south american tour 2009
 

i think this deserves its own thread... maybe because i dreamt about it for a long time :p

i mean: gig´s reviews thread.


thanks lillian, specially for the pictures. i didn´t read the set list. i want to be taken by surprise (me and my particular way of thinking some things... anyway), whether there will be or not, lol.

http://img178.imageshack.us/img178/9...0079np0.th.jpg

look at that smile, OMG!

so guys... is he actually performing solo? ... the band is not with him? or.. are they?

no, he's solo...

awww.... :(

Here’s my review of the first show in Mexico City, I tried to be as detailed as possible :D

Ok, so we got there like an hour before the show, and the place was already pretty crowded. About fifteen minutes later we actually spotted Damien by the drinks!! Nobody seemed to notice him though, and only a couple people actually approached him. He was only there for a short while and then went back “behind the scenes”.

The venue was very intimate, and the setup was basically a bunch of numbered tables for four people each. You could order drinks or food if you wanted to before the show. And it was announced that there’d actually be 15-20 minute break mid-concert so people could get more drinks, rather than having the waiters interrupting during the set.

At 10 sharp, Damien opened his guitar-only set with “The Professor” and went on to sing “Delicate” and “Elephant”, without speaking to the audience in between the songs. But right after “Coconut Skins” he chatted for the first time. He said he hoped we understood English and that he’d try to speak slowly so we could keep up, and then proceeded to tell the Amie story about the shooting star, throwing a few words in Spanish here and there (it was funny hearing him attempt to speak the language). The public really responded to the it, laughing at all the right places, and being welcoming towards him in general (many screamed “welcome!”, “thanks for coming!”, and lots of flattering comments), and it was my impression that he maybe didn’t expect such warmth, he seemed happy and giggly from then on.

Following “Amie” and “Older Chests”, he said he’d been asked by the venue to have a break to give “the alcoholics in the room an opportunity to get a drink”, and that he’d return after his next song for the “drunk part of the set”. He did “Cannonball” without mic and left.

After the break came “Woman Like A Man”, “Eskimo”, “The Animals Were Gone”, “I Remember”, “9 Crimes”, and “Grey Room”, all without interruptions. Then he introduced “Cold Water” as “Aqua Freda”, which he then corrected to “Agua Fría”, the correct translation of “Cold Water” into Spanish. Surprisingly, he asked the lights to be turned off “completamente” (completely), and he did this and “Hallelujah” in complete darkness, making for a pretty special atmosphere.

Just when it seemed he’d play “Sand”, he seemed to quickly change his mind (or maybe he got confused and started the wrong song?) and started telling the story about writing “Childish” because of his close relationship with other singer/songwriters, jokingly adding that he was absolutely nothing like what is described in the song. Then came “a depressing song”: “Accidental Babies”, followed by the biggest (and best) surprise of the night (for me) “Then Go”. I was really hoping he did either that one, “Insane”, or “Sand”, and was pleasantly surprised when I heard the first notes.

Lots of laughter came when someone in the audience started yelling “sabroso” as a compliment to Damien. For a moment he thought they’d yelled “You’re an asshole”, and he was kind of confused when everybody tried to explain to him that the comment actually meant “tasty”. He said “Taste me? F*ck (still a bit confused)” lol.
He finally had one person on the front row tell him it meant “tasty”, to which he reacted by smelling his armpit and saying “maybe earlier, but not now”. Toying with his guitar, he didn’t know what to play next, considering he hadn’t had a gig in a long time, and didn’t remember which songs he had (he mentioned that). Someone suggested “Rootless Tree”, and he liked the idea, saying that he usually plays it in the piano, but that he’d try to play it on the guitar as if it was the piano version.

As an intro for “Rootless Tree”, he told a story about him thinking that he could step on people in the same way that one can just step on plants on a field. After a while, the plants come back up, and he thought it was the same with people, but that he later realized that if you step on plants too much you draw a pathway, and in the case of the song, it was about creating a pathway on a person.

“I’ve had a really interesting and sweet night, so hopefully I will see you again sometime”, Damien said before telling the “Volcano” story in which he recommends that if you’re sexually attracted to either “a woman, a man…or a dog” you should go to the bathroom and “relieve yourself”. And if you still want to kiss her (him or it lol), then it’s genuine. The sing-a-long was one of the most fun things. I’m sure you’ve all read about it since it has been done before, but he basically divided us into four. Some had to sing “Volcanoes melt you down”, others had to do the “What I am to you, is not real / What I am to you, you do not need” bit, the people in the middle did the “no no no no no”, and the section that was confined in the corner, to the right of the stage, had to scream a high-pitched “aaaaa”. The first time they tried the “aaaa” it was hilarious because it sounded terrible, so Damien said that any girl (since it needed to sound acute) whose name started with the letters A, B, C, D, or E should help out. He gave examples of names for each letter: Alejandra, Charlize, Daniela amongst them, but it was particularly amusing when he said “Beronica” and “Elephanto”, since the first name is spelled “Veronica”, and the second is not even a name.

