Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds played first of three shows at Beacon Theatre with Sharon Van Etten (pics, setlist)

photos by Dana (distortion) Yavin; words by Bill Pearis

“The rendition of “Jubilee Street” Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds just turned in at the Beacon should drive every other band into retirement.” @JohnJFrusciante

Nick Cave @ Beacon Theatre, 3/28/2013

Like he did at SXSW a couple weeks ago (and pretty much his whole career, really), Nick Cave owned the stage last night (3/28) at Beacon Theatre, the first of three shows he and The Bad Seeds are doing at the tony NYC venue. Maybe not seemingly befit of a man who has songs like “No Pussy Blues,” but Cave is pure class. A string section and choir added to the grandeur as they ran through material from the new Push the Sky Away, as well as classics like “Red Right Hand,” “The Ship Song,” and the one-two-KO of main set enders, “The Mercy Seat” and the profanely awesome “Stagger Lee.” Setlist is below.

Sharon Van Etten very ably opened the show, as she’ll do again tonight (3/29) and Saturday (3/30). More pictures from last night’s Beacon Theatre show below…

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Sharon Van Etten

Nick Cave

SETLIST: Nick Cave & Beacon Theatre
We No Who U R
Wide Lovely Eyes
Jubilee Street
We Real Cool
Higgs Boson Blues
From Her to Eternity
Red Right Hand
O Children
Jack the Ripper
Deanna
Love Letter
God Is in the House
The Weeping Song
The Mercy Seat
Stagger Lee

Encore:
The Ship Song
Tupelo
Push the Sky Away