Damien Rice

willmunny1990

I went to see him in the marquee on the 13th and found it enjoyable, a couple of mates wanted to go to the Galway gig instead im glad I didn't now after reading this thread.

As for the gig, there was plenty of people talking and going to the bar and he said nothing, in fact the crowd shushing was far more irritating than the talking.

Now im not really a fan of DM, i never really heard much of his stuff before this gig but he strikes as a serious whinger.

Wouldn't be in a rush back I have to say.

pmasterson95

Sounds like Rice was just an awkard git and theres far too many precious people that agreed with him. I wouldnt have gone expecting an opera setting or to be able to hear a pin drop. Its a bloody arts festival not the royal variety show.

inisboffin

The irony is that his words or "if you want to talk, go to the Róisín" weren't accurate either. While both upstairs and downstairs were packed that night at the Roisin, , the former had a monthly music nigh ont and was a 'listening' gig"!

Owldshtok

Maybe the festival tent is the wrong venue for a singer songwriter.It would be better for everybody if artists such as this were staged in a place like the town hall or black box.Acts who create a party atmosphere such as Chic,The Buena Vista Social Club or up tempo rock bands are more appropriate for the tent.

Trimm Trabb

I'm 99% on Damien Rice's side. If you want that ****e head to Croke Park for The Script or Ed Sheerhan.

And although he is in the right in my opinion he should probablly have known this would happen in Ireland away from the Dublin/Vicar St crowd - his name is big enough to pull a few thousand in Dublin, Cork and Galway in the space of a week but obviously outside of his fanbase the general population go to gigs to sing along with hits and to party/drink (which is how ****e like the script can sell out Croke Park) - it's a little depressing but that's the way it is.

I have seen him numerous times and completely see why he closes the bar and the kind of ambience he is trying to create which usually leads to an amazing gig. I do think he is a bit militant with not inviting singing along at these type gigs - I know he is the artist that people are there to listen to but while you've got a few thousand people in a tent or outdoor arena and you have big songs like cannonball or the blowers daughter and you can feel the crowd dying to get involved in a sing song it seems quite subversive to not invite it. I suppose he does this to maintain the integrity of the songs and not give in to the drunken cattle mart mentality and I 100% agree with his right as an artist to perform whatever way he wants and for the crowd to respect that.

tastyt

The man is a pain in the hole. He is paid to play a gig, so play the ****ing thing and stop whinging. You don't get to tell people who have bought tickets if they are allowed drink or not or if they are allowed to talk ffs. If he wasn't such a wet ****ing blanket himself and had a bit of charisma and showmanship he'd know how to get a crowd interested anyway.

I'm suprised he realised anyway with his head as far up his own arse as it is. If he was playing in my back yard I'd pull the curtains. Knob.

inisboffin

Trimm Trabb wrote: »

I suppose he does this to maintain the integrity of the songs and not give in to the drunken cattle mart mentality and I 100% agree with his right as an artist to perform whatever way he wants and for the crowd to respect that.

You hit the nail on the head there. It's absolutely his right as an artist to do whatever with his performance (including stopping the gig if he wasn't happy - other divas have done it before and will again), but any artist worth their salt knows that they cannot control the way their audience reacts. They can guide it, request it, entice it, but when they demand it the contract is broken.

Wompa1

Trimm Trabb wrote: »

I'm 99% on Damien Rice's side. If you want that ****e head to Croke Park for The Script or Ed Sheerhan.

And although he is in the right in my opinion he should probablly have known this would happen in Ireland away from the Dublin/Vicar St crowd - his name is big enough to pull a few thousand in Dublin, Cork and Galway in the space of a week but obviously outside of his fanbase the general population go to gigs to sing along with hits and to party/drink (which is how ****e like the script can sell out Croke Park) - it's a little depressing but that's the way it is.

I have seen him numerous times and completely see why he closes the bar and the kind of ambience he is trying to create which usually leads to an amazing gig. I do think he is a bit militant with not inviting singing along at these type gigs - I know he is the artist that people are there to listen to but while you've got a few thousand people in a tent or outdoor arena and you have big songs like cannonball or the blowers daughter and you can feel the crowd dying to get involved in a sing song it seems quite subversive to not invite it. I suppose he does this to maintain the integrity of the songs and not give in to the drunken cattle mart mentality and I 100% agree with his right as an artist to perform whatever way he wants and for the crowd to respect that.

The only thing I question is that he does gigs in other places and allows the sale of alcohol. He has not played very often in the Ireland over the 8 years of his 'break' but he has played in Iceland, Norway, Belgium, Finland etc. I wonder if he avoided Ireland on purpose and now that his money has dried up, he's back playing here again. Maybe he just has a low tolerance of the drunken ****e as a whole...

pmasterson95

Trimm Trabb wrote: »

I'm 99% on Damien Rice's side. If you want that ****e head to Croke Park for The Script or Ed Sheerhan.

