Saturday, October 27, 2018

Culture: Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds @ Barclays Center New York

(Drivebycuriosity) - Yesterday I had the pleasure to watch a performance by "Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds". The Australian and his band played in the huge Barclays Center in Brooklyn, New York. It was the first time that I saw this band live - two percussionists, 2 guitarists and a multi-instrument player (guitar, flute, keyboards) -  but I knew many of their songs of course.

Over about 2 hours they delivered a variety of songs & styles - referring to an oeuvre they had amassed in more than 3 decades - , but they stayed on the dark and goth side, which was amplified by Nick´s unique deep voice and singing style. Some of the softer songs where a bit too kitschy for my taste, but I was compensated by the violent parts. Some pieces were rough & industrial, mixing grunge & metal and escalating into fierce sound explosions - and the huge screen behind them showed palms battered by a Typhoon.



Nick is a charismatic entertainer, a kind of cult leader. Like a snake charmer - in a good sense - he enjoys orchestrating the crowd and almost creates a symbiotic relationship with his audience. In the middle of the concert he squeezed through the mass to a little extra stage and performed there in the center of the crowd. In the final part of the show a part of the audience was invited up on stage where they danced or just sat around him -  seemingly worshiping the master. 

Thank you Nick Cave & Bad Seeds for this fascinating show!

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