NY Beacon Review #2 May 3rd

[ytz1]

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This is the second Damien Rice (DR) show at the Beacon that I’ve seen in a relatively short period of time (You can check out the first review…) With his last show fresh in my memory, I found it difficult not to judge the authenticity of the performance. All performing artists go on stage night after night, and one can’t help but lose the genuine emotion that may or may not have originally been felt in the first few shows. Performing becomes a routine, an act. The question then remains, is it a good act or not?
This gets trickier when dealing with a performer like DR whose entire show (and charm) is about being real. He does not stand above the crowd as an arrogant rock star. He dresses simply, armed with an old shabby acoustic guitar. He talks to fans in the rain and shares intimate songs and stories with the audience. Even at the classy Beacon theatre, the NY audience found it difficult to resist screaming during the many silent and mellow moments of the performance. Still, most managed to behave in this intimate setting. The mood DR sets is one that allows the viewer to lean back and shut their eyes, enjoy the silence, as apposed to most performers who drown out their music with a visual circus act.
DR takes this mood to the extreme. He gets down on the floor, (the fair Lisa actually seems to like resting on the floor between songs,) he plays in the dark, he even goes as far as playing Leonard Cohen’s emotional “Hallelujah,” a beautiful song, which has been covered by most intimate artists, and unfortunately even appeared as a cover in the movie Shrek. Still, it is clear from his lyrics that DR is such a self-aware artist, is his beautiful sadness a manipulative act?
During the song Aimee, DR gets down on the floor and creates a sound like a spaceship, as he kneeled on stage in this theatrical moment, I began to wonder who was playing the guitar in the background? I began to judge the authenticity of the performance and compare it to the artificiality of a Brittany Spears concert. As DR told intimate stories I wondered what was going through the band’s minds that have heard these stories hundreds of times. Is it all an act? Aren’t all contracted recording artists actors? It doesn’t matter how lonely the Counting Crows lyrics are, Adam Durtiz’s dread-locks lost their authenticity the moment he signed a record deal.
But then something unusual, something strange happened. At the first concert at the Beacon, DR was stressed for time -- as once the performer goes into overtime they have to pay the theatre a large additional rate. However, this concert was the last show of the tour and DR didn’t seem to mind. As the audience slowly left the show to catch there trains back to NJ, DR played on and on till there was nothing left to play.
At these unrehearsed moments you can see the truly authentic DR. His comfort on stage allows him to keep things personal, he’s not afraid to lose his train of thought in the middle of a story and say things like “what was I saying?” He’s glad to improvise a song, and change the routine. As far as rehearsed shows go, DR is as sincere as you get.


For more – check out the post: The Penis Monologues

[MaryL]

great review again[img]smileys/smiley1.gif[/img].

[coreybyrnes]

Originally Posted by ytz1

I began to wonder who was playing the guitar in the background? I began to judge the authenticity of the performance and compare it to the artificiality of a Brittany Spears concert.

errrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr. damien was the one playing that guitar in the background... except he was playing it about 14 seconds ago. it's called a looping pedal and it allows the musician to record what he's playing and then layer sounds, sit back, and enjoy it. it's different everytime you layer on it and the sounds are not pre-recorded like britney's vocals are. please don't compare DR to britney spears. yikes![img]smileys/smiley5.gif[/img]

[ytz1]

Thanks for the looping info - i figured it was something like that - I was actually being crtitcal of myself for even questioning DR.

[Kristi]

Originally Posted by ytz1

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As the audience slowly left the show to catch there trains back to NJ, DR played on and on till there was nothing left to play.

Hold the phone.... When did he play till?!! I thought I was there until the very end?? [img]smileys/smiley5.gif[/img]

[mjb79]

until just before midnight.

[Kristi]

Oh, phew, I thought maybe you meant he started back up playing once people had left... crazy me [img]smileys/smiley9.gif[/img]

[mjb79]

yeah, we tried sticking around after but got kicked out. but we did get to hang out with Vyvienne outside after the show! what a nice person she is... outside in the cold and drizzle to say hello to her fans.


b.t.w. - did anyone here at EFreceive one of my cd's my friend and i were handing out at the show?


~mike berger

[DamosFavEyes]

Originally Posted by ytz1

It doesn’t matter how lonely the Counting Crows lyrics are, Adam Durtiz’s dread-locks lost their authenticity the moment he signed a record deal.

as eloquently written as your post is.. i beg to differ on your CC comment. let's be nice. i fully understand your philosophy on loss of authenticity and genuineness.. but i think it's more deserved by someone like.. John Mayer instead of the Counting Crows.

[Kristi]

ditto Gina... I feel so much from Adam when he sings, and i dont think he has lost authenticity because of signing a record deal, especially live because he practically does his own thing and changes every song when he performs them, but i do know what ytz was on about, just dont think it applies to CC either[img]smileys/smiley9.gif[/img]... no offence mr yz! [img]smileys/smiley1.gif[/img]

[TRDW]

Yall hung out after the show? Which ones were you? There was only a handfull of us. I was there, had on the red Ben Harper hoody, my name is Tim, and I was there with Pat and Alli.


