Damien Rice at the Civic
Coast Observer
(New Orleans, LA)
Damien Rice, a powerhouse among the folk/inderpendant music movement gave the city of New Orleans a taste of his unique style at an intimate show at the historic Civic Theater. It was a simple set up, with only a single spotlight to highlight his one man act. Opening for Rice was Icelandic duo, My Bubba. With soft melodies and angelic voices, they serenaded the crowd with tall tales from their homeland.
Damien opened with The Professor, building swells of rifts until the crowd was singing almost over the top of him. Even from the balcony, the atmosphere was full of quiet energy that seemed to flow from Rice and wrap around the collective of the crowd. Following up with classics such as Delicate, Older Chests, and Elephant, the technical genius he displayed was only matched by the conviction in his voice as he sang each word. Everything was performed with such intensity, such honesty that you could tell each word was drawn from personal experience. The acoustics of the historic Civic allowed concert goers to capitalize on the quiet transitions and intricate buildups songs like The Blower's Daughter and Volcano.
The end of the set brought thunderous applause and shouts for more as the stage fell black. After a short break, he opted to get as close to his fans as he could without actually joining them on the floor. Sitting on the edge of the stage, single spot light and guitar in hand, the melody of Cannonball found it's way out of the cavern of his guitar and entranced the ever- so-close crowd. Moving, breathing and singing as one, the final notes left a feeling of satisfaction among his fans.
I can say that it was truly one of the most intense concerts that I had ever attended. His rare dalliances into the North American tour circuit never disappoint, and if you ever get the chance to catch it, do yourself a favor and attend.
