Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds have partnered with Rollingstone.com to premiere a new video of a stunning and uncensored rendition of “Mermaids,” captured live in dramatic black and white by directors Iain Forsyth & Jane Pollard on February 21 at Los Angeles’ Music Box at the Henry Fonda Theater. Augmented by a children’s choir from the local Silverlake Conservatory of Music as well as a full string section, this once in a lifetime version of “Mermaids” was recorded during one of a series of very special events staged around the release of the Bad Seeds’ widely acclaimed 15th studio album, Push the Sky Away (Bad Seed Ltd.). The original February 21 performance was webcast globally by Lovelive in partnership with Rockfeedback and YouTube and was viewed by more than 100,000 people.
In addition to Push The Sky Away having marked Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds’ highest ever U.S. chart debut, entering the BIllboard 200 at #29, the record hit #1 in six countries (Australia, Austria, Belgium, Holland, New Zealand, Portugal), top 3 in seven more (UK, Germany, Greece, Norway,
Finland, Poland, Ireland), and top 20 in Canada. This was followed by a rapturously received standing room only theater and festival tour of North America that recently wrapped with last month’s Bad
Seeds/Grinderman doubleheaders at the two-weekend Coachella festival in Indio, CA. The tour was the most extensive North American outing for the Bad Seeds in several years, and has generated possibly the best critical and audience response of the band’s storied career, including:
“In his black suit, jet-black hair and white shirt, he was a dapper gentleman preacher who raved as if the Old Testament were also a scandal sheet, rife with betrayal, temptation, blood and lust… he was, as promised, transforming, vibrating, glowing, flying.” — CHICAGO TRIBUNE
“Right up there amongst the best frontmen of this or any generation. No one on the circuit can both command and terrify a crowd quite like Nick Cave.” –DALLAS OBSERVER
“Thanks, Nick Cave, for ruining pretty much every other show we’re going to see for the rest of the month. Or year. Or ever. There’s no way anybody is going to top what we saw on Saturday night… it was a mind-blowing evening of rock ‘n’ roll.” — NASHVILLE SCENE
“Towering over everyone else, however, were… the Bad Seeds, whose merciless performance, delivered with the fury of hellhounds unleashed, easily stole Sunday from any up-and-comers…” — OC REGISTER
“Fans were out of their seats from first note to last, either in rapture or because the shock-friendly performer gave ¹em the willies and they were too afraid to sit down.” — WASHINGTON POST
Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds will resume the Push The Sky Away tour May 25 at the Primavera Sound Festival in Barcelona. The current itinerary takes Nick and Warren Ellis (Violin, Mandolin & Samples), Martyn Casey (Bass), Conway Savage (Piano, Organ), Jim Sclavunos (Drums & Percussion), Barry Adamson (Drums, Keys, & Percussion) and Ed Kuepper (Guitar) through the May-August festival season. The tour will resume October 26 with a three-night stand at the Hammersmith Apollo in London and will hit theaters and arenas throughout the UK and Europe until concluding November 29 in Bologna.
Further touring details and other information will be released as it is confirmed.
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