As far as the music in the background goes, yea those are pedals. Joseph Arthur and Howie Day are two artists that come to mind who use pedals (and there are plenty more so its not limited to them). I do not doubt for a second his realness. I have seen some fake ass people on stage (and yes John Mayer is the first that comes to mind) but Damo is not one of them. I think his music is so personal and rooted that all those emotions come back on stage, and come through to the audience. His intimacy of his shows, and his love and passion for the music and his sincerity, reminds of a pre-2001 Ben Harper show, and is otherwise unparalleled. I hope he doesn't blow up (as I'm hearing Cannonball on mainstream radio stations) but if he does I actually have confidence he will handle it well


TIM

[DamosFavEyes]

boy, do i agreeee about hoping he doesn't blow up. i do, however, agree also that he will react differently than some artists to the fame.. which is good. now, our friends like john mayer end up turning into a-holes because they have a crowd with 95% women/GIRLS and 5% males... and 10% music lovers, with 90% superficial retards. it's nothing short of a HEARTBREAK when an artist who's phenomenal as he/she is yet undiscovered.. but as soon as they get tons of screaming ladyfans, it's all down the drain. and it's not like they get less talented! it's just that the loyal fans that they had previously end up refusing to be associated with the characters that jump on the boat as soon as they hear a guy on the radio. [img]smileys/smiley11.gif[/img]


sorry to have gone off. this is one of my biggest issues. grr. [img]smileys/smiley7.gif[/img]

[Kristi]

yeah, like i have noticed a few of the people, who i hardly ever talk to but have them on my AIM buddy list anyway, on my buddy list had the chorus to cannonball in their info, and im like cool a new fan, and i told the one girl it was cool that she had damien rice in her info and she replied "who?" --- she had just heard it on a tv show and had no idea who it was [img]smileys/smiley11.gif[/img]

[DamosFavEyes]

wretched!!!!!! that'sridiculous.. eww. roar. barf. [img]smileys/smiley11.gif[/img][img]smileys/smiley18.gif[/img][img]smileys/smiley34.gif[/img][img]smileys/smiley7.gif[/img][img]smileys/smiley19.gif[/img]

[ytz1]

Hi, I realize this is a bit delayed - but just wanted to respond to a couple of things:<?:namespace prefix = o ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-comfficeffice" />


I agree that CC are less sell outs than JM (he is the worst) - and I love their first 2 albums - seriously, I connect to every word. But now they are just such a fake band, that it's hard to enjoy the old stuff - I mean, they wrote the song for the new Shreck Movie, and how bout that awful Joni Mitchell cover - there should be laws about things like that.


As for DR, I keep watching his concerts from online clips, and I can almost feel the routine, but there is no doubt he is more in touch than the rest of them out there. And I hope he never loses it.


As for the AOL friend quoting DR without knowing who he is - I guess I'm glad - with all the crappie music out there - I'm willing to sacrifice DR's intimate setting, for the conversion of a few Brittany fans. It’s for the better of the world.

[cille]

ytz1, you certainly have the word in your power - great reading!


but hey, eels did music to both shrek movies, i i don't think they're fake because of that...


(but i'm addicted to a man called e)

[Kristi]

Originally Posted by ytz1

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As for the AOL friend quoting DR without knowing who he is - I guess I'm glad - with all the crappie music out there - I'm willing to sacrifice DR's intimate setting, for the conversion of a few Brittany fans. It’s for the better of the world.

I suppose you are right... it just bugs me how some people will only listen to somethin because it is "popular", and i assumed that was what she was doing...

[EndUvTheWrld]

I'm so jealous. I wanted to go to that show so badly.. something about "flying costs"..blah blah blah. Anywho, awesome review.

[unexplainedmuse]

Originally Posted by ytz1

As for DR, I keep watching his concerts from online clips, and I can almost feel the routine,

i agree....there is a bit of routine in his live shows, but i think he does a great job of switching it up...and i think thats really all we could ask of him, or else we would be wanting him to plan out a show each night, just so it would be 100% different from the previous.


its only nature that certain songs we hear or sing in a certain order get stuck in our heads in that same routine.


it`s like whenyoure listening to o, after those last chords of amie,you alreadycan almost hearthe opening to cheers darling, even before the track switches,
Edited by: unexplainedmuse

[Funky Avocado]

Originally Posted by DamosFavEyes

now, our friends like john mayer end up turning into a-holes because they have a crowd with 95% women/GIRLS and 5% males... and 10% music lovers, with 90% superficial retards. it's nothing short of a HEARTBREAK when an artist who's phenomenal as he/she is yet undiscovered.. but as soon as they get tons of screaming ladyfans, it's all down the drain

This is no slander to you per se but I hardly think this was John Mayer's downfall. His music is bubble gum pop music, hence, why it attracts that sort of crowd. You are not going to find a Coltrane head at a Britney Spears concert listening for the subtle nuances to an inner melody on a particular piece when all you have is some plastic doll on stage lip synching to crap.

I am not that familiar with his music even though he grew up relatively close to me. All I can remember from him is some video if his where it looked like he can use some lessons on how to sing into a mic. My god, he puts his whole mouth over it like he was giving head. Nasty...