Nick Cave and The Bad Seeds

Do You Love ME? What a better question to an audience celebrating an holy ceremony? Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds live are more than a concert experience, and if your next Nick Cave's concert is not the first, you know what I'm talking about. It's not important how loud or intimate the last Nick's studio album was: the live side of the Men with the Red Right Hand is hypnotic, wild and terrific at the same time. You will jump into the whirlwind of emotions after the first note, and the violin of Warren Ellis more than any other instrument (except for Mr. Cave's voice) will take you on the banks of the river "where the wild roses grove"...and, listen to me: look at your back!

There are few musicians who can sincerely claim to have had as much impact on alternative music as Nick Cave. The veteran frontman began plying his trade with The Birthday Party in the late 70s and today still remains one of the most respected men in rock. With a career spanning 30 years, and 22 albums, witnessing a Nick Cave show is truly like watching a master at work. One of the most striking elements of Cave’s music is his lyrics. Often with great modern songwriters such as Morrissey or Alex Turner, it is said that their lyrics could be poetry recited to music. That's not the case here; Nick Cave is a master of writing lyrics as lyrics should be. They immediately strike you, but as you continue to listen they develop into something greater: whether it's a devil or a joke there's always something going on in those words, always something poking its head out from in-between the lines. Another thing that makes Cave so exciting as an artist is his versatility, often reinvigorating classical song-writing structures by making them his own: whether it’s the gorgeous piano-ballads on "The Boatman's Call" or the pent-up punk of songs such as Grinderman's "No Pussy Blues."
Characterized by Cave’s deep and melodic style of singing; he writes brilliantly stark, apocalyptic odes to love and human nature, so often accompanied by a deliciously post-modern twist of his hip and his signature deprecating humor. However Cave has not built his legacy on lyrics alone, having worked side-by-side with the likes of Warren Ellis and Roland S Howard, Cave’s songs are set to astounding soundtracks and examples of superb musicianship.
Today, many people claim that the concept of a “frontman” is dead. Admittedly, there are some who have tried to revive the idea. But while at times the often Butlins-esque showmanship of these coiffed pretenders may satisfy, you haven't seen how a true frontman does it until you've seen the Black Duke strut his stuff all over your apprehensively pre-conceived sense of dignity. From climbing into a crowd and demanding that some "hatted motherf***er" make a request, before performing a perfect rendition of a decade-old B-side (as well as his greatest hits,) to screaming every word of the hormone-fueled, sounds-like-a-Tarantino-wet-dream death-blues of “Stagger Lee” into the eyes of an adoring female fan: there's never a dull moment. If this all sounds a little too niche, not to fear, Cave understands his audiences and the out-and-out entertainer, whether it’s at a festival or a theater, never ceases to entertain. Watching Nick Cave is watching a man who has come through everything that being an artist can throw at you, with his sense-of-humor and passion for performance still in check. His shows are little individual masterpieces, never the same and always exciting. He crafts his songs in front of you, etching out the nuances of every grandiose ballad, anthemic rock song or terrifying piece of social commentary. If you haven’t seen him already, do so: if you have, see him again.