He left the stage afterwards, a bit past midnight at this point, but the crowd went mad for an encore, and he came back for two performances: “The Blower’s Daughter”, and “Cheers Darlin’”. Right when “Blower’s Daughter” was about to end, I suddenly heard some gasps, and when I turned to my right I saw a bunch of security people all over a table. Apparently there was a little fight, and I overheard someone say that it had been caused because a guy grabbed another’s head and pushed it down since he had been blocking his view. And I missed this, but someone who was with me told me that Damien said, paraphrasing, something like “A fight at a Damien Rice concert? Who would have thought?”.

People used the distraction to get closer to the stage and shake Damien’s hand. I had to leave before “Cheers Darlin’” was over but I am guessing he did the drunk song thing.

And so it went, a memorable night.

nice review!!! Thank you!! I envy the "Then Go" treat!!

I'm sure Mexico showed him lots of love!!

Hope he can get a piano for southamerica..I`m bleeding for "Unplayed Piano"...Y Gracias x el review :wave:
:smiley27::smiley27::smiley27:

great review eskimo_prague! it's almost as re-living it all again :D

and he did the drunk song thing with Cheers Darlin' hehe, after that he thanked everyone and went backstage.

The tv session today was pretty cool. My memory is the worst but I think this was the setlist (definitely not in order)
Delicate
Blower's Daughter
Older Chests
The Professor
Lonely Soldier
The Blower's Daughter
Elephant

maybe I'm missing a song, I can't remember. I can't wait to watch it on tv.


I should have put the setlist in smaller font hehe, sorry if I ruined the surprise for anyone!

And that's my favorite picture :D
I got a really nice smile for the pic, I just can't stop watching lol

:( I've seen it before but I'm still sorry I missed it (the drunk "Cheers Darlin'" bit), did you happen to record it Lillian?

I'm glad you guys enjoyed the review :)

I still can't believe I wasn't able to go to the TV session :(. If I lived in the city this never would have happened :S. Was he also interviewed or did he only sing? If he was indeed interviewed, any highlights? Do you know when it will air on TV? Was there a lot of people?

LOL sorry for all the questions, but I'm very curious.

Thanks for the setlist for the show! I was surprised to read he did "Lonely Soldier"!

Don't worry about the questions, I would be curious too lol. So, where did you come from?

I couldn't record Cheers Darlin' :( it was a mess at the front of the stage hehe

There's always an interview at that show but they record it before or after the singing, so I don't know about it. We'll have to wait until it airs. There must've been like 30 people there, maybe more but some of them were people that worked there. And I'm guessing it will air in mid-year. There were some other sessions recorded last autumn and they said they would air in mid 2009, I'm hoping they include Damien's session in that season of the show.

if the tickets hadn't been that expensive, I would've been there tonight too :(
sad thoughts, but I'm glad I was on the first show, I like to think of it as the special one :P

Thanks for answering my questions :) I imagine it must have been a complete mess during "Cheers Darlin'" hehe, actually the security people didn't seem to know what to do. When I left, a bunch of people left too and they didn't even ask for our food and beverage ticket like they announced they would, they were probably taken by surprise.

I hope it surfaces on YouTube or something. Did you get to shake Damien's hand? I saw a bunch of people who did.

I made the trip from Guadalajara, and you are absolutely right, the tickets were extremely expensive. When I saw there'd be a second date I really wanted to get tickets and maybe get front row this time (they sold a bit slower so it might have been more possible), but it was just too much. :(

I agree with you, if I had to choose between day 1 and day 2, I'd choose day 1, much more special. I'm still curious about the setlist for tonight though, do you know anyone who's going?

30 people? Wow! Talk about intimate! Did he speak at all to the audience or did he just do the songs? Was it a long wait or did it start at the scheduled time?

I was hoping it would air much sooner, but I guess we'll have to wait.

Thanks again for your replies!

Oh, your pictures are great by the way!

14 beautiful photos from the first night in Mexico:
http://www.fernandomoguel.com.mx/thu...s.php?album=40

^Great pics

So is the TV show gonna be broadcasted???????? I'm confused, is this the thing that might show up at that online radio station???

lots of clips from the Mexico 1st gig @ youtube.

This is Rootless Tree with the 'sabroso' bit:
http://it.youtube.com/watch?v=PI-TkdhUg6A

just realised he did ACCIDENTAL BABIES ON GUITAR!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

http://it.youtube.com/watch?v=IlBknIDSjhs

I only remember another guitar AB, in an in-store thing at HMV-Dublin (I think) back in 2004/05. So might be the first time he plays it on guitar at a gig.

Thank you Marti!!

