Nick Cave And The Bad Seeds perform surprise gig on roof of Brighton record shop

By Casey Cooper-Fiske, Press Association Senior Entertainment Reporter

Nick Cave And The Bad Seeds have surprised fans with a gig on the roof of a Brighton record shop.

The band emerged on top of Resident Music in the city’s The Lanes area at 11am on Friday, where they performed a cover of T Rex’s Cosmic Dancer along with a selection of their own fan favourites.

They started their set with Train Long Suffering from 1985’s The Firstborn Is Dead, which the Australian singer, 68, last performed in Brighton in the year of its release.

As the song finished, Cave shouted over rapturous applause: “Thank you. F****** Brighton. What a thing to be doing.”

Cave then went to the piano for his cover of Cosmic Dancer which was accompanied by a violin solo from bandmate Warren Ellis.

The band also played Henry Lee, which saw one of their backing singers Janet Ramus perform PJ Harvey’s part of the song, and saw Cave give a shout out to his wife Susie and son Earl who were watching on the balcony of the shop.

Cave, who is due to perform at the city’s Preston Park on Friday night, finished with a singalong rendition of Papa Won’t Leave You Henry.

At the end of the performance, he said: “See you tonight. Thank you, thank you, Resident Records, for this best f****** record shop in the world.”

On Friday, visitors to Brighton Station were greeted by a “welcome to Brighton Station” message recorded by Cave.

Cave has returned to the town he used to live in for the concert, which will see him supported by The Flaming Lips, English Teacher, Cate Le Bon, and Warmduscher.

The record shop has hosted a pop-up shop for the band in the run-up to the gig which has allowed fans to send letters to Cave’s Red Hand Files blog, which sees him answer questions as well as purchase exclusive items.

Brighton’s Duke of York’s Picturehouse cinema will also screen five films selected by Cave with a special pre-recorded introduction by the singer.