The opulent surrounds of Her Majesty's Theatre are the setting for the debut London performance of Nick Cave's latest opus Push The Sky Away.
A return to the slower tempos of The Boatman’s Call and similar confections the current album contrasts sharply with the grizzly swagger of previous outing Dig, Lazarus, Dig!!!
Staying true to the running order of the long-player the show opens with the beguiling strains of ‘We No Who U R’ and follows the course of the album, as Cave explains to adhere to the narrative and flow of the collection. In addition, a string section and children’s choir are employed to recreate its lush atmospherics.
The consummate frontman, he transitions seamlessly from wistful troubador delivering intense, passionate vocals on somber outings to a flamboyant Mephistophelian zealot bounding around the stage possessed by the rhythmic ebb and flow on more raucous numbers.
Always a commanding presence, Cave asserts his seniority frequently by directing the sound engineer and signalling to the musicians, these songs as live entities are in their infancy and their creator is making sure they stay true to his vision.
A pleasant surprise on the evening is the presence of former Bad Seed Barry Adamson filling in for absent drummer Thomas Wydler, his stellar contribution also includes vocals and keyboards. Outstanding amongst the new material is ‘Jubilee Street’, a song so complete and resonant in form that it is sure to rank amongst the Seeds' classics in time.
The second part of the show comprises a greatest hits set which revisits the past glories of ‘From Her To Eternity’, ‘The Ship Song’ (one of many occasions where keyboardist Conway Savage shines), ‘Deanna’ and ‘Your Funeral, My Trial’ amongst others. An explosive ‘Stagger Lee’ serves as a euphoric encore.
As with all Bad Seeds shows the night comes as close to a religious experience any atheist will encounter…