DVD // God Is In The House
Now, in my opinion, God Is In The House represents something we definitely haven't seen enough of yet - Nick Cave And The Bad Seeds live in concert: there is something about Cave's lively stage persona, the unlikely combination of musicians and musical styles that just begs and yearns to be experienced live.
God Is In The House captures The Bad Seeds live on 8 June 2001 at Le Transbordeur in Lyon, post the delicate beauty of No More Shall We Part and pre the most recent album Nocturama. The line-up is the now classic combination of Cave (lead vocals and piano), Mick Harvey (guitar and vocals), Blixa Bargeld (guitar and vocals), Thomas Wydler (drums), Conway Savage (keyboards and vocals), Martyn P. Casey (bass), Warren Ellis (violin) and Jim Sclavunos (organ and percussion). However, we must also bear in mind that - unless footage from the Nocturama tour ever sees the light of day - it may be the last chance to see Blixa perform with the band: the rendition of 'The Weeping Song' - the classic father / son duet between Blix and Nick is strangely moving when you learn that the pair are unlikely to ever be reunited on the same stage together to perform the track. It is clear, however, given the construction of more recent material, that Blix's ability to create textures and feedback is no longer as central as it once was, and the demure giant is often left with little to do, with Ellis's beautiful manipulated violin seemingly replacing the need for a second guitarist.
The band are ever the well-dressed, tailored bunch they have been for some time, with Nick even marking the sense of occasion by wearing a spotted tie and his tidiest hair since school. Only Warren Ellis, a livelier and more central personality than I would have expected, lets the side down, looking from the start like Cave tends to after a whole hour on stage. The Bad Seeds literally fill the stage, and it becomes apparent why they have simply outgrown the small venues of their youth. Cave stalks and thrashes about the stage, chain smoking and contorting his trim body to imbue the tracks with the appropriate emotional depth. At times his shadow is projected on to the theatre wall, a cowed and ravaged creature pointing and gesticulating at the audience.
What we get are 14 songs culled from various points in the band's extensive back catalogue. We get some of the classic, crowd-pleasing live cuts - the apocalyptic 'Do You Love Me?', the mysterious 'Red Right Hand' and the ever-evolving 'Mercy Seat' - but also some surprising choices, such as 'Saint Huck' (the very first track The Bad Seeds recorded, we are told by Cave) from From Her To Eternity. The extended line-up of musicians compared to the original version here naturally gives the track greater momentum, more depth, and a frightening level of energy.
The moving songs from No More Shall We Part are given a more intense tone than their studied studio counterparts would imply. The first single 'As I Sat Sadly By Her Side', sung in an unusual key by Cave, is delivered effortlessly, a surprise given the evident strain on the singer's vocals. When Cave moves to the piano on the beautiful 'God Is In The House', the mood changes, becomes tender, the band nurturing gentle accompaniment to match every nuance of Cave's change in tempo.
The ravaged, intense 'Papa Won't Leave You, Henry' - featuring some effervescent violin and acoustic guitar playing by Mick Harvey and Warren Ellis - finally sees the band break a sweat. The track is naturally incredibly well-rehearsed, but yet it still sounds as if it could come undone at any moment, its various crescendos and calm sections appearing to be conducted from the front of the stage by Cave. We also get some surprise audience stage diving during the track. How very Glastonbury.
And then there is 'The Mercy Seat'. Always changing, always delivered in a different style, I'm sure the band could perform a whole concert consisting of a single, elongated version of the piece. The version presented here is faithful to early live versions, each musician flailing as the track approaches its apocalyptic conclusion. Even the generally impassive Bargeld gives his guitar some heavy thrashing, The fact that this most intense of tracks is followed by the serene 'Into My Arms' simply proves that Nick Cave and The Bad Seeds remain the musical contradiction they have always striven to be.
Proceedings close with the raucous 'The Curse Of Millhaven' from Murder Ballads, which features Dave Green on organ. A curious track to close with, the ragged boogie-woogie lends itself perfectly to a series of solos as Cave introduces each band member to the audience, although I doubt anything will ever beat Jim Sclavunos' solo for, ahem, triangle. How anyone can make a murder ballad sound this fun is beyond me, but such is the magic of Nick Cave and The Bad Seeds.
The Extras
In typical DVD fashion, the concert isn't enough. As such, we are
treated to a behind the scenes look at the Abbey Road recording sessions
that produced the No More Shall We Part album, shot by John
Hillcoat. Revealing and at times humorous as all documentaries should
be, I wasn't quite expecting to see the normally serious Bargeld squealing
along with what is presumably one of Cave's twins. Talk about a walking
contradiction. What also comes across is how very hands-on all of The
Bad Seeds are in the recording process, and how meticulous they are in
ensuring the tracks sound exactly as they should. Seeing Cave, Wydler
and Ellis all trying to ensure that Jim Sclavunos gets the tambourine
that you can hardly even bloody hear on 'As I Sat Sadly By Her Side' precisely
perfect is frustrating but essential to understanding how serious these
musicians can be. 'Was that alright then?' Cave is heard to ask following
a take of 'My Sorrowful Wife'. '98? Out of a hundred? I'd better do another
one'.
Also included are the three promo videos for 'As I Sat Sadly By Her Side', 'Fifteen Feet Of Pure White Snow' (featuring cameos from Jason Donovon and Jarvis Cocker among many others) and 'Love Letter', all directed by Hillcoat.