Nick Cave & Warren Ellis - Sydney - December 16 2022

I was very constrained. I only recorded three of the 22 songs performed on the night. Mind you, one of them was the longest, but of all the songs, “Hollywood” (00:43), was the one I most wanted. “Jubilee Street” (15:38) has always been a bit of a favourite, and who could resist a singalong with “Into My Arms”(20:32). It was a novel experience sitting up, over the side of the stage, and while I would have welcomed a few more views of Nick’s face, I was pleased to be that close. The position also gave me an interesting view of his interactions with the audience. As for the performance itself, it had been getting rave reviews all around Australia, and Sydney was no different. This is what live music should be about, a deeply emotional experience, and for some, bordering on the religious. If you have to worship something, you couldn’t do much better than choosing music. Nick, Warren and everyone on stage were superb. Such a shame that it had to end and we all had to return to the real world.