Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds

[threeplusfire]

A friend won tickets to the Austin City Limits taping for Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds tonight, and took me along. I'd never seen Nick Cave though he's been on my list for years.

As Racheline put it, that's a tent revival. There's no better way to describe that performance. He's invoking something that lives in the dark with the madness and charisma of terrifying itinerant preachers in dusty, hot places. It was unearthly and more intense than anything I think I've ever seen at a concert. They played a version of the Mercy Seat that was so loud and burning that it almost hurt to breathe. It was incredible. And the vicious, screaming, obscene Stagger Lee - I don't even know how PBS will be able to broadcast that performance. There was also Tupelo, one of my favorites and Push The Sky Away to close the night. Mermaids as well was so gorgeous.

I saw David Bowie in 1996 and for most of my life that has been my answer for the best show I've ever seen. But tonight, I think the crown must pass to Nick Cave who did not ask but demanded.

Comments

[in-thy-bounty.livejournal.com]

"You can say these streets are rivers / you can call these rivers streets"
Man, I love Tupelo.

[tsarina.livejournal.com]

Watching him perform that raised the hair on the back of my neck. It was wild.

[summerain.livejournal.com]

I was at the show on Monday night in New Orleans. Second time I've seen him. Last year I flew up to Chicago to see him play there and that was the night I said now I can die. Nick is demented and superb in a way only that calibre of dark genius can be. I wish you could have seen the 60 odd year old lady writhing, clutching her hands to her head as he screamed The Mercy Seat. That's what he does to people.

[tsarina.livejournal.com]

Yeah. For real.

[summerain.livejournal.com]

This lady and Nick's shadow on the wall.