Into Live Music Review: Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds

Concert: Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds
Venue: Brighton Preston Park
Dates: 31 July 2026

When the stars align, a homecoming gig can really be a thing of beauty, one for the ages that people will talk about for years to come, special, poignant and intensely personal to those on stage and in the crowd. Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds at Brighton’s Preston Park was exactly that but it was so much, much more. Indeed, words are unlikely to convey the sentiment, the rawness, the tears, the warmth and love that for two and a half hours on a hot, balmy night in England’s south-east coast, gripped and took hold of the 50,000 in attendance. Having last performed in the city some thirteen years ago, this was a homecoming gig of sorts, Cave having lived in Brighton for many years before relocating to L.A. and London following the tragic death of his son Arthur in 2015.

Train station announcements were made by Cave, there was limited edition merchandise on sale at Resident Music as well as an unannounced gig on the rooftop of that same music shop. Having walked past guitarist George Vjestica around thirty minutes before the Resident show, I’m still kicking myself for not following him, damn! Add in Brighton Pride taking place on the Saturday and it was fair to say the city was buzzing.

With support from Warmduscher, Cate Le Bon, English Teacher and The Flaming Lips, the sold-out crowd were treated to a feast of music. As Cave himself said “It’s going to be big, bad and beautiful”. Indeed, it was.

As the band took to the stage, the crowd roar was more akin to a goal being scored at the nearby Falmer Stadium, the band bedecked in black suits, shirts, ties and all with a steely glaze in the eye, focused on delivering the best show of their fucking lives. Get Ready For Love was intense, a maelstrom of controlled chaos, Cave immediately in with the crowd where he would spend swathes of the show, preaching, reaching, commanding and ultimately orchestrating both band and audience like a master puppeteer. As the song finished the singer exclaimed “Thank you Brighton. This is deeply overwhelming“.

From Her To Eternity followed, Colin Greenwood’s bass felt like it was delivered from the depths of hell, the devil’s instrument as the song exploded like a lava eruption, Cave panting from his pulpit to his congregation, DEMANDING devotion, the twinkle-twonk of Carly Paradis’s keys added flair while Warren Ellis was cartwheeling his viola with utter punked-up abandonment, out of/in control. Vjestica meanwhile was imperiously cool, not fretting but fretting at the same time.

Tupelo was a highlight, Larry Mullins primal drum beats set the tone, Cave prowled the stage, exasperation creeping with the song as it built up, the drums then cracking with menace, the bass an omnipresence. Cave’s voice almost felt unworldly, mining the depths, demanding more and it came from Ellis in a hypnotic wave of sound leading to unabashed delirium, the beat like a Haitian death dance, laden with voodoo vibes and rhythmic radgeness.

The Wild Rose met the Wild God with Kylie Minogue coming on to duet on Where The Wild Roses Grow, the first time they’ve sang together in eight years. This was truly special, emotional and beautiful in equal parts. Minogue in a white lace dress designed by Susie Cave, the two vocalists trading lyrics and with genuine warmth for each other – without doubt an “I was there moment“.

The songs kept coming. Perhaps Red Right Hand is the most well known, a Michelin star track studded with emotive musical amuse-bouches, Cave’s brief reprise on the piano and Jim Scalvunos’s death knell bell simply took the breath away. Jubilee Street was incredible, the band surgical on their instrumental execution yet with the artistic zeal and flair of a Van Gogh or Picasso, majestic.

A three song encore finished with Cave alone on stage, behind the piano for Into Your Arms, stripped back yet delivered exquisitely.

Nick Cave & the Bad Seeds have come along way since forming in Melbourne in 1983 and have played a ton of gigs. I doubt many (if any) will rival this one. Brighton, you were an absolute blast.

Review by John Welsh
@welshjb

Links:

@nickcave