(long) Italian tour review :)
 

So the Italian tour is over for me after doing 3 shows (Grado, Ferrara and Firenze) in 4 days. Amazing tour with great friends and spectacular Damo concerts, among the best concerts I've ever attended. Damo at his happiest, more relaxed than ever, telling crazy story after crazy story, playing requests, and if that wasn't enough, being more accessible than ever after the shows.
We kicked the tour in Grado, 2 hours north of Venice. Great location with the venue being right by the sea. Drove with Sharmin and Vere and met there with Glo and Lalla. Right after arriving we saw the start of the soundcheck with Damo looking pretty neat with a new haircut :) We also spotted Joel (easy, he's kinda tall :) but he didn't play that day.
The show in Grado was just amazing, great setlist, great stories... the show started kinda quiet with Older Chests and Coconut Skins but he won the audience with the story of the Professor and the many stories that followed, most of them about sperm... after The Professor, he did Volcano in which he asked people to climb the stage. Since we were front row we climbed quite fast and did the thing of singing in the different groups, with the song becoming faster and faster and in the end it was like a Volcano Remix :) after that he asked what we wanted to hear and a mad Italian guy started yelling song titles in a kinda impolite way from What This Night is For - Damien replied he hasn't any song titled like that- to The Power of Orange Knickers... Damien kinda ignored him but he kept yelling and even yelled 'Tori Amos' and finally Damien said he knew the song but not the chords... and finally played I Remember, which was very very beautiful... Eskimo followed, very beautiful too... and then he told the masturbation/charity story and played Yoke, which he hadnt done yet in this tour and was great!!!! after breaking a string he went to the piano for 9 crimes and Acc. babies. This was probably the gig's low for me, not his fault but the piano's, which was one of them Rhodes that sounds like a kid's plastic casio as opposed to sounding like a proper piano.
This was followed by one of the highlights of the night, The Box, title 100% confirmed as he introduced the song as The Box himself., he said something like 'did anyone ask for The Box'? and he started playing it but I think no one really asked :D The song sounds better and better everyday, already a classic to me. after that, he played Amie and a surprising Childish dedicated to the 7 people in the audience that know the song, aka, Us!!! after that he asked for the lights to be turned off and that was kinda funny cos they were not understanding him, mostly cos he was trying to give the instructions in Italian but mostly talking Spanish. Cold Water/Hallelujah followed and that was absolutely beautiful and breathtaking, especially in such a spectacular location by the sea. The last part of the show was more like the greatest hits but he threw in a great version of Elephant after Cheers to close the show!!!
Surprisingly he exited the venue kinda fast, 15 min I'd say and was immediately surrounded by like 50 people of the most obnoxious kind, all surrounding him at a distance of 30 cm, taking pictures of him with flash by placing the camera in front of his face at 5 cm, asking the most silly questions, insisting obsessively on Damien to drink from their beer, asking for Lisa wtf so when Damien said he was gonna go to hotel and back, I wasn't really expecting him to come back :D but he did... so we followed him to a spot by the beach (was kinda surreal, felt a bit like when you're a kid and follow the teacher in a school trip) and then we all did sit down in a sorta circle, quite a lot of people, like 50 people I'd say (by contrast we were like 10-15 in Paris guess cos of the long waiting). He played 5 songs in total, 2 requests (Delicate and Rootless Tree) and 3 newies (Back to Her Man and 2 brand new ones never played before). There was also a Russian guy playing guitar who did The Scientist and Creep with all of us singing and he was really good, and think Damo liked it too. Pity again there were a bunch of very obnoxious Italian fans... especially a guy that volunteer to play an Italian folk song as requested by Damien but instead he played not 1 but 2 horrible songs that were zero folk and was kinda rude to Damien too... plus the annoying guy with the requests asked why he didn't remember What This Night is For. Again Damien said he doesn't have any song called like that, then said, oh the one that goes' and we've never been in this place before' and finally said it's called 'Eve and the Day' but not sure if he was pulling our leg... but despite a couple creeps I think the whole think was kinda special. The whole thing was kinda surreal, being by the beach in the middle of nowhere with Damien kinda serenating us and singing us new songs that he wanted us to hear. In regards to the newies, first he did Back to Her Man. Amazing!!!! Especially the in crescendo and the final part. Then he ask his friend Rob to join him for a song with him playing this mouth-harp or whatever you call it. We got all a bit confused, I understood they were gonna do a cover but the lyrics were very Damien so might be a Damo song. When asked, he said the title was "What Have You Done To Her Face" and was changing along the song to What have you done to her smile... what have you done to her soul... for me, it was ok-ish not spectacular but in my head I was kinda thinking it was a cover so not sure...
By comparison, the last song I Don't Know How To Comfort You was much better. Very slow and very sad, nice lyrics (although the first line was shocking: I don't know how to feel/I don't know how to f*ck). In this sense, has been mentioning in all aftershows not to tape/put on YT cos these songs are not finalized and I think we should respect that... Maybe we could share by pm or 4shared. Not only those from Grado but the other shows too...

