| Doors: 6 pm | Show: 8.30 pm | Tickets: 50.00 EUR plus fees | sold out |

With my voice
I am calling you

In November 2013 a magic double feature happened: NICK CAVE & THE BAD SEEDS at the Mitsubishi Electric Hall Düsseldorf, Germany, and a few days later Sigur Rós at the same place, shows that both made it up to my top five live events of all times. Four years later, we are back at the Mitsubishi Electric Hall for another NICK CAVE & THE BAD SEEDS show (with Sigur Rós following the very next day, just in Cologne this time).
No need to mention how I excited I was and how much looking forward to this show ;)

Nevertheless, even the most devoted fan might have had approached the current tour with a certain degree of concern. Despite the many up and downs in his life and career, the last two years would be the blackest ones for NICK CAVE as he has to mourn the loss of his 15 years old boy Arthur. He tried to come to terms with his grief and suffering by submerging himself into the creation of a new record called Skeleton Tree, which didn’t work out for him as he told in the documentary One More Time With Feeling a little later. And so, Skeleton Tree sounds utterly broken and devastatingly sad, sung by a broken man with a broken voice. Listening to Skeleton Tree is truly painful. Even more, if one has experienced a similar loss in life. Concerns, if and how much this tragedy would have an impact on his shows were surely allowed. I actually wouldn’t have wondered if Cave would have stopped playing (bigger) tours at all. At the end, he and his chums met the fans in a completely different and a much surprising way. “I want the shows to be uplifting and inspiring and for people to walk away feeling better than when they came, not some sort of empathetic contagion that goes through the crowd and people walk out feeling like shit,” Cave recently told the Guardian.

Compared to the show in 2013, the :: Mitsubishi Electric Hall :: was completely sold out. Around 7000 fans queued and tried to get the best places inside, as the hall was partly seated. Me, I and myself was a lucky one to get into the front of stage area, the best place to be as it would appear a little later ;) As for that, same conditions as in 2013: no photo pass, and those who got one got the same shitty situation as in 2013. No mobile photos allowed either. Nevermind! Oh, and no support act this time.

With the usual 30 minutes delay, the heartbreaking Three Seasons In Wyoming from the Wind River soundtrack marked the beginning of the show – the perfect introduction for the first song trio taken from Skeleton Tree. Under thunderous applause, :: NICK CAVE & THE BAD SEEDS :: went onto a blue light bathed stage and kicked off rather contemplative with Anthrocene, with Cave, who just turned 60, sitting on a bar stool. The following Jesus Alone immediately crept under my skin and made me burst into tears due to its lyrics, while NICK CAVE started to walk around. And also Magneto did not hint at what would happen next.
Suddenly, perfectly suiting the Higgs Boson Blues, the quiet undertones were over. With a furious and powerful sound NICK CAVE & THE BAD SEEDS celebrated pure life. Cave got physical with the front rows, standing up on the crowd barrier, leaning continually into the audience, hold tightly by the fans while inviting them: „Can you feel my heartbeat, can you feel my heartbeat“. My favorite song from Push The Sky Away.
This was truly one of the most emotional and soul-touching moments of the show. And this intimacy of a sweat-drenched club show, expanded exponentially without losing a drop of potency. Excellent dramaturgy of the show. Dynamics, power and pace were increasing step by step, powering up to a highly energetic peak and finding its thankfully accepted salvation at the end of the show. And this show couldn’t have been livelier, more energetic, more positive, and life-affirming. And hardly closer to the fans. If he wasn’t darting from one side of the stage to the other Cave was among his fans, always seeking their closeness. This show was truly a statement, a fiery appeal for life. Bright and powerful. Wow!
And NICK CAVE was always good for a witty response to hecklers from the crowd when it came to expressions of love or song requests. Contrary to that, the crowd’s choir during Into My Arms was pretty lame. Hello Düsseldorf, did you sleep?
Except for one song the entire Skeleton Tree album was played, including Distant Sky, with Danish soprano singer Else Torp audibly and visually present. Of course, the set was garnished with many classics. All tracks were newly interpreted, supported by a powerful and gruff sound. Though, I noticed how much I like the experimental or even Avant-garde-like note in songs such as Tupelo and Red Right Hand and how much I miss that in newer material.

Sure, everything on this show was revolving around NICK CAVE himself. But also Warren Ellis had his moments, when he spectacularly rocked his violin and threw the bow into the nowhere. A sporty evening for his stage hands ;) Also Mr. Jim Sclavunos on the xylophone knew how to rock out ;) The rest of the band remained more or less stoic.

After the title track of the new album was played, the main set ended. For a short moment. Fans tumultuous screamed and shouted for more, calling the band back on stage a few minutes later. And exactly here, during Weeping Song, the show reached its climax. NICK CAVE jumped into the audience and made a ceremonial walk through them towards the next barrier. He shook hands and was given pats on the back. And suddenly NICK CAVE stood next to me and started climbing on the barrier. He gave the micro to a fan and started clapping his hands in time, snapped the micro, sang, gave it back and clapped hands again. A girl next to me, who’s hand Cave kissed, burst into tears and couldn’t be soothed anymore. Right after, heaps of fans walked onto stage for Stagger Lee, with one single fan intonating most parts of the lyrics, before the elegiac Push The Sky Away finally concluded us.

What a memorable show! Every moment seared. Forever. Highly emotional, touching, unexpectedly lively, thrilling and uplifting. It was an incredible concert evening. Highlight of the year (but only for one day, then they have to share the throne with Sigur Rós). A magical night and a lesson in life. I left in awe…

In love, in love, in love you laugh
In love you move, I move
and one more time with feeling
For love, you love, I laugh, you love
Saw you in heart
and the stars are splashed across the ceiling

Setlist: Three Seasons In Wyoming (Wind River OST), Anthrocene, Jesus Alone, Magneto, Higgs Boson Blues, From Her To Eternity, Tupelo, Jubilee Street, The Ship Song, Into My Arms, Girl In Amber, I Need You, Red Right Hand, The Mercy Seat, Distant Sky, Skeleton Tree // The Weeping Song, Stagger Lee, Push The Sky Away

story & pics © Dajana & Dajana Winkel • Photography