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NICK CAVE & THE BAD SEEDS
+ Aldous Harding
@ Adelaide Entertainment Centre,
Adelaide,
20th January 2026
(Live Review)

Review by Colin Reid

Photos by Elise De Simoni (@elisedphoto)

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Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds / Photo – @elisedphoto

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It is 7.50pm, only ten minutes to show time, and the large venue is beginning to fill up.  Those fans buying merchandise and drinks are returning to swell the ranks of the rest of us who, for the last forty minutes, have been entertained by two giant screens both showing the ‘Wild God’ logo in varying shades of soft gold, green, blue and purple while a never-ending stream of ambient music drifts back and forth.  Our senses are lulled and soothed ahead of the emotional intensity that is a Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds gig! 

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Aldous Harding / Photo – @elisedphoto

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Bang on 8pm the lights dim and the members of the Bad Seeds and backing singers take to the stage to great applause which only gets louder when Nick joins them.  He is dressed in an extremely well cut suit, white shirt and tie and trademark swept back jet black hair.

Dominating the centre of the stage, Nick appears as the high priest. He is the lead preacher; evangelically delivering the sermon of Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds. The stage has become his alter and he is conducting, directly letting the music pour through him.  A conduit for all our love and pain, the sorrow and the joy, predestination, good and evil and hopefully redemption.

Right from the first track, ‘Frogs’ from the ‘Wild God’ album, he is stalking the front part of the stage as the devotees arms are held aloft. As always it is simply mesmerising to be a part of this.  Any one who has witnessed a Bad Seeds gig knows that there is nothing like it. They are intense, enthralling, emotional experiences.  They are wild, witty, spiritual and mesmerising with Nick at the centre of proceedings. The Bad Seeds, made up of Warren Ellis, Jim Sclavunos, George Vjestica, Larry Mullins, Colin Greenwood and Carly Paradis as well as a four person Gospel Church dressed backing singers featuring TJae Cole, are a wall of sound. How any of them finds a space to play amongst the layers of sound is incredible but like all great players do, they find a way to shine amongst the congested pack. They can switch gears between softness and quiet to rage and thunder often having to respond mid song to Nick’s alterations and changes of direction.

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Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds / Photo – @elisedphoto

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For the second track, ‘Wild God’, Nick starts at the piano before racing once again to the front of the crowd.  His enthusiasm and athleticism is outstanding, he seems to pour so much of himself into these shows the emotional and physical drain must be immense. He is back at the front, “bring your Spirit down” he sings with passion as he is punching the air and whipping up the crowd.

I feel that people who haven’t seen a Bad Seeds gig don’t associate Nick enough with humour but there is plenty on show tonight he spots someone taking a picture in the crowd and pauses to grab their hand to make the image super memorable “Adelaide, pose, what a shot! now put it away”.  Phones that weren’t put away were treated either with anger “okay now put the f#%kin’ thing away” or in the improvisation of lyrics during ‘Red Right Hand’ later in the set with “you’ve still got that shitty phone..he’ll f#%king upgrade it for you brother”. The message seemed to be to stay in the moment and keep your memories in your head.

‘O Children’ is the first time that iconic long term collaborator Warren Ellis gets his violin out much to the crowds glee. His long hair and beard are swirling wildly as he frenetically plays.

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Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds / Photo – @elisedphoto

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Nick introduces the next track “This next song is about a girl….a girl named Bee” and they go into ‘Jubilee Street’.  No matter how many times you see him perform this song nothing beats it. The whole essence of a Bad Seeds concert distilled into one incredible price of intense and transformative beauty.

The pace doesn’t stop and they go into ‘From Her to Eternity’.  Every time that I’ve seen them live this track is always roundabout five or six songs into the set list and yet it hit me as a total surprise. It was wild, chaotic beauty.  As Nick said this song is so old but it was so good.

Now it is time for a change of pace with the emotional ‘Long Dark Night’ followed in the same vein by ‘Cinnamon Horses’ that proves beyond a shadow of doubt that you don’t need to be loud, chaotic and fast to be intense.

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Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds / Photo – @elisedphoto

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‘Tupelo’ follows and Nick introduces it with “This is about Elvis. Australians always liked Elvis”. The Bad Seeds are whipping up a musical storm to rival the actual storm that night Elvis was born and every hand is in the air, “YEAH, YEAH, YEAH” Nick calls and “yeah yeah yeah” we reply in unison!  There is so much energy, intensity and emotion and not a scrap of effort has been left out.

The set continues and we remain entranced and enthralled.  “This song just poured out of me” says Nick before playing the sublime ‘Bright Horses’ the only track tonight from the ‘Ghosteen’ album.  “It doesn’t normally happen that way but this one did so I gave myself the rest of the day off”.

“Are you ready” Nick doesn’t just ask he demands the response we all give him “Yes” and they go into an incredibly powerful version of ‘Red Right Hand’ and the momentum is carried on into ‘The Mercy Seat’.  The crowd are in rapture; singing along, arms aloft to these two classics.

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Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds / Photo – @elisedphoto

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‘White Elephant’ closes out the regular set. Nick is joined by his four backing singers at the front of the stage “for the Kingdom in the sky were all coming home” is such an uplifting positive and spiritual way to end the set.  All the band but especially Nick, as he hugs each of the backing singers, are given over to pure joy! “Yeah Yeah Yeah” he shouts out three more times as they leave the stage.

After a very short break they are back. “We never do this song but it is a request from my wife” and they play the very wonderful ‘Wide Lovely Eyes’.

There was much interaction with the crowd with repeated calls for ‘Stagger Lee’ which were ignored by Nick who says “F#%king Adelaide you’ve got it all, a writers festival…” referencing the controversy over this year’s cancelled event at The Adelaide Festival.

‘The Weeping Song’ had Nick really relaxed and enjoying himself immensely smiling and laughing his hands clapping, coupled with the intensity of the drums and the speed of Warren’s fingers was simply incredible.

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Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds / Photo – @elisedphoto

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‘Skeleton Tree’ was next, a song that Nick said had once terrified him, indeed he wrote only last July on his Red Hand Files blog that he thought the record cursed and that he was unable to listen to it since his son Arthur’s death,  but is now just a beautiful little song. He sat behind the piano to lead the ensemble through a lovely version of the song bringing tears to my eyes.

A big thank you was given to the crowd and each of the Bad Seeds were acknowledged before Nick left us with a solo version of ‘Into My Arms’ which he invited us all to sing along with. It was just lovely way to end the night an intimate moment shared in a room of thousands.

A few years ago when Nick did a solo question and answer session gig at Adelaide Town Hall I was lucky enough to be able to ask him a question.  How had the Bad Seeds gone from regular venues to stadiums without a hit single or sustained radio play?  The normally deep and thoughtful Nick Cave simply replied “we just got more awesome”.  Well they are still playing stadiums and they are still awesome so go and see them at one if you get a chance – YEAH YEAH YEAH!

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Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds / Photo – @elisedphoto

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Check out Elise De Simoni’s (@elisedphoto) full gallery of this event HERE

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Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds / Photo – @elisedphoto

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Follow NICK CAVE & THE BAD SEEDS
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Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds / Photo – @elisedphoto

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Press Release 20th January 2026 (below) HERE

NICK CAVE &
THE BAD SEEDS
‘THE WILD GOD
TOUR AU & NZ’
begins in Fremantle
to five star reviews

Limited tickets remain for
Adelaide, Sydney, Brisbane, Melbourne and Wellington

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AMNPLIFY – DB