At All Tomorrow’s Parties we had Nick Cave curating the event and tonight we have Josh Earl curating Nick Cave. The Wordstock night of the Emerging Writers Festival gave punters the chance to hear Nick Cave songs done in styles that include mime, song, poetry and spoken word.
With a bubbly personality Earl opened with a rambling description of what we would and wouldn’t see – and how the night almost didn’t happen due his boss wanting to pay homage to Nick Cage rather than Nick Cave. Earl’s amusing graphs, ditty about never meeting Cave and a story about killing his parents’ dinner party with Cave’s Murder Ballads set the irreverent tone for the night.
Emily Zoe Baker took on Nobody’s Baby Now incorporating into her own words into the lyrics. Trying to unravel the mysteries of Jesus Christ the Saviour her imagery and word play (‘don’t you use that ringtone with me’) had the audience laughing.
J-mag writer Daniel Moore took his shot at the song Are You The One That I’ve Been Waiting For with a story about meeting Cave by Melbourne’s Ferris wheel. Matt Kelly put on a hysterical performance miming to the song Into My Arms and getting people out of the audience to fall into each others’ arms. Eventually he got most of the audience down on the stage for a hug and a huge cheer for his winning charm.
Calling upon the author to explain Sean M Whelan sported a fab outfit and spoke about love letters, Woody Allen and meeting Burkowski under the Westgate bridge. Three piece band Cusser Kev started with electric guitar start before the drum and keys rolled in to tackle their tribute to Fifteen Feet of Pure White Snow.
RRR comedian Damian Lawlor provided a highlight with his take on Dig, Lazarus Dig. Wearing a deli outfit (inspired by mishearing the song title – Dip Lazarus, Dip! ) we heard his conversation with the Vatican trying to have Lazarus – his weird employee – un-resurrected. Damian was transferred to different sections of the Vatican’s help line, from old testament, to the new testament and others in pursuit of a solution to his biblical crisis.
Eva Johnson started off in stoop whilst mumbo jumbo talking to The Carny before singing a haunting verse. Josh Earl returned with acoustic guitar in hand and paid tribute to Where Do We Go But Nowhere with a song about a student waking up one day to discover his girlfriend has moved out. Will Hindmarsh and Emily Jarret took no risks, simply singing Henry Lee before Ben Poijbe told us a comical story about meeting Cave (or Car-vay) at a – œguys in black anonymous’ meeting and being whisked away to a Tahitian romance of tropical sex and Golden gaytimes with the singer. His very clever performance inspired by of There She Goes My Beautiful World featured quips about the loss of his – œone sixth Chinese’ lover and her – œspherical rotation’.
Gamely choosing to handle No Pussy Blues as her chosen Cave tune, Clem Bastow came out in short dress with sexy heels to deliver her tales sex-phobia. David Quirk offered his observations on the meaning of the song People Ain’t No Good with it’s confusing double negative title, before deciding that Cave’s lyrics offered a premonition about the Cronulla Sharks players. Last of the block was the St Bruno Collective to close the night by sharing their version of The Ship Song.
Far from the expected tribute to Cave – and thankfully banishing the dread that too often comes with the phrase – œspoken word artist’ – Wordstock offered something truly special and unique. Perhaps next year they can pay tribute to Nick Cage…
