Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds – Armory – Minneapolis MN – MAy 4th 2025

Live Nation presents Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds live at The Armory in Minneapolis Minnesota.

Review and photos by Kyle Hansen

Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds returned to Minneapolis after over a decade, delivering a mesmerizing performance at The Armory.

Attending a Nick Cave concert is less a musical experience and more a spiritual encounter. Whether he’s fronting The Bad Seeds or performing solo with a piano, Cave commands the stage with the presence of a preacher, poet, and rock ‘n’ roll mystic rolled into one.

From the moment he walks onstage, dressed in his signature dark suit, Cave radiates intensity. He doesn’t merely perform to the audience—he reaches into it, often literally, wandering through the crowd, grasping hands, locking eyes, and channeling a kind of divine vulnerability. His voice, both cavernous and tender, shifts seamlessly from whispered laments to apocalyptic howls.

The setlist often spans decades: brutal epics like “Red Right Hand” and “The Mercy Seat” erupt with chaos and theatricality, while quieter songs like “Into My Arms” or “Jubilee Street” hush the room into reverent stillness. Even long-time fans are caught off-guard by the emotional immediacy. There’s no autopilot in a Nick Cave set—every word feels like it’s being written in the moment.

His dialogue with the audience is another standout element. Between songs, Cave frequently engages in unscripted exchanges—wry, heartfelt, or disarmingly funny—breaking down the performer-fan barrier. At solo shows, especially, he takes questions mid-set, often spiraling into stories about songwriting, grief, or the absurdity of life.

The band is razor-sharp. Warren Ellis, Cave’s long-time collaborator, adds wild, electrifying energy with his violin and synth work, creating an atmosphere that feels part gothic cathedral, part punk ritual.

There are few artists who can hold an audience so rapt with nothing but a piano and a voice—or whip a theater into a frenzy with an explosive full-band assault. A Nick Cave concert is not just a show—it’s a deep dive into the human condition: love, loss, rage, transcendence.

Verdict: 10/10. Unmissable.