September 28th 2019, Nick Cave at Convocation Hall

 

When my friend Carrie and I went to see Nick Cave at Convocation Hall in 2019 we were treated to a very different experience from past shows that he'd performed in the city. More than just a concert, Cave had structured the evening as a solo piano performance paired with a conversation with the audience, offering people the opportunity to ask him questions and speak directly with him about anything they wanted. Following the format of his Red Hand Files website, Cave listened to people's queries and answered them in a thoughtful and considered way, offering insights, advice, telling stories, and sharing his thoughts. It was a pretty special night, a rare opportunity to have a candid discussion with an inspired and inspiring artist.

Over the course of a couple of hours Cave played stunning solo voice and piano renditions of The Weeping Song and Jubilee Street and more, even taking a few requests like Into My Arms for a couple who had played it at their wedding. From that standpoint it was a stunning performance, a truly beautiful night of music, but it was when Cave spoke to the audience that really inspired, that really captured the imagination. He told stories of his early days as a musician and songwriter, he spoke candidly about his failed relationship with PJ Harvey, and he spoke about love, and grief, and loss. It was his thoughts on grief that resonated the most with the room, talking openly about the death of his son a couple of years prior, speaking to us very honestly about his experiences dealing with that pain. And in doing so, he naturally created a safe space for others to share their experiences, and it slowly dawned on me that there aren't many opportunities for people to speak about grief and loss with others, it's not something that we do very often. And I suppose that many of the people in the audience had the same realization, and when the chance was offered to them they took the opportunity to speak and share in ways that were very sincere and open, and probably more honest about their feelings than they would normally have been. 

The whole show was really quite a moving experience, a powerful and emotional night that transcended the concert format and became something else that was much more personal. I respect and admire Cave for opening up that kind of dialogue with his audience, and for speaking in a way that encourages both reflection and thought. It's not something that happens very often, and I applaud Cave for taking that kind of risk as an artist, for baring so much of his self and for encouraging others to do the same...