, yeah!" that Cave would shout out throughout the set.
A heartfelt dedication to Roland S. Howard led into a sublime version of 'Shivers', a song that Howard wrote when he was 16 and is part of The Boys Next Door legacy. Cave, for the first time in the night, almost faltered, fudging the lyrics at one point and appearing moved to sing the song live, a song which has only been included in the set list over the last year.
Then, the finale. The last five songs were pure Nick Cave and The Bad Seeds – a celebration of an act that endures long after many have fallen. Songs that stand the test of time.
'Papa Won't Leave You, Henry', 'The Weeping Song' and 'Henry Lee' were all in there and then a beautiful surprise of 'Skeleton Tree'. It's a song that Nick has learnt to see the beauty in, despite not playing for years; he says he has now realised it has "lost it's darkness".
The band said their final goodbyes, Nick thanked the audience and then he sat down at the piano. One more song and one more chance for the audience to indulge, and for Cave to bring us along for the ride.
'Into My Arms' is a song that every Australian should see live at least once. A pure classic, a gorgeously penned love story that has stood the test of time and will continue to. The crowd sang passionately, Nick seemed visibly touched and he stood up, told us we were beautiful and walked off.
A night spent with Nick Cave and The Bad Seeds is one of the best nights you can have, and to spend almost three hours with him is a treat that can't be understated. Until next time, we will continue to worship our 'Wild God'.
