Nick comes home

Nick Cave Homecoming

by Tim Cashmere

24 May 2005

Melbourne-born Nick Cave made another triumphant return to his hometown* late last week. After a special Thursday night show at the Melbourne town hall, fans packed into West Melbourne's own musical barn Festival Hall were hot with anticipation.

While his last tour in late 2003 saw a set spread out over much more of his career, this time around the strength of his latest double disc epic 'Abattoir Blues/The Lyre of Orpheus'

It was almost universally agreed by general audience post-gig conversation that 'The Mercy Seat' was the highlight, with two drummers pounding out a powerful version that started closer to Johnny Cash's cover of the song than the original.

'Babe You Turn Me On' was dedicated to his wife in one of the few times he said more than "thank you" to the audience.

The set ended in the second encore with 'Stagger Lee' from 1996's "Murder Ballads" album on an angry and aggressive note. (How many profanities can one song contain!?)

Cave after three decades in the music business is at his peak right now. While some people won't let go of the past (which admittedly had some brilliant moments) his current work is just as poetic with thirty years of experience to arrange the band with.

*although he has not been based in Melbourne for many years, we still claim him as our own.


The set list from Friday night's show was:

Messiah Ward - From Abbatoir Blues/The Lyre of Orpheus (2004)
Get Ready For Love - From Abbatoir Blues/The Lyre of Orpheus (2004)
Red Right Hand - From Let Love In (1994)
Deanna - From Tender Prey (1988)
Hiding All Away - From Abbatoir Blues/The Lyre of Orpheus (2004)
Easy Money - From Abbatoir Blues/The Lyre of Orpheus (2004)
Supernatural - From Abbatoir Blues/The Lyre of Orpheus (2004)
Do You Love Me? - From Let Love In (1994)
The Weeping Song - From The Good Son (1990)
Breathless - From Abbatoir Blues/The Lyre of Orpheus (2004)
Babe You Turn Me On - From Abbatoir Blues/The Lyre of Orpheus (2004)
The Mercy Seat - From Tender Prey (1988)
O Children - From Abbatoir Blues/The Lyre of Orpheus (2004)
There She Goes My Beautiful World - From Abbatoir Blues/The Lyre of Orpheus (2004)
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Darker With The Day - From No More Shall We Part (2001)
Come Into My Sleep - From B-Sides and Rarities (2005)
God Is In The House - From No More Shall We Part (2001)
City of Refuge - From Tender Prey (1988)
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Abbatoir Blues - From Abbatoir Blues/The Lyre of Orpheus (2004)
Stagger Lee - From Murder Ballads (1996)