And although he is in the right in my opinion he should probablly have known this would happen in Ireland away from the Dublin/Vicar St crowd - his name is big enough to pull a few thousand in Dublin, Cork and Galway in the space of a week but obviously outside of his fanbase the general population go to gigs to sing along with hits and to party/drink (which is how ****e like the script can sell out Croke Park) - it's a little depressing but that's the way it is.

I have seen him numerous times and completely see why he closes the bar and the kind of ambience he is trying to create which usually leads to an amazing gig. I do think he is a bit militant with not inviting singing along at these type gigs - I know he is the artist that people are there to listen to but while you've got a few thousand people in a tent or outdoor arena and you have big songs like cannonball or the blowers daughter and you can feel the crowd dying to get involved in a sing song it seems quite subversive to not invite it. I suppose he does this to maintain the integrity of the songs and not give in to the drunken cattle mart mentality and I 100% agree with his right as an artist to perform whatever way he wants and for the crowd to respect that.

Or hes an utter diva

Wompa1

pmasterson95 wrote: »

Or hes an utter diva

Also, possible but considering he plays a lot of other concerts in other cities...what's the difference with Galway?

Trimm Trabb

Wompa1 wrote: »

Also, possible but considering he plays a lot of other concerts in other cities...what's the difference with Galway?

I saw him in Whelans last year and bar was open for half an hour pre gig then closed. The bar in Iveagh Gardens was closed relatively early too - can't remember the exact time but was certainly before half way in his set.

Trimm Trabb

pmasterson95 wrote: »

Or hes an utter diva

Well if you are singing really quiet ballads all night and trying to tell long stories explaining where the songs came from it seems reasonable that you dont want people going back and forth in the audience to the bar/toilets. He also plays a lot of 8/9 minute songs that build into something - he probably wants people to watch rather than make trips to the bar. Also especially in ireland you will reduce the amount of shouting, chatting, answering the phone etc that usually goes with drinking. I say this as someone who often drinks/gets drunk at gigs but there really isn't as much of a need for drink at the type of show Damien Rice puts on.

You are describing him as a 'diva' because you are used to a certain type of gig with conventional bands or artists - let's think about it another way - maybe you are a 'diva' because you aren't willing to let an artist perform a gig unless he does it in the way you normally expect even though it might ruin what he is trying to do on stage.

Trimm Trabb

Trimm Trabb wrote: »

the general population go to gigs to sing along with hits and to party/drink

Isn't that why every normal person goes to a gig, whats depressing is going to a gig and keeping quiet and not being allowed to have a few pints. Christ he is some tool, if I was at a gig and the artist closed the bar I'd nearly leave. Then again the gigs I go to it wouldn't happen as they like the crowd to relax and enjoy their night.

pmasterson95

Trimm Trabb wrote: »

Well if you are singing really quiet ballads all night and trying to tell long stories explaining where the songs came from it seems reasonable that you dont want people going back and forth in the audience to the bar/toilets. He also plays a lot of 8/9 minute songs that build into something - he probably wants people to watch rather than make trips to the bar. Also especially in ireland you will reduce the amount of shouting, chatting, answering the phone etc that usually goes with drinking. I say this as someone who often drinks/gets drunk at gigs but there really isn't as much of a need for drink at the type of show Damien Rice puts on.

You are describing him as a 'diva' because you are used to a certain type of gig with conventional bands or artists - let's think about it another way - maybe you are a 'diva' because you aren't willing to let an artist perform a gig unless he does it in the way you normally expect even though it might ruin what he is trying to do on stage.

Well then Rice shouldn't go near a festival or tent and only consider large operatic style venues. I dont think you'd find Pavarotti in a tent. If Rice wants that specific of a venue then he should pick the venue. Rather than trying to make the venue/crowd bend to his demands.

Trimm Trabb

pmasterson95 wrote: »

Well then Rice shouldn't go near a festival or tent and only consider large operatic style venues. I dont think you'd find Pavarotti in a tent. If Rice wants that specific of a venue then he should pick the venue. Rather than trying to make the venue/crowd bend to his demands.

To a some extent I agree about picking the venue/crowd - but that's more a reflection on the crowd than the artist themselves.

I don't know what a 'large operatic style' venue is but given that it was just him playing there that night the fact that it's part of a weeklong festival shouldn't really have been a factor - it was essentially his gig so it's reasonable for him to put on the show he wants to.

Trimm Trabb

Joyce Raspy Polyester wrote: »

Isn't that why every normal person goes to a gig, whats depressing is going to a gig and keeping quiet and not being allowed to have a few pints. Christ he is some tool, if I was at a gig and the artist closed the bar I'd nearly leave. Then again the gigs I go to it wouldn't happen as they like the crowd to relax and enjoy their night.

No a lot people go primarily for the music and to appreciate the artist - it's funny that some people are so used to a certain thing that they think every musician should give them the exact same thing in order for them to be able to enjoy themselves.

