Nick Cave Live at The Showbox SoDo, September 23, 2008…
Nick Cave, Showbox SoDo, Seattle. September 23rd, 2008. Photo by Cherrybomb’s iPhone.
Cherrybomb got up close and personal with Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds last night at the Showbox, SoDo in Seattle. Cave delivered a performance not unlike a fervent preacher might deliver Sunday Mass to a church full of Saturday night sinners. Of course, when Nick Cave gets up on the pulpit, the sermon is laced with profanity, stories about Lazarus and Leviticus, and the refusal to repent after confessing to a getting a hard-on, in the name of love. Now that’s the kind of preaching that would get even Cherrybomb herself to church. Cave masterfully worked his way through his new Bad Seed’s release, Dig!!! Lazarus, DIG!!! as well as plenty of vintage material like Stagger Lee, from 1996’s Murder Ballads, Get Ready for Love from 2004’s Abattoir Blues, and my personal show highlight, Hard on for Love from 1986’s Your Funeral…My Trial. (sorry folks, I was dreamin’ when I said Nick played Green Eyes, Nick will do that to you.)
If you don’t have tickets for tonight, as of this writing, there are still a few listed on Craig’s List.
If you do head out to SoDo tonight, I feel obligated to give you a heads up about the venue. More so, about some of the Security staff that work at Showbox SoDo, than the venue itself. It’s something I like to call:
What the fuck is up with the Security staff at The Showbox in SoDo…???
From the minute I stepped inside the venue both myself and my handsome companion were hassled by a bouncer at the door. And when I say hassled, I mean yelled at for not moving fast enough up the empty stairs, into the uncrowded lounge. Not once but twice. When someone yells at me to “KEEP MOVING” there better be a fucking fire. Or a crowd. There were neither. Anyway, about 30 minutes later, I met two foxy members of Team Cherrybomb at the door so I could give them their tickets. The same bouncer was now yelling at some 50-something guy about the bag he was carrying as if he was working for Homeland Security saying loudly, “if there is something in this bag that hurts me there is gonna be trouble.”, followed by the standard “DO YOU UNDERSTAND ME?”. According to my foxy duo, this tirade kept the line to get in, outside for around 10 minutes. I’m telling you, this guy looked about as dangerous as a box of wet matches. He was soft-spoken and not at any time belligerent or combative.
The final blow of over-zealous-SoDo-security-terrorism came about six songs deep into Cave’s set. Cherrybomb’s Ace, The Mad Irish Man (who isn’t really angry, just mad. There’s a difference.), was bounced out for a “Code 3″ violation. A Code 3 equates “fighting” in the world of bouncing. Which was complete bullshit. The entire time, Irish was a couple of arm-lengths from me (and about 10 feet from the stage). He was rockin’ and swaying with a crowd of like-minded revelers, truly in the moment. Nobody was pushing, nobody was complaining and for sure, nobody was perpetrating a Code 3. There were no less than four bouncers to my left who were sharply hawking the group that my Irish friend was in. Then, suddenly, two of the LAPD officers in training, pushed their way into the crowd, grabbed Irish by the shirt and ejected him without a warning or explanation. Irish was later told about his supposed Code 3 by a friend of his who also works the door, which really made him pretty fucked-off about the whole situation. And rightfully so. Anyway, my recollection of the “situation” is crystal, as for a change I was remarkably sober last night. If you’re going to SoDo toinght my advice to you is, have a good time, but don’t have too much of a good time. Or you’ll be out on the street.
Related Cherrybombed stories:
Wow, security is just upset that they make $9.00 and hour and when they are given some authority, they get excited. What fuckers! Glad the show was cool otherwise.
That OX character really knows what the fuck he’s talking about. Fuck Security man!
Ox, while security may have been out of line as per the person or persons who wrote about the alleged incident that they were involved in, you’re haughtiness and greater than thou attitude is pretty gross. You were probably the drunk outside telling them how much money you make and how little they make. Nice.
Yes, I was outside. But, I was not drunk. I was high. Thank you.
One time I had a friend come up from Portland to see DeVotchKa at the SoDo. His train was delayed and when he finally got to Seattle, he did not have time to drop off his overnight backpack. He made his way straight to the venue where he was REFUSED entry for a vial of prescription anxiety pills. What the fuck? They would not let him in. He couldn’t even leave it at coat check. He had to resort to hiding his meds in a bush about a block away and pray they would be there when he got back. Way to amp the guy’s anxiety! What a bunch of DICKS
What you didn’t see you dumb ass was when “Irish” started to pick a fight with another guy and when a female told him to back off he pushed her down and walked into the crowd. Why bother posting some bull shit story that you don’t know the details of? If it was you that was pushed down perhaps your story would be tell a different tail? You are probably one of the many asreholes who attend these shows and get drunk, loud and annoy the piss out of people who come to enjoy the show. Than you have nothing better to do then bitch about it on a silly blog. You’re a dumb twat!
