Download: Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds ‘Bring It On’

(from Nocturama on Anti)

Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds delivered a sermon of gospel-drenched crunch-boogid and electrified power to a suddenly saved crowd of Angelenos. From the opening notes of “Night Of The Lotus Eaters,” it was clear that the electric-mandolin-wielding Rasputin doppelganger usually known as Warren Ellis was given free range to unleash feedback freakouts, scratchy blues riffs, and demonic-sounding samples of reconstructed chaos. Ellis has actually developed into a compelling second front man, and though his gyrations seem out of control, they’re actually quite purposefully and beautifully chaotic. During “We Call Upon The Author,” he got on the ground and frantically pawed at all of his effects pedals, unleashing a sleazy porno-funk breakdown. However, the real showman last night was Cave, with his slicked-back hair that made even baldness look bad-ass and a mustache that puts Will Ferrell’s Anchorman ’stache to shame, and of course that dapper suit. As he prowled the stage, his arms moved like two cobras flailing to find a victim and his fiery eyes searched for hungry souls. During “Deanna” he touched the audience’s hands like an evangelical healer. The rest of the Bad Seeds held their own, too, and seemed intent on adding raw power to every song played. It’s clear that Cave and Ellis did not exorcise all of their demons during 2007’s Grinderman disc—instead, they amplified them, and recruited the rest of the Bad Seeds to spread their message. For having so many instruments and musicians on stage—most of the songs had two drummers—the sound was amazingly clear and balanced. The setlist ran the spectrum from old songs like “Tupelo” and “The Mercy Seat” to a majority of tracks from the recent Dig Lazarus Dig!!! Only a few ballad-like songs were played and even they had added power. They ended with “Stagger Lee” and when the lights faded, sinners and saints alike left with looks of satisfied pleasure on their faces.

—Eric Claesson