Nick Cave & the Bad Seeds

Nick Cave & the Bad Seeds
The Abattoir Blues Tour

Mute

After 30 years of singing about society’s seedy underbelly, Nick Cave hasn’t lost his taste for exposing the dark side of faith and devotion. Take “Get Ready for Love,” one of many exceptional performances from this two-DVD set’s centerpiece 2004 show at London’s Brixton Academy: As a quartet of gospel singers who wouldn’t seem out of place backing Mariah Carey wail behind him, Cave offsets the pious chorus (“Praise Him!”) with lyrics that expose God’s affections as mere hucksterism. Whether Cave is convulsing like a man possessed or quietly hovering over a piano, his intensity—and his impeccably sharp attire—remain frightfully constant. The gig has the manic energy of an evangelical mass—with the devil lurking somewhere behind the curtain.