The Box at Grado

After a pause in Venice, we took the train to Ferrara for the Friday show. Joined by Stefan, we went to the venue at around 6:30 but there was already a line of 50 people. The venue was basically a field with a stage and chairs on the grass. Zero intimate and almost like a festival. Also the stage was kinda far with a barrier/space separating the crowd so no one could climb/go to the stage. That said, the first part of the show was amazing mostly cos of the song choices. He started very funnily with The Professor and surprisingly he started by explaining the story before singing. Wonder if he's ever started a show talking instead of singing. Kinda shows how happy/chatty/in a good mood he is. The first part of the setlist was great especially the part in which he did Fool/ 9 crimes/I Remember/Elephant/Insane. Fool was quite the surprise, especially so early in the show, and was as great as usual although not as intense as the (drunk) version from Paris. Before I Remember he explained how we hardly ever forgets song lyrics expect for I Remember :) and of course, he did forget some :) nicely, when he asked for requests, 2 different people shouted Insane and he played it. Incredible version kinda angry toward the end. Loved it and really made the concert for me. After Acc. babies, the low point of the gig cos of the caca Rhodes piano, he asked people to leave the seats and move upfront, so from this point on it was more like a festival than a concert. And it really felt like that cos the gig was shorter, many were singing/shouting the lyrics, so I personally think something was lost... not bad cos we got Joel to guess on Woman like a Man and Volcano but I rather listen to Damien singing Cold Water with absolute silence and no one even breathing than with 1000 people murdering the lyrics... although it's kinda funny to hear 1000 people singing 'Did I say that I LOOOOOVE you' at the end of TBW... priceless... Show ended with Cheers Darlin with the girl being Damien's friend from Colombia, Natalia, who flew from Spain. After the show, long waiting but no aftershow although Damien stopped by and answered/talked with everyone despite the level of the questioning reaching stupidity level, e.g., Damien, do you know Julia Roberts? How is she like?... enough said...

Fool at Ferrara


Insane at Ferrara


After Ferrara, we said goodbye to Vere and went to Firenze. This time we went to the venue earlier, at around 5, and after some fighting to keep the line in order (Sharmin's new favourite word is "fila") we went in the venue, a nice new open theatre, in the most caotic race for the front row ever in which we had to run like crazy like if we were at the Olympics, but we managed. The venue was amazing and the stage was like 1 m from us and barely 30 cm high, so nice and close. The show started nicely with Coconut Skins with this Rob playing the mouth-harp thing and at the first part of the show he was talking like crazy, also mixing stories, like telling the Yoke story for The Professor and some sperm story for Delicate :) The Professor was particularly nice cos he added the 3rd verse that he never sings, which coincidentally we had searched online before the show. Then before The Box, he told the saddest story... how he has this friends that always demoralizes him, like telling him he cannot this, he cannot do that, and that this friend... he sees him every morning in the mirror... sad beautiful story for a sad beautiful song, loved every second of it, and it's such an uplifting powerful song! After much appreciated versions of I Remember, 9 crimes and Amie he asked for an Italian folk song and someone came and did O Sole Mio while Damo was sitting on the ground in the first row. After that he reciprocated and did a traditional Irish, think it's The Great Fields of France. Didn't sound familiar but was nice enough. After playing some requests, Rootless Tree and Cannonball, Joel came on stage for Volcano and he asked for us to join him onstage, which was super easy cos we had just to do 1 step. We did and sat there for the rest of Volcano doing the groups thing but also for Cold Water, which was simply out of this world. Imagine singing on stage by Damien, with all the lights in the venue off, so just lighting from the stars above, while he did Cold Water and Hallelujah at the end. So so beautiful, beyond words!!
The encores were great, and Cheers was pretty funny with his friend the photographer dressed as a woman and being the girl in the story. The story was a bit different, like Damien had been drinking wine all day and was drunk and desperate :) the ending also had him going to the loo, peeing, watching his hands and finally leaving the bar! After that I thought he was gonna leave but he did a final Elephant that was again gorgeous and spectacular!!! He finished saying 'A dopo'= later, which kinda anticipated some aftershow... he also said we'd be seeing him sooner than we think, which in my eyes means a new tour later this year :) but he might be refering to the aftergig too... And yes, there was an aftershow immediately after the main show, like 30 min later, so basically almost everyone was there, haha well at least 200 people. And he played a total of 7 songs, all requests. He seemed to be in really great spirits and really willing to please everybody. There was another guy playing that did a couple songs and was pretty good and then another guy playing poorly that the audience kinda stopped halfway thru cos he was painful to hear... so it was mostly Damien. He did Grey Room, which was amazing and very uplifting, then Back to her Man, asking everyone to stop taking pictures, filming, no youtube, nada and enjoy... Eskimo, Yoke (he said it was the song about giving song to charity cos of masturbation), Older Chests, also very beautiful, Dogs, although he messed up quite a lot and forget most of it, and finished in the most amazing way, by singing The Greatest Bastard, which is the most gorgeous beautiful incredible song ever, and the cherry in the cake of a great concert and tour!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
In summary, you gotta love the holiday tour. Highlights for me: Fool coming back to the setlists, Insane, Elephant, I Remember, Cold Water, which was kinda ignored during the 9 tour, and The Box, plus all the stories he's telling and all the general level of good-mood-ness :) Plus his willingness to connect with his fans (I'm convinced he's done some therapy-course to gain tolerance to fans), the will to play people's requests, but also the will to play us new songs even when at the aftershows most people are interested in old songs. I personally got the feeling that this has been a tour to put him back in the game, to start the wheels turning, and that he's coming with an album/tour by the end of the year. But don't quote me on that, I'm optimistic by nature.