He played AB on guitar at Radio Deejay in Italy too, but yeah I think it was probably the first time at a proper gig...

http://uk.youtube.com/profile?user=r...ry=damien+rice

Here's 5 more videos I found from above user including Hallelujah and Childish..
__

http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=dq3Uy3-r6zM

Good video of Woman Like a Man

__

http://uk.youtube.com/user/lordgera

Cheers Darlin (as suspected he had a CD playing over the back) and Amie

__

http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=f9TbqKlMegQ

Cannonball

I'm thinking the same thing LOL I barely even read the setlist, I don't want to spoil the surprise. but thanks for the reviews and pics, I'll take a look on monday!! :)

wow! you found two of my videos already hehe

I uploaded some more, two of them are still processing but they should be available in two hours or so. http://youtube.com/user/lilianlies333

And I uploaded more pictures to my flickr page: http://www.flickr.com/photos/lilian_lies/

enjoy :)

amazin pics Lillian!!!!!!!!!!!!! thanks x postin'em!!!!

Any news from the 2nd Mexican night??????

Gracias Lilian,..están geniales los videos.
:D
He`s coming !!! :D :D :D

Thanks so much for the vidoes, stories and pics Mexican eskimos! Sounds like a great night!

according to someone at mehaceruido.com, on the 2nd show he did play Insane & Fool!!!!!!!!!!! can anyone confirm??

Thanks for the vids and pics Lillian! I also have some suff that I will upload as soon as I have the chance.

Someone does mention that he sang "Insane" and "Fool" yesterday on that page. Hope someone can confirm.

I read that too, but no one has posted the setlist.

great videos!! thanks so much for sharing!!! that part when he says "Im an asshole??" when people where shouting "sabroso" (that he is yummy) LOOOOL that was so funny!!!! hahahahah

Hey!
 

So i saw damien the 21st but i have news about the 22nd since some of my friends went. I hadn't asked about insane or fool but he certaintly did not play accidental babies and at the end of the gig when he sang volcano he let like 30 people up the stage to sing with him...how cool is that?????
I have photos and videos too, and i will try to upload the but there's not enough time when you study medicine hahaha
It was the greates night ever!!!!! And well the best thing happened to me that night but not only did I listened and saw Damien in a gig but I in fact met him!!! I went to the bar, an there he was!!!! Asking for a bottle of wine in stage, this was before the show of course. I said hi, he asked my name and we chat for like 7 seconds that turned into the greates moment ever! He even said, HOPE TO SEE YOU SOON!! hahaha I don't know about you but that made it all...!!!! Maybe I'm not the first one but who cares all i wanted was to meet him....
I'll try and upload those pics sometime...till then have a great time and enjoy your respective concerts!!!!

^Great that you meet him!!!!! And yep, ask your friend for more info if you can :)

from what I've read, the setlist went something like this:

Delicate
Woman Like A Man
Eskimo (with story)
Elephant
Rootless Tree
Amie (with story)
Coconut Skins (with story)
Fool
Cannonball (unplugged)

I Remember
Insane
9 Crimes
Cold Water & Hallelujah
The Professor & La Fille Danse
Volcano
The Blower's Daughter
Cheers Darlin'

before Eskimo he said something like "There was a time of my life when I was in a very dark place and I threw a lot of **** around and hurt a lot of people, but there's always this one friend who's unmovable, like a rock, I wrote this song for that friend."

^ i love that story.. ah they got insane! that's the best.

nice review eskimo praque, thanks for sharing your night with us! that sabroso/asshole bit is too funny :D

hi friends

Looks like he did the Volcano thing (taking 20 people on stage) in Buenos Aires... here's a clip:
http://it.youtube.com/watch?v=MRNJo6...ice&emb=0&aq=f

Anyone recognize Verenita in there??????????? :)

^ He looks like he's having so much fun up there! :D

^ yeah. Fool and Insane!!!! That's the greatest set ever. he truly seems different, happier. the last time I saw him he barely interacted with the public and now he brings people onstage. i can't wait for verenita's review

I think I see Verenita in the video just right behind Damien singing Volcano!!!!!!!!!!! I'm 99% sure it's her!!!!!

that is her!! hahahha and I?m there too!! I'm on the "volcanoes melt you down" group, you can see me a bit going up stage.

ok, guys, what can I tell you, it was a MAGICAL night, it was perfect. I'd like to write a proper review but I have to sit down and do it. what I can tell you now is that I rquested Insane!!! and he played it and broke string!! after he finished he sid "so whoever wanted insane..." I shamefully raised my hand "you broke my string" and I said "sorry" :D

the best part was... we got to meet him!!!! we stayed a while at the bar and then like an hour later he was leaving so there ws a group of 20-something people there and he stayed a while chatting with us.

ok, I'm gonna go check on the pics and videos to see if anythign is worth uploading and write something else. more details later!!

MAGICAL I tell you!!

so what did he play???? setlist setlist :) so did he manage to play Insane in full??? Did you tape it?????????????????

EDIT: There are some pics and a nice review in Spanish here:
http://estebandiacono.tv/365/

the guy mentions how someone asked for his broken guitar string and Damien replied: yes, of course you can take it……. WEIIIIRRRDOOO!!!!

Was it you Eva???

I'm sooo happy for you girls!
but now we need more details :love10:

so verenita, after all these years waiting to see him, how was it??

what a perfect night!