Review: Nick Cave at Harrah's Cherokee Center — Asheville
Why does Nick Cave keep starting his tours in Asheville?
Logistically, it doesn’t make a whole lot of sense. The jewel of Western North Carolina isn’t super close to numerous major cities where he’s likely to play, and while its regional airport is gradually expanding, it’s not exactly an international hub. And yet last March, Cave and Warren Ellis kicked off their North American jaunt at Thomas Wolfe Auditorium, then headed to Texas for a show in Dallas three days later as if no other path could be more logical.
Then there’s the issue of him not even getting to play where he wants. Clearly enamored with TWA from the Ellis show and a Bad Seeds stop in 2017, as well as the dedicated fans the space attracts, Cave was all set to launch his solo piano tour with Radiohead’s Colin Greenwood on bass on Sept. 19 when, about three months prior to the show, one of the venue’s ancient HVAC systems failed.
Rather than roast artists and audiences alike, the powers that be shifted the concert to the larger in-house dwellings of the Harrah's Cherokee Center — Asheville, recreating TWA’s rugged listening room charms inside the space best known for hosting Warren Haynes’ Christmas Jam and the SoCon men’s basketball tournament. With the black-curtained stage set up around where center court usually resides, three sections of chairs on the floor and two levels of stadium seating on the room’s fringes offered a convincing facsimile of the intended setting, complete with impressive sight-lines — and, more importantly, air conditioning.
Unfazed by the makeshift surroundings, Cave casually offered some insights on what pulls him back to Asheville. As with the Ellis tour, the city served as a place to rehearse and be semi-anonymous prior to hitting the road, including some natural excursions. The artist revealed that, days before, he’d gone swimming at nearby Hooker Falls, during which he fell and sprained the middle finger on his left hand. The revelation was accompanied by a deadpan excuse for any potential subpar playing, and a hilarious aside that, if prompted, he could only give someone “a half bird.”
The raucous audience response to this local anecdote — and really anything that emerged from the man’s mouth — suggested the primary reason for Cave’s consistent Asheville stops: music fans love him. And this far into his illustrious career, the 66-year-old Australian-born Brighton transplant (who now apparently calls LA home) keeps offering new reasons to see him while simultaneously challenging himself creatively.
Though his 2020 live-streamed Idiot Prayer show offered a sustained look at Cave’s songs reimagined for solo piano via one’s screen of choice, witnessing him do it in person proved transcendent — and also markedly different from his local show with Ellis, itself notably distinct from the Bad Seeds performance before it.
The stripped-down instrumentation still allowed for recognizable melodies typically played by guitars, synths, backing vocals, and whatnot to shine through, but it mostly provided an avenue for Cave’s voice and songwriting to receive the spotlights they deserve. In particular, the intimate takes on “Girl in Amber,” “Waiting for You,” and “The Weeping Song” significantly enhanced their heartbreak and beauty, literally pulling fans closer to the stage.
Three songs into the set, the serenity of the well-mannered crowd abruptly came to an end when an attendee’s request to draw near was approved by Cave, resulting in a mass exodus across the arena toward the stage by a good 100 folks. Such behavior occurred from the onset of his previous two trips to town, and while experienced concertgoers shouldn’t have been surprised, one nevertheless felt bad for those who’d spent the big bucks to sit up close, only to have people standing in their way.
Multiple shouts of protest were launched throughout the night with Cave at one point suggesting everyone return to their seats. But with no response from the assembled faithful, he ultimately proclaimed that he “didn’t know what to do” about the situation. Though he could have asked his fans to stand on their heads and recite the Arabic alphabet backwards — and they’d have followed through — the situation persisted and those who objected were forced to adjust.
The more direct interaction doubtlessly brought out the best in Cave and resulted in a longer, more memorable experience than originally planned. Opening the setlist to requests after he’d checked off his targeted numbers, Cave treated the crowd to the dream one-two punch of “Jubilee Street” and “Into My Arms,” and when numerous rejections of “Stagger Lee” proved ineffective (“We don’t know how to play that one,” he pleaded), he gave in and, with help from Greenwood and the most vocal requesting fan (whom he pulled onstage to help sing), the impromptu trio figured out a workable groove and Cave remembered enough of the lyrics to make for an impressive improvisational performance.
It wasn’t the first time during the set that the word “genius” came to mind, but it proved to be one of the last. “We should finish,” Cave said. “We've got to finish.” Though there was a hint of remorse in his voice, by then he’d been going nearly 2.5 hours, and while the pack of devotees mere feet from his piano would have stood all night if it was an option, the man had already given so much and still had a full tour ahead of him.
As for Greenwood’s presence, it was certainly welcome and inspired Cave to shut down requests for a Radiohead song real quick (“Fuck no,” he said to peals of laugher. “The audacity!”), the bassist was otherwise mostly a non-factor. His contributions were barely discernible over Cave’s piano, but it was also the first night of the tour — and in a goddamn basketball arena instead of the expected performance arts space — so the balance could easily have been dialed in by the tour’s next stop two days later in Durham.
(Photos by Jonny Leather)
