the big headline act at this all tomorrows parties festival in 2009
the climax to a full day of many various acts curated by this band
which basically means they got to pick the artists appearing prior
things are cranked up significantly for the main man and his band
there's an impressive light show and volume is up significantly
to hell with the neighbours across the water in their harbourside homes
it's been about 15 years i reckon since i last saw nick cave and co in concert
he's a relative old-timer now so it will be interesting to see if this act has aged well
first impressions are almost over-whelming in the scale of the stageshow
this is one big presentation with all guns blazing from the word go
nick cave displaying all the energy he is known for in the live mode
constantly on the move with all the unique gestures he has made his own
looking very dapper and comfortable in his tailored 2 piece suit
latest member warren ellis on violin now his main foil on stage
this very hirsute musician playing like a man possessed
the 2 of them hard at it and literally bouncing off each other
leaving the rest of the band to concentrate on doing their jobs
the crowd lapping it up and loving this quite incredible setting
after a very hot day it's a still and balmy night that we are enjoying
the sound probably carrying well into the nearby suburbs and beyond
and what a sound - faultless production matching the big time light show
the latest album gets a healthy airing including title track dig lazarus dig
this tune translating brilliantly live and probably a highlight of the set
then there's the classics - tupelo, deanna, the weeping song, the good son
all sounding as fresh as the new material - maybe it's the ellis factor
or else simply because nick cave is now the consummate performer
knows how to put on a show and has the musicians and material for that
the only disappointment being the lack of banter between tunes
the one time he tried for that he got himself surprisingly tongue-tied
and so no more - the music does the talking and the crowd ok with that
i lost track of the time (a good sign) but it would have been close to 2 hours
a strange eeriness of silence in the night air as the applause waned
the end to a day of great music in perfect conditions for a large crowd
most now in very long queues for the ferries back to the real world
me - thought about hanging around to see the reformed reels
but memories of 2 other reformed 80's act still uppermost in mind
and not wanting to spoil that so a wandering i went on the island
through long abandoned tunnels and a dj set in a darkened shed
stumbling across another ferry departure point not known by many
straight onto the waiting boat and off we went on the return journey
standing on the bow with the warm wind blowing into the face
...i am the king of the world - well not quite but otherwise sated
get the impression we now have another annual music event
the gauntlet well and truly thrown by cave and seeds
