Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds

Hometown hero Nick Cave headed to Brighton’s Preston Park with The Bad Seeds for a UK-exclusive performance. The Australian has lived in Brighton since the turn of the century and has become synonymous with the city. His Preston Park show was one of the largest Brighton has ever seen — falling short only of Fatboy Slim’s legendary Big Beach Boutique. That morning, Cave graced local record shop Resident with a secret set from its rooftop before the main event.

The day in the park featured great support acts, starting with Warmduscher and their deep, sleazy, synthy rhythms. Despite the sweltering heat, some couldn’t help but mosh — much to the displeasure of many who had rushed to the barrier to secure a good spot for later. But the presence of a full-scale pit by the time the band played ‘I Got Friends’ made it clear that the vast majority were there to have fun.

More downtempo than the previous act, Cate Le Bon’s gentle melodies relaxed the audience in a slow, summery daze led by her beautiful voice. 2024 Mercury Prize winners English Teacher followed, their melodic indie featuring cello and keys for a dramatic touch alongside the guitars you’d expect.

The Flaming Lips were bizarre and brilliant. Frontman Wayne Coyne was extremely interactive with the audience and was eccentric yet spectacular in the way he performed. Amongst confetti and gigantic balloons that bounced above the crowd, the band were musically on point. Coyne led a singalong to ‘The Yeah Yeah Yeah Song’, accompanied by AJ Slaughter’s harmonies run through a talk box. Crazy outfits and inflatables dominated the stage, so much so that it often took a moment to snap back to the reality of the virtuosity within the chaos. Closing with their biggest hit ‘Do You Realize??’, The Flaming Lips galvanised the audience who cheered for the headline performance.

In a two-and-a-half-hour showstopper of a set, Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds played hit after hit. The busy stage featured a large band — an array of percussion and backing singers alongside longtime collaborator Warren Ellis and Radiohead bassist Colin Greenwood. Cave’s gothic rock was moody and slick, accompanying his larger-than-life stage presence perfectly. He performed in epic fashion, striding up close and personal above the crowd along a platform attached to the barrier, as well as venturing out further to stand on audience members’ shoulders. His strong voice matched the booming backing music, and though each song was a huge singalong, everything revolved directly around the frontman. Then came a genuine surprise: Kylie Minogue joined him for a rendition of ‘Where the Wild Roses Grow’. Many were in disbelief until the moment she started singing its soothing melody. More introspective tracks like ‘Wild God’ saw Cave sitting at a beautiful grand piano at the centre of the stage, and Ellis’s strange instrumentation featured a violin played like an electric guitar. Despite the melancholy and pained tone of the music, it was an awe-inspiring experience that left the audience stunned. For the show closer ‘Into My Arms’, Cave took the stage alone, his piano and vocals bidding his fans goodbye. 

Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds put on a show that would have won over anyone in the park, but for the diehards down the front, this was something else entirely. Cave took his home city by storm.