great review marti. i'm happy to have been part of this epic journey

[quote=borneoman;371375]

Nice thanks.!!

though i want to know more about 'greatest basterd' , is this a song that can be that one 'cannonball' or '9crimes' sound that appeals to all and not necessarily just Damien fans? is a really a great song, cuz 'back to her man and 'all i need know' arent that great

Interesting that he polished up ' wild and free' as 'spamlet' had noted from the whalens gigs that it did indeed need work, and it does sound so much better

:icon_pray:icon_pray thanks to everyone for the reviews and info....setlists....Appreciated very much...
What is this Greatest Bastered....you all speak of...? I've never heard it and I can't find any video or audio...of this song.
Help
Oh and please check your inbox's PM ....:wave:

Volcano with everyone onstage at Firenze:


which as followed by Cold Water in total darkness

:smiley27::smiley27::smiley27::smiley27:

Sounds so wonderful. Thanks for the great reviews, Marti!!

I can't believe I wasted my tickets to Ferrera and Firenze. I would loved to request "It Didn't Take You Long", "Wooden Horse" and a cover of "When Dove Cries". I think it's a great version of Prince's classic.

Italian Rolling Stone...


Damien Rice, but what a transformation!
But it wasn't a bear? One with sympathy there would agree? But how many questions! Here's the new Damien

Looked like a night like any other. Indeed, perhaps quieter than usual. Damien Rice has a loving and very educated audience. I didn't think a pogata sottopalco or a madman stage diving. However, you cannot run a second and what happens? You stand with Damien Rice on stage completely surrounded by its audience. Well, a hundred of them, maybe ... So it went really, I turned for a moment. It took his kind invitation, addressed to the front rows, to the stage to see long-haired young launch themselves from the top of the Cavea to jump next to your darling.

The atmosphere was always quiet and relaxed, he has never feared for the safety of Damien or danger to the public. Few songs all together and then invites everyone to switch off your mobile phone, to lower the lights of the stage and don't take pictures with flash. But what's going on? To complete darkness, the Cavea, all onstage. Should not be a seratina quiet?

A couple of other songs. All off the stage. Falls to IA and greets with a cryptic "see you later". Since when? Signing autographs? But even as a joke. Fifteen minutes after the end of the show, you find yourself with Damien Rice and guitar, sitting on the ground, surrounded by his audience that continues to sing. He sings and does sing some guys from the audience, giving them the lead guitar, and listening, blessed. It is not enough. Is writing a song and want to try it, teaches in a few seconds the refrain to the public and here is the unedited served. Beginning concert 21.45, exit from the Cavea 1.30. It was supposed to be a night like any other. Just a little quieter than usual. Once again the magical air of the Cavea surprises me. And maybe not just me ...


Damien Rice, ma che trasformazione!
Ma non era un orso? Uno che con la simpatia non c'andava d'accordo? Ma quante domande! Eccovi il nuovo Damien

Sembrava una serata come tutte le altre. Anzi, forse più tranquilla del solito. Damien Rice ha un pubblico affezionato e molto educato. Non pensavo a una pogata sottopalco o a un forsennato stage diving. Invece, non ti puoi girare un secondo e cosa succede? Ti trovi con Damien Rice sul palco completamente circondato dal suo pubblico. Beh, un centinaio di loro, forse... Così è andata davvero, mi sono girato un attimo. È bastato il suo gentile invito, rivolto alle prime file, a salire sul palco per vedere giovani capelloni lanciarsi dalla cima della Cavea per saltare accanto al proprio beniamino irlandese.