It sounds like Tim MCVallen is probably one of the brutes who work there, and is upset that others are calling these guys out for their abuses. And he’s ragging on Cherrybomb, calling her names. That is uncalled for.
It’s understandable you need tough guys to handle security in nightclubs, but Cherrybomb was noting that this venue seemed to have an overbearing staff.
I wasn’t at the show, but I got the sense from reading this that these guys must be ex-cons who got pushed around a lot behind bars, and need to get it out of their system – OR – pent-up ragers bent on hating the world. In either scenario, it seems it is they who (in Tim’s words) “annoy the piss out of people who come to enjoy the show.”
Maybe they’re cops in training. Or homeland security officers in training. But they don’t belong at Nick Cave’s show bossing people (who’ve paid over $50/ticket to be there) around. It’s almost as if we should take this to Mr. Cave himself, and let him know he should be more selective about venues he plays at next time he’s in Seattle.
I welcome anyone to leave comments on my blog. However, if you’re going to voice your opinion by leaving a comment, at least have your facts straight. Tim, your account of what happened is inaccurate, and your accusations are not only inflammatory and absurd, they are also outright lies. I stand by my eyewitness account completely and resent your repugnant attack on Irish’s character.
By the way, tails grow out of Donkey asses. Tales are accounts of events, past and present. To your credit, you did spell the word twat right.
Cherrybomb
Damn Tim McVeigh, why so angry? Do you talk to your g/f or b/f like that? I hope not. You could have explained yourself without being rude man. Be nice. Peace.
Wow. Great account. I’ve been to three shows at the Showbox – two of them at SoDo.
It’s true – their security people are skerrreee. The kind of guys that you think of as gangsters. And sometimes, there are police there, chumming it up with these guys.
Makes you wonder. Thank you for this great review!
I was there! This show was awesome. I love Freak Storm.
Tim McThug here is lying. I saw the whole thing, and it was definitely disruptive but no one was fighting. I call his bluff.
It reminds mr of a time in college when my friend didn’t like this guy talking to her at a bar. The bouncer asked if everything was alright, and next thing we know, this guy get dragged out. I think clubs try to hard to keep girls in by pouncing on any guy that might be trouble bc they don’t want to lose there lady crowd.
Shame on you Jeff Steichen for turning a good club into a security guard training grounds.
For s.danner@hotmail.com. Because I couldn’t respond to you directly as I had hoped. And that’s because you didn’t leave me a legit email. My response (which should have been just to you) follows. All further comments on this entry will be deleted.
Allyson,
I felt compelled to email you directly as you have me confused with a friend of mine who I was with. Who had perhaps, a few too many. If I lost my balance during the show, it was due to the floor riser that I was standing on. Like any Nick fan, I was there until the lights came on that night.
You were commenting about my friend, not me. Believe me, I know, as she was indeed inebriated. I had her back. We’ve all been there.
I do appreciate your perspective and comments but feel compelled to correct you regarding my condition at this show. If I was drunk, as I often do on this blog, I would have said so. I was actually too sick with a cold to drink, and almost missed this show. There is no way I could have gotten inebriated.
The point I wanted to make with this entry (besides the fact that this was an amazing show) was the collective actions of some of the security staff at SoDo that were, quite frankly, not okay. I also want to let this issue resolve itself as it’s not about addressing right and wrong, it’s beginning to become the battle of good and bad. And I’m not interested in that debate. I love music and having fun while seeing live music. I’m sure we can at least agree about that. My apologies for removing your comment, and all future ones on this entry, from my blog. Despite what you might think, it’s not my style or something I look forward to.
Cherrybomb
I was also at that show- visiting from Kansas City- I saw the guy removed but did not see what happened to cause it. I did have an issue with the security folks but they actually cut me a break- having changed bags at my host residence- I did not have my ID on hand.. After much reasoned discussion- they let me in without it.. I am old though and that helped.. there is no mistaking me for underaged..
I remember you from that show. I arrived just after you did. I was disappointed that the staff appeared to be hassling you. I’m glad to know that they were not. Thanks for your comment! What a show!
ha ha. I love it. I am an ex bouncer from showbox and I LOVE all the pissing and moaning going on. We are paid baby sitters for adults. sucks you can’t keep it cool at a show but most of you can’t. period.