Damien Rice

[PARTY GIRL]

Hi
I am a new user to this EC forum so I thought I'd ease in gently
Is anyone else listening to Damien Rice at the moment? I think he is such a fantastic but underrated singer (a bit like EC!). Fortunately I'm lucky enough to be going to see him next week at the Manchester Apollo (Front row stage side seats in upper circle if you please!!!)
Is there anyone else out there a fan and if so what are your fave songs?
I think mine are Cheers Darling, Accidental Babies and 9 Crimes.

[Jackson Monk]

Hi Party Girl - loads of Damien Rice fans on this forum. Otis is the expert on all things Damo!

[pophead2k]

I had the pleasure to see him on his tour for O in New Orleans in an intimate venue. He was quite ill so he asked the audience to sit down (as he had to sit down to play that night). It made for a very mellow but intensely satisfying evening of music.

Welcome to the board!

[Otis Westinghouse]

Not an expert, and have cooled on him somewhat after 9, which has grown on me, but largely seems a pale shadow of O, which I still think is fantastic. I played it not long ago, first time in quite a while, and it still all sounded great. I saw him here in Cambridge touring O and it was very good.

There's a bit of a danger of him turning into a self-parody with the loud/quiet dynamics andthe intense and slightly sinister words, and it would be nice to hear a third LP that was a bit of a departure, but some songs on 9 have really grown on me. At first I found myself linking almost every song on it to one on O.

For me the best songs come from O, and though it's been over-exposed with Closer etc., The Blower's Daughter is still an entirely astonishing song for me. Hairs standing up on neck every time. It was somehow anti-climactic live, but others stood out more, like Amie, which sounded perfect, and had a big glitterball to embellish it, and was all quite overwhelming.

Other faves are Delicate, Volcano, Cannonball, Cold Water and from 9 The Animals Had Gone and Rootless Tree.

I agree he has a great voice, but maybe he should buy himself a new guitar or two! Enjoy the gig, it should be very good. Welcome to the board, and do report back afterwards!

[Jackson Monk]

I'm a big big 'Eskimo' fan.

[PARTY GIRL]

Yeah I,m really looking forward to it. Unfortunately my long-suffering husband isnt. He gets dragged round to see loads of stuff he doesnt like. We even went to Sydney on his 40th birthday a couple of years ago and Elvis was playing the same night at the State Theatre - course we had to go!!!. The poor guy doesnt even like Elvis - more of a Kylie fan himself Anyway it seems that Damien Rice is playing the MEN Arena at the end of the year - cant see that that will work myself - too big a venue for someone like him he's more suited to a more intimate place like the Apollo. The MEN is more suitable for shows and big stadium bands.

[Otis Westinghouse]

Damo was a good one for me in that my wife came - it was a stand-up gig and she's not normally at all keen, which at 5 foot and half an inch is partially understandable. I do remember my feet and anbkles feeling really tired the next day and thinking I was getting old, but have found since it was an odd one-off. Must have been tired. She's Irish and already 100% more interested in a singer if they are too.

Your husband sounds like he has a great time of it! You don't also drag him along to Old Trafford, do you?

Agree about the smaller venue thing. He made the Corn Exchange feel very special, commenting on what a lovely building it was and creating a great atmosphere. There was a great diversity of people there, huge age range. Someone's mobile went off during Hallelujah and he smiled a little and sang 'Hallelujah for mobile phones'.