It just wasn't the right venue.

Nick Cave at the Sidney Myer Music Bowl. It sounds promising: brimstone and noise under the stars. But there were two problems with the venue.

First: the sound. Concrete and steel + really loud music = harsh piercing trebles.

This was at its worst during the support acts Neko Case (maudlin alt-country, really loud crooning) and Chris Bailey (acoustic, looking foppish and old and drunk). By the time Calexeco started (Tex-Mex, complete with trumpet section and maracas), the venue had filled, and all those squishy human bodies helped soak up at least some of the noise.


The Bad Seeds sauntered on stage about 9:20, Nick Cave besuited and lanky behind them. The crowd stood up. Cheered wildly. And then sat back down again.

Which is the second problem with the venue: designated seating.

Rock and roll is not a spectator sport. You're not supposed to sit there politely while Nick Cave screeches out "Red Right Hand". But that's what the audience did.

The setlist didn’t help. Cave opened with a slow "Wonderful Life", kicked out aforementioned brimstone and noise for "Red Right Hand" and "West Country Girl", dropped back to another ballad, and veered erratically between the two all night. My secret suspicion is that Cave is getting on, and needs to pace himself these days. But it meant there was no building up of mood.

Don’t get me wrong. Nick Cave still has it. When the Bad Seeds play wall of noise, the earth shakes and the heavens cower in fear.

Unfortunately, the audience just sat there.

It was only towards the end of the main set that matters improved. A security guard tried to lead away a girl who was dancing in front of the stage. Nick Cave reached down and stopped him. Massive cheering, and then the crowds flooded down the aisles to dance, while fear-eyed security tried to contain them.

And after that, we finally got some atmosphere.


In summary: Nick Cave can still kick hard. He just doesn’t kick often or consistently enough. And the venue was against him.

And it just wasn’t as good at the gig at the Forum last year.

(You should probably go read andricongirl’s review for concert anecdotes. Like Nick Cave’s short hair, or Chris Bailey snogging ol’ Nick.)


Setlist (exact song order gets vague towards the middle):
Wonderful Life
Red Right Hand
West Country Girl
Hallelujah
Sad Waters
Tupelo
Bring It On (with Chris Bailey)
Do You Love Me?
Watching Alice
Nobody’s Baby Now
Mercy Seat
Henry Lee
The Singer (dedicated to Johnny Cash)
From Her to Eternity

First encore:
Christina the Astonishing
Into My Arms
Stagger Lee

Second encore:
Deanna
God is in the House