Glasgow Gig

glasgowkiss · 02-12-2004, 08:48 AM

OMG OMG OMG

We popped our Damo Cherry last nite [img]smileys/smiley2.gif[/img]

'Twas worth the 30 yr & 21 yr old wait!!!

- Elle & Jen

Louise · 02-12-2004, 08:50 AM

Good for you girls! Im jealous in a major way though!

Wheels · 02-12-2004, 09:25 AM

What did ye think of the audience? The official board is full of complaints... Did Damien seem upset to ye? Or did he ignore it?

Arial · 02-14-2004, 08:12 AM

I too lost my Damien Rice cherry at the Glasgow gig and can confirm that the contoversial comments on the official site reflect unfortunately the truth [img]smileys/smiley6.gif[/img]

The venue was all wrong for such an intimate performer, the lighting was trully awful (I've left a lot of gigs with ringing in my ears but this was the first time I've ever left a gig with mysight impaired) and Damien didn't help matters by greeting the audience in a cod Scottish accent...

From the off things were not going well. The bands had turned up late so while the audience was supposed to be entering the building, they were left outside while a sound check was done. This meant that many of us missed Fionn entirely and many in the audience were milling around the bar areas when Damien came on.

The open bar areas at the rear and the accoustics of the auditorium meant that there was not the quite reverential atmosphere that Damien wanted and he then got really ratty and failed to engage the audience. In fact he was acting pretty arrogantly considering that the choice of venue was not the choice of the audience, plus the insulting comic Scotch act on arriving on stage was frankly insulting.

There were three large back lights at the rear of the stage angled to rake the entire balcony (were I was unfortunately sitting) which meant that we all had to squint to see the stage and I actually left the gig with spots in front of my eyes due to being blinded by these lights for two hours. No wonder I and others retreated to the bar occasionally to escape the blinding.

Unfortunately the sound system was being pushed to the limit in such a large venue and this didn't help, with Lisa Hannigan's beautiful voice suffering the most. Only worse was Damien's ill advised attempt to play Eskimo Friend completely accousticaly in a venue that a much more powerfull voice than his wouldn't have been able to fill. To then swear at the audience was unforgivable.

I'm obviously a fan of his music or I would not have been at the gig, or be posting on this site, but I was disappointed by the whole experience at the Carling Academy in Glasgow. I was trying to watch and listen to an exceptionally talented performer through car headlights in a totally unsuitable venue with poor acoustics that seemed to deaden the sound from the stage while highlighting the slightest sound from within the auditorium.

I was not talking through the performance, but I was tempted to take up Damien's offer and leave the gig demanding a refund. On his next visit to Scotland he needs to pick his venue better, playing somewhere all seated with no bar area in the auditorium, or playing more smaller gigs in more intimate venues in different cities, rather than one centralised one if he wants to retain his fan base here. Also get a new sound engineer and lighting technician who know how to deal with bigger venues if that's the way he intends going. Lastly you can't connect to an audience if you don't give them the respect they deserve.

I dare say that this gig will not be the last time I go and see Damien Rice live, but I certainly won't bother if he plays the Carling Academy again.

glasgowkiss · 02-17-2004, 06:01 AM

hey again

hack , i've been off line for the past week. effin pc !

anyway, getting back to the topic at hand, yeah, there were alot of problems at the gig, however, i was lucky to be half p!ssed, sat in the 2nd from back row way up in the rafters! thankfully the 'headlights' did not obscure my view, but the freaky lighting show almost brought on an epiletic (sp?)fit of monstrous proportions!

as for the lack of 'connection' between damien and the audience.......well, yeah there were the usual @ssholes who coundn't help themselves from heckling and general bad manners and i thought damien was well within his rights to sugggest they go to the door for a refund [img]smileys/smiley3.gif[/img]

'twas a weird & winderful night. one i was even glad to be a part of. i hope damien returns to glasgow or anywhere else in scotland, but finding a venue that holds the size of audience he now commands, and one where we can all 'connect' is going to be a bit of a challenge!

02-12-2004, 08:48 AM	#1
glasgowkiss Eskimo Baby Join Date: Jan 2004 Location: Scotland Posts: 22	OMG OMG OMG We popped our Damo Cherry last nite [img]smileys/smiley2.gif[/img] 'Twas worth the 30 yr & 21 yr old wait!!! - Elle & Jen __________________ blame it on the love of....