L'atmosfera è sempre stata tranquilla e rilassata, non si è mai temuto per l'incolumità di Damien o pericoli per il pubblico stesso. Poche canzoni tutte insieme e poi invita tutti a spengere il cellulare, ad abbassare le luci del palco e non fare foto col flash. Ma che sta succedendo? Al buio completo, alla Cavea, tutti sul palco. Non doveva essere un seratina tranquilla?

Un paio di altre canzoni. Tutti giù dal palco. Rientra per i bis e saluta con un sibillino “Ci vediamo dopo”. Dopo quando? Firma autografi? Ma neanche per scherzo. Quindici minuti dopo la fine dello show ufficiale, ti ritrovi con Damien Rice e chitarra, seduto a terra, circondato dal suo pubblico che continua a cantare. Canta lui e fa cantare alcuni ragazzi del pubblico, prestando loro la chitarra, e li ascolta, beato. Non è sufficiente. Sta scrivendo una canzone e vuole provarla, insegna in pochi secondi il ritornello al pubblico ed eccoti l'inedita servita. Inizio concerto 21.45, uscita dalla Cavea 1.30. Doveva essere una serata come tutte le altre. Solo un po' più tranquilla del solito. Ancora una volta l'aria magica della Cavea mi sorprende. E forse non solo me...

Professional pics. http://www.flickr.com/photos/rosa_pa...7630827505370/

we may be getting dvd's for grado and firenze.
not official dvd's of course, but fan made... like the old rome 2007 one.

Those may be what I put up on the grado thread. Some of the best video I've seen of him. Great performances too. Lucky (greatest) bastards!

Ah, Marti you summed it up so well! It was such an amazing thing to be part of. And I'm SO SO SO happy I got to spend it with such lovely eskimos :D

I'm still all kinds of jet lagged so I have no clue if audio/video has come up yet (I know, I know, it hasn't been that long. I can be patient.) but... someone keep me in the loop ;)

wow been traveling and just catching up........................awesome reviews marti et al - sounds like a dream

great news on back in the game...............nice!

Hey guys, if anyone is making a DVD of this tour, may I have a copy as well. I can contribute some HD footages of the gig in Firenze, let me know how you want to get them or I can upload them in Youtube at HD quality.

uploading them to youtube doesn't make sense for the DVD (youtube quality is compressed), just upload the original files to rapidshare or similar and send the links to ninecrimesit@gmail.com

Ok, I'll definitely do that tonight.

Vere!!!!!!!!!!!!! :hello2: :hello2: :hello2: I think we were pretty lucky to experience the best Damo tour ever aka The Holidays Tour or the Sperm Tour (judging by the many stories about sperm) :D

but agree that the best thing was sharing the whole experience with such an amazing group of people!!!! I know I always say the same, but for me that's what being an Eskimofriend is about, sharing the Damo love :hello2:

Just listened to Dogs from the Rome after show. I forgot just how beautiful it is, especially when there's 20-30 voices singing in unison with Damien - picking up where he forgets the lyrics and cresendoes into "and leaves me standing". What a great vibe. You can't help but just fall in love with him all over again.

Regarding the DVDs - havent had time to take a look/cut together allthe recordings of the shows that i took. its approx. 50GB material (full three shows). I will upload them to dime sometime soon.

^great! and did you also tape Paris on video??
ps no rush we can wait (im)patiently!!!!!!!

nope, didnt bring the camcorder along to paris, messed up the audio recording and missed the aftershow - what a bummer. :/ Great evening nevertheless.
Firenze was the best of all five live shows could attend this year so far. Only the aftershow was too crowded and too much noise by non-caring fans.

I personally liked all shows that I went to, Paris, Grado, Firenze were equally great... I liked Ferrara a little less cos the last part seemed like a festival but we got Insane & Fool during the show so we cannot complain...

I actually thought the Firenze aftershow was too crowded and messy but then I saw videos from the one in Rome and wow, there people didn't stop taking pics with flash during the whole aftershow, Damo was asking them to stop with the flash and the recording and no one cared, and there were crazy fans following him like if he was Justin Bieber, I think that in the end he had to escape :)

Kindly wait for some of my footage from the Firenze gig, I am currently uploading them to Filehosting.org, but I am keeping them in full HD (1080p) so it's taking a bit of time. I think you might find some of them useful.