2013 Live Shows
Thebarton Theatre, Adelaide,
Australia, w/Nick Cave; 3 March, 2013
by Brendan
I live in Adelaide, Australia
and last Sunday I went to see Nick Cave & the Bad Seeds @ Thebarton
Theatre and was utterly shocked to find out on Sunday morning, when
I rang the Theatre for show times and to find out who was supporting
Cave that Mark was supporting so got there early to see him....there
has been very little publicity here regarding Mark supporting...most
of Cave's shows sold out quickly so maybe that's why? - ie they don't
do as much advertising in print media with tour advertisments mentioning
support slots etc. I couldn't find any mention of support slots on
the three ticket websites I use...anyway, it was a very pleasant surprise.
As you've said on your site, Mark was there just with
a guitarist playing acoustic guitar...he played, in order the following
songs :
When Your Number Isn't Up
The Cherry Tree Carol
One Way Street
No Easy Action
Miracle
Creeping Coastline of Lights
Don't Forget Me
Mirrored
The Gravedigger's Song
On Jesus's Program
I think Mark got a really good reception at the concert
and I was really happy for him....as I've said there was virtually
no press regarding his support slot (which, come to think of it, matched
the last Nick Cave gig I saw here) so everyone turned up to the sold-out
gig (sold out as Cave's new record debuted at #1 here) early not knowing
the playing times or who was supporting and the theatre was over half
full when Mark came out...his voice was in top form and given the
quiet backing of the acoustic guitar I could hear it better than at
any of the previous gigs I've seen him at....I think a lot of the
eclectic crowd were pretty mesmerised by his performance and his intensity
and given the often similar subject matter of his lyrics to Nick Cave's
he probably won over a few fans on Sunday night.
Alhambra,
Paris, France, 15 November, 2013
by Mimie
It’s the 6th time I’m seeing Mark on this
night of November, and the second time I’m going to a solo show
after the Union Chapel. So my expectations are very high, and I won’t
be disappointed. I arrived at the door opening time, the venue is
a standing one which is unusual on this tour (and a pity for me, as
my knees were aching a lot that evening, but that didn’t prevent
me to enjoy the gig). I was on the second row and the audience was
extremely respectful, which, believe me, is rare in Paris (the two
nights before, the piano songs at the QOTSA gigs were wasted by people
in my opinion). Mark wasn’t there at the second QOTSA gig, I
was missing him on In The Fade. But back to the Alhambra gig!
I had already seen previously the two opening “bands”,
Lyenn (whose set was shorter than at the Trabendo, and who made us
laugh by saying he was our aperitif) and Duke Garwood. Liked them
but I will not say I’m really a fan. Both of them played with
Mark that evening, but you already know that.
And then Mark, who has begun the set by… an irritated
movement of his arm towards the lights :D I really think he exaggerated
the look on his face at this moment, you can’t be so angry about
a light, no? But people found it amusing so it was a very good way
in for the show, very Mark-ish if you understand what I want to say,
just before the lovely When Your Number Isn’t Up. The sound
was excellent, Jeff’s electric guitar wasn’t too loud
or too soft, the strings added some depth to the songs, and Mark’s
voice was simply the best I’ve ever heard him sing. Maybe it
was the mainly acoustic show that made his voice so beautiful, but
anyway it was awesome. And I already found it awesome at all the previous
shows I went, so that means something. It was a bit too early in the
year for The Cherry Tree Carol but I was very happy to hear it. My
favorite part of the show was the beginning with his solo songs, but
I loved everything, Black Pudding tracks, the covers… These
covers are really a great idea because, even if the original ones
are not songs I usually listen to, they allow Mark to have a happier
part in his set. I don’t really know how to explain that (all
the more so as English is not my language :D) but even if these songs
are not really happy songs strictly speaking, I think Mark seems happier,
more relaxed when he interprets them than when he sings his own material.
The Lou Reed tribute was generously acclaimed, someone
screamed “merci!” and I think Mark was touched by the
public’s reaction. The first part of the show was ended by On
Jesus’ Program, one of the best vocal performances of Mark that
evening. As usual only Jeff Fielder came for the encore, but Mark
had introduced the band that night. After the calm moment of Bombed,
Halo of Ashes ended the night magnificently, by reading the previous
reviews I knew that Mark will probably be sitting at the end to let
Jeff into the spotlight, but even without the surprise this moment
was great, what a guitar player he is, oh my God!
Last waving for Mark, but Jeff took a photo of us, thanked
us a lot and informed us Mark will do the signing. So I hurried to
the merch table, it was a bit of a mess because I hadn’t bought
my things before, and Mark was already signing things while people
were buying merch, so I gave up the idea to buy the bobblehead in
front of him :D I am very shy and the fact to have to choose what
I will buy, pay and give the things to Mark in two minutes was hard
for me, I didn’t even had time to see all that was on sale,
but I bought the Union Chapel CD and a little foil version of the
Justin Hampton poster. I gave my ticket of the show and the CD to
Mark to sign but I hid the mini poster as I thought it was creepy
too to make him sign that :D And there was a member of the Alhambra
staff who was hurrying people so that didn’t help me to feel
comfortable, but I managed to say something like “Thank you
so much for this awesome gig” (I regret I didn’t manage
to say to him that I was at the Union Chapel gig) and the “You’re
welcome” and the smile he gave to me in return (I swear you,
he smiled!) was way better than the grunt I obtained in the Trabendo
the year before (and this grunt was already cherished in my heart).
It was a wonderful evening and I want to thank Mark
and the band one more time for this. Especially Mark for the signing
after that he is not obliged to do, but the rest of the band was perfect
so thank you all guys!
PS: Black shoes ^^