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Nick Cave left Radiohead’s London show at the O2 visibly affected, describing the concert as an unexpectedly powerful evening. The band’s Fall 2025 tour wrapped up in Berlin on Dec. 12, but it was the London dates that stayed with the Bad Seeds frontman.
Why Cave broke his own rule and went to gigs
On his Red Hand Files forum, Cave explained he normally avoids other bands while touring. Touring, he wrote, leaves him sonically and emotionally saturated. After a short break from the road, he felt drawn back to live music.
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He said the break had calmed his head and opened a window for attending shows. That impulse led him to a mix of high-profile and underground acts this year. He described each night as memorable and moving.
Artists on Cave’s recent live-music list
- Bob Dylan — a veteran presence that he admired.
- Swans — noted for intense, cathartic performances.
- Radiohead — the O2 shows that left the strongest impression.
- Cameron Winter — a newer voice on his radar.
- Dirty Three — an emotional, instrumental force.
These concerts, he said, were “incredible evenings” that reinforced his belief in music’s power.
Inside the O2: twenty thousand people and a wave of feeling
Cave described sitting among roughly twenty thousand attendees at the O2. He admitted it was the first time he’d experienced that scale as an audience member.
The atmosphere surprised him. Fans reacted physically and emotionally — dancing, yelling, embracing. The collective energy shifted throughout the crowd.
He felt a deep communal love, expressed in small acts and big outbursts alike. That unity, he suggested, amplified the music’s effect.
Live music as a restorative force
What struck Cave most was the sense that a concert can do more than entertain. He compared the experience to other practices he values — swimming in a lake, attending church, walking in nature, and meditating.
Why a concert differs from other rituals
- It’s participatory: the audience and performers build the moment together.
- It’s immediate: emotions move through people in real time.
- It can feel reparative: Cave used terms that suggested healing and moral uplift.
For him, a live show offered a unique form of transcendence. He suggested concerts can send goodness into the world, easing harm and lifting spirits.
Praise for Radiohead’s courage and artistry
Cave applauded Radiohead not only for the music but for the vulnerability on stage. He admired their willingness to stand in front of a massive audience and expose something personal.
- Musical excellence: the band’s sonic depth impressed him.
- Artistic bravery: performing with honesty in a huge venue.
- Emotional generosity: inviting the crowd into a shared moment.
He said the performance humbled him and left a lasting impression.
Notes on the 2025 fall tour and final dates
Radiohead’s Fall 2025 run included multiple nights at major arenas, including several shows at London’s O2. The final concert of the tour took place in Berlin on Dec. 12.
Fans and critics noted the band’s consistency across the run, and Cave’s reaction added a high-profile testimony to the tour’s emotional reach.
