Nick Cave is kicking off his highly anticipated solo tour tonight (June 10) with a performance in Zurich, Switzerland.
Known for his haunting lyricism and compelling stage presence, the revered Australian artist will perform 27 shows across the continent, spanning Switzerland, Germany, Italy, France, Norway, Latvia, and Bulgaria.
This tour sees Cave delivering a more intimate solo experience. Accompanying him on stage is Colin Greenwood, bassist for the legendary band Radiohead, whose presence is expected to add a textured emotional weight to the live arrangements.
The tour sees Cave stepping away from his long-time collaborators The Bad Seeds, whose Wild God Tour concluded in San Francisco on May 14th. The 2024 album ‘Wild God’ was the band’s eighteenth studio album, and was widely praised by critics and fans alike. Reflecting on the record, Cave described it as uncompromising and transcendent: “There’s no fucking around with this record. When it hits, it hits. It lifts you. It moves you. I love that about it.” The Guardian hailed the album as “a masterpiece that will make you fall back in love with life,” underlining its cultural and emotional resonance.
Nick Cave’s musical journey began in the early 1980s with the post-punk group The Birthday Party. Following their dissolution in 1983, he founded Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds, a band that would go on to become one of the most influential and critically lauded groups of their generation. Their sound – a brooding blend of post-punk, blues, gothic rock, and experimental elements – served as the perfect vehicle for Cave’s poetic storytelling and existential themes.
Often referred to as the dark poet of rock, Cave is renowned for his lyrical exploration of love, faith, violence, loss, and redemption and is often steeped in biblical allusion. With lyrics closer to literary prose than standard song writing, his music is both timeless and ethereal. His solo work, while maintaining the emotional gravitas of his work with The Bad Seeds, leans more heavily into gospel, country, and minimalistic arrangements. Albums such as ‘Murder Ballads’ and ‘The Boatman’s Call’ remain enduring examples of his ability to transcribe human vulnerability into musical brilliance.
The 2025 solo tour marks the third of its kind for Cave. His first, Conversations with Nick Cave, debuted in 2018 and featured raw, unfiltered performances interwoven with candid storytelling. That tour, prompted by the tragic loss of his son Arthur, provided a space for catharsis and connection, as Cave spoke openly about grief, healing, and art. He returned in 2022 with a second stripped-down tour, performing sparse renditions of beloved tracks from Ghosteen, Carnage, and earlier Bad Seeds classics. Greenwood joined him then as well, their chemistry forming a cornerstone of the show’s emotional intensity.
This new series of performances promises to build on that legacy, offering fans a rare opportunity to experience Cave’s work in its purest, most vulnerable form. Joined once more by Greenwood, the tour is expected to blend minimalism and depth in Cave’s typical and magical way.
While the majority of shows are already sold out, some remaining tickets are still available. The full list of tour dates and ticket information can be accessed here.
For those who missed it, our original coverage of the tour’s announcement earlier this year can be found here.
