Yahoo! Music Review

Gig played on 09/05/08

Nick Cave is in an odd place these days. To many he remains the 'Grandfather Of Goth', 'Minister Of The Macabre', and other alliterative epithets that add up to "has mastered dark and broody for the dispossessed". Yet he's also treated songwriting as a nine-to-five job for years now, "Dig! Lazarus, Dig!" is his highest-charting record yet, and he has to reconcile an image with those office hours, a knowing wit and clear self-consciousness.

Patently obvious is that 2007's Grinderman project reinvigorated Cave's love of jugular-aimed garage rock. "Get ready to shield yourself", we're warned as he charges out to "Lazarus"'s "Night Of The Lotus Eaters", the riding crop he brandished years ago replaced with a tambourine, though the way he harangues the crowd - one moment hobbling like a crippled preacher, the next hopping like a sex pest - it's wielded no less threateningly. But as "Lazarus"'s glitzy, Vegas-style sleeve roatates in the background during the title track and Cave offers Elvis-like "thank yous" between each song, you have to wonder whether artificiality is beginning to win out.

Musically, things don't let up for "Tupelo", a song which has had to wait 13 years for Cave's voice to be as strong as it is tonight, before fully revealing its fearful glory. "That was f*cking good", he agrees with the cheers, revealing Nick-as-narcissist. Elsewhere, among the "Lazarus"-heavy set, Cave reaches back for "Red Right Hand", "Papa Won't Leave You Henry" and "Deanna". Given the emphasis on violent dynamics (at times the Bad Seeds sound like The Doors would if they started today and had a decent grasp on storytelling), there isn't much room for ballads. Even "Hold On To Yourself" isn't treated so much gently, as it is just plain unnerving.

Introducing "We Call Upon The Author", Cave warns, "This song has got everything in it. It's huge. Be attentive, be receptive and f*ck you," while the Bad Seeds mix their funkiest breakdown with the most raucous rock of the night, making two things apparent: multi-instrumentalist Warren Ellis, on his knees, pounding out this song through effects pedals, could almost steal the show from Cave. Secondly, they should have made "Lazarus" a live album to begin with. On tonight's evidence, it could have matched MC5's debut.

With Cave stepping out in one of his own t-shirts for the encore, pushing the merchandise to compensate for those who "f*cking illegally download the records", we're distanced once again. Is he laughing at us? Or just those that don't get it? Would he rather be at the office writing more darkness to sell? Maybe it's been in "Red Right Hand" all along: to many here, he is a god or guru. But really he's just a man. And we've all got kids to feed.

by Jason Draper