First up were Black Country New Road who provided a very eclectic and intricate, start to the evening blending their avant-garde soundscapes with deeply personal performances. They bring an understated but deeply engaging presence to the stage. They were spread across the front of the arena stage however the individual skills of the musicians created a remarkable sound.
The arena audience were enjoying their performance with the band’s technical prowess is undeniable. Each member contributes to a tapestry of sound that feels meticulously crafted yet spontaneous. From Lewis Evans’ soulful saxophone to Georgia Ellery’s haunting violin and vocals worked really well with May Kershaw’s vocals and keyboard playing. A rather gentle and enjoyable start to proceedings.
Like most of us who have regularly attending gigs over the years occasionally you witness something extraordinary. A Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds gig is a 2 and ½ hour experience, marked by raw emotion, energy, expert musicianship and an intense connection between the band and their audience.
The evening relied heavily on their stunning new album Wild God, kicking off with a trio of songs from it – Frogs, Wild God – at the end of which Cave exclaimed “Fuck Birmingham” to the exclaim of the assembled masses followed by Song Of The Lake.
Cave was already breaking the traditional performer-audience fourth wall barrier, stepping into the crowd and grabbing hands.
Next was – O Children- which feature the irrepressible Warren Ellis with a jaw-dropping violin solo. Then onto the stunning Jubilee Street followed by something from their first album From Her to Eternity
The rest of the band are stunning with drummer is Larry Mullins, (aka Toby Dammit), from the experimental post-rock band, Swans, and former member of The Stooges. Radiohead’s Colin Greenwood grounds the set on bass, replacing Bad Seeds bass player Martyn Casey, who was unable to tour. While Big Jim Sclavunos stands directly behind Cave, silhouetted by the gospel singers’ glittering robes, bashing away at his tubular bells. We are then back to the new album with Long Dark Night -Cinnamon Horses and the stunning Conversion.
The songs were interspersed with Cave regaling us with stories and his ability to channel personal tragedy into a shared, redemptive experience resonated powerfully. His solo version of I Need You was incredible, then a powerful version of the Cave / Ellis song Carnage followed then a real highlight of the evening Red Right Hand with the set ending with another Cave/Ellis song – White Elephant. The noise in the bp pulse live arena was deafening with them returning for new song O Wow O Wow, then Papa Won’t Leave You, Henry and The Weeping Song before the evening ended with Cave doing a solo version of the stunning Into My Arms.
Few live acts can match the emotional depth and sheer brilliance of a Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds performance. Attending one of his shows should be on everyone’s bucket list…