02-12-2004, 08:50 AM	#2
Louise Eskimo Regular Join Date: Aug 2003 Location: Ireland Posts: 2,118	Good for you girls! Im jealous in a major way though! __________________ "Every line means something"

02-14-2004, 08:12 AM	#4
Arial Eskimo Baby Join Date: Feb 2004 Posts: 1	I too lost my Damien Rice cherry at the Glasgow gig and can confirm that the contoversial comments on the official site reflect unfortunately the truth [img]smileys/smiley6.gif[/img] The venue was all wrong for such an intimate performer, the lighting was trully awful (I've left a lot of gigs with ringing in my ears but this was the first time I've ever left a gig with mysight impaired) and Damien didn't help matters by greeting the audience in a cod Scottish accent... From the off things were not going well. The bands had turned up late so while the audience was supposed to be entering the building, they were left outside while a sound check was done. This meant that many of us missed Fionn entirely and many in the audience were milling around the bar areas when Damien came on. The open bar areas at the rear and the accoustics of the auditorium meant that there was not the quite reverential atmosphere that Damien wanted and he then got really ratty and failed to engage the audience. In fact he was acting pretty arrogantly considering that the choice of venue was not the choice of the audience, plus the insulting comic Scotch act on arriving on stage was frankly insulting. There were three large back lights at the rear of the stage angled to rake the entire balcony (were I was unfortunately sitting) which meant that we all had to squint to see the stage and I actually left the gig with spots in front of my eyes due to being blinded by these lights for two hours. No wonder I and others retreated to the bar occasionally to escape the blinding. Unfortunately the sound system was being pushed to the limit in such a large venue and this didn't help, with Lisa Hannigan's beautiful voice suffering the most. Only worse was Damien's ill advised attempt to play Eskimo Friend completely accousticaly in a venue that a much more powerfull voice than his wouldn't have been able to fill. To then swear at the audience was unforgivable. I'm obviously a fan of his music or I would not have been at the gig, or be posting on this site, but I was disappointed by the whole experience at the Carling Academy in Glasgow. I was trying to watch and listen to an exceptionally talented performer through car headlights in a totally unsuitable venue with poor acoustics that seemed to deaden the sound from the stage while highlighting the slightest sound from within the auditorium. I was not talking through the performance, but I was tempted to take up Damien's offer and leave the gig demanding a refund. On his next visit to Scotland he needs to pick his venue better, playing somewhere all seated with no bar area in the auditorium, or playing more smaller gigs in more intimate venues in different cities, rather than one centralised one if he wants to retain his fan base here. Also get a new sound engineer and lighting technician who know how to deal with bigger venues if that's the way he intends going. Lastly you can't connect to an audience if you don't give them the respect they deserve. I dare say that this gig will not be the last time I go and see Damien Rice live, but I certainly won't bother if he plays the Carling Academy again. __________________ Never stray from the path

02-17-2004, 06:01 AM	#5
glasgowkiss Eskimo Baby Join Date: Jan 2004 Location: Scotland Posts: 22	hey again hack , i've been off line for the past week. effin pc ! anyway, getting back to the topic at hand, yeah, there were alot of problems at the gig, however, i was lucky to be half p!ssed, sat in the 2nd from back row way up in the rafters! thankfully the 'headlights' did not obscure my view, but the freaky lighting show almost brought on an epiletic (sp?)fit of monstrous proportions! as for the lack of 'connection' between damien and the audience.......well, yeah there were the usual @ssholes who coundn't help themselves from heckling and general bad manners and i thought damien was well within his rights to sugggest they go to the door for a refund [img]smileys/smiley3.gif[/img] 'twas a weird & winderful night. one i was even glad to be a part of. i hope damien returns to glasgow or anywhere else in scotland, but finding a venue that holds the size of audience he now commands, and one where we can all 'connect' is going to be a bit of a challenge! __________________ blame it on the love of....

02-12-2004, 09:25 AM	#3
Wheels Eskimo Enigma Join Date: Aug 2002 Location: Peoples Republic of Cork Posts: 7,900	What did ye think of the audience? The official board is full of complaints... Did Damien seem upset to ye? Or did he ignore it?