The Australian has travelled from post-punk goth blues to bar-room stomps and latterly to reflective meditative pieces on the human condition, and is one of the biggest names in music.
Photographer Paul Windsor – who has chronicled hundreds of acts playing in and around Portsmouth – was there on the day for what was the hottest ticket in town by a mile. The gig was announced about two months in advance and Paul said: ‘I must confess I nearly fell off my chair when I read Nick Cave was playing The Kings Theatre when the day before he would be performing on the hallowed stage of The Royal Albert Hall.’
That feeling of shock persisted up until the night itself.
‘When I met some friends for a few pre match pints in the autumn sunshine we were still pinching ourselves,’ Paul added.
(In the run-up to the show, it was unclear whether I would get a photopass. Even my esteemed editor Chris Broom was unsure about getting in. I knew the show would sell out in a nano second so I decided to buy one. A friend was online primed and ready when he called me. “Are you sitting down?” he asked. "Why?” I enquired. ”Tickets are £92!”. Taking a deep breath I confirmed I did, I wasn’t going to miss this for the world. I know a few people who baulked at the price and regret it to this day.)
Paul Windsor’s Portsmouth gig pictures: Madness at Fratton Park; Joe Strummer at the Wedge; Slipknot at the Guildhall; 90s gigs in Portsmouth
‘After finishing out refreshments we entered the famous Victorian theatre, still not quite believing who was about to appear. I took my seat in the second row of the dress circle with a perfect view of the stage,
‘And then he appeared – tall, slim, dressed in trademark suit and crisp white shirt and long slicked black hair. His associate Warren Ellis took his seat to his left. It was a stripped-back affair and a sparse set with only multi-instrumentalist Johnny Hostile and three gospel backing singers to accompany him.
‘From the first song Nick Cave did what he did best, prowling the front of the stage, and finger-pointing the lyrics of god, damnation and hellfire.
‘I have to say in all my years of seeing bands in Portsmouth this was the most extraordinary. The last couple of albums have been pretty bleak affairs centering on the death of his son. But was humour there too… “Stay in your hotel, they said” he commented on his stay in Portsmouth.
‘But it was the moment when seated at the grand piano dominating the stage when he chimed Into My Arms that the hairs on the back of my neck truly stood to attention.
‘It took a few post-gig pints for the show to truly sink in. I think everyone would agree one of the greatest there has been.’