Trimm Trabb

Trimm Trabb wrote: »

To a some extent I agree about picking the venue/crowd - but that's more a reflection on the crowd than the artist themselves.

I don't know what a 'large operatic style' venue is but given that it was just him playing there that night the fact that it's part of a weeklong festival shouldn't really have been a factor - it was essentially his gig so it's reasonable for him to put on the show he wants to.

Its not his gig to entertain himself its for the crowd to enjoy it. Festival gigs like this tend to draw in lots of people who are just out for a bit of craic and are not big fans of the artist etc. There are often free tickets floating around so people go with their maybe one or two friends who are interested. They want to have a drink and a laugh and maybe sing along to the one or two songs they know.

I have gone to gigs in the marquee in cork where I have no interest in the artist but I'll have a bit of craic and a few pints there and take in the atmosphere. If I arrived out there and couldn't get a few pints during the gig I'd probably leave.

pmasterson95

Joyce Raspy Polyester wrote: »

Its not his gig to entertain himself its for the crowd to enjoy it. Festival gigs like this tend to draw in lots of people who are just out for a bit of craic and are not big fans of the artist etc. There are often free tickets floating around so people go with their maybe one or two friends who are interested. They want to have a drink and a laugh and maybe sing along to the one or two songs they know.

I have gone to gigs in the marquee in cork where I have no interest in the artist but I'll have a bit of craic and a few pints there and take in the atmosphere. If I arrived out there and couldn't get a few pints during the gig I'd probably leave.

Exactly. If it was an actual Damien Rice concert and nothing else then ok be a diva to his hearts content people pqid big to see him. but at an Arts Festival where people could go just to have some fun and maybe got free tickets or planned on some fun that night after days work or something he needs to get over himself demanding all eyes on me and full attention. Some people didnt give a **** about him and wanted to enjoy themselves and he starts throwing a tantrum demanding attention.

Arghus

Joyce Raspy Polyester wrote: »

Its not his gig to entertain himself its for the crowd to enjoy it. Festival gigs like this tend to draw in lots of people who are just out for a bit of craic and are not big fans of the artist etc. There are often free tickets floating around so people go with their maybe one or two friends who are interested. They want to have a drink and a laugh and maybe sing along to the one or two songs they know....

You've just described there in a paragraph the mentality that makes me, for the large part, detest Arts Festival gigs.

I find there's a direct correlation between how much money a person doesn't pay to get in, and the amount of noise they make at the bar. And with the amount of freebie tickets floating around during the Arts festival, there can sure be a rake of noise been made from time to time.

But please try to imagine that there are people who did pay money to see the artist, and maybe want to listen to them with a bit of respect and heed. Not as a competing, and increasingly irrelevant, soundtrack to a drink and a laugh for others - who judging by what you say don't really care who's actually playing or not. The people who care the least about the music are the one's most hurt by the closed bar. To say - "hey it's the Arts festival" is only an excuse for putting your "craic" above that of others, who genuinely want to be there more than you.

I've been to too many gigs over the years that have been near ruined by chattering half-wits at the bar, to not find myself siding with Damien Rice here. I'm surprised that it isn't standard policy to temporarily shut the bar during certain gigs. During decibel splitting rock concerts, a bar doesn't present a problem, but if it's a guy playing an acoustic guitar, I can see the issue.

My heart bleeds for those who were deprived from overpriced, watered down, 3/4 filled pints for an hour and a half of their lives, the pursuit of these was obviously the main purpose of their evening. If your night was ruined by this I suggest you get your head checked. Worst of all, he didn't even play both the songs that they could supposedly recognise. What a Diva.

Arghus

pmasterson95 wrote: »

...Some people didnt give a **** about him and wanted to enjoy themselves and he starts throwing a tantrum demanding attention.

Then maybe they really should go to The Roisin.

... if you didn't enjoy him, then why in the f*ck would you go to one of his gigs ...?

Deleted User

Deleted User wrote: »

... if you didn't enjoy him, then why in the f*ck would you go to one of his gigs ...?

Excuse to go on the beer?

I have gone to one gig in particular where I actually detest the artist, I turn off the radio when he comes on. But I was handed a 60 euro ticket for free as someone couldn't go, it was a Sunday night and nothing else was happening and I knew a good few going so I went for a bit of craic and a feed of pints.

Trimm Trabb

Joyce Raspy Polyester wrote: »

Excuse to go on the beer?

I have gone to one gig in particular where I actually detest the artist, I turn off the radio when he comes on. But I was handed a 60 euro ticket for free as someone couldn't go, it was a Sunday night and nothing else was happening and I knew a good few going so I went for a bit of craic and a feed of pints.

I think the artists right to play the type of show he wants outweighs the rights of people who got free tickets to go and have a feed of pints. The reason a ticket is valued at €60 is that people people who like the music are willing to spend that to see the artist - but if you don't like the artist the ticket is actually worthless - in which case go to the pub. Obviously if it's a dance or pop act not a singer songwriter the atmosphere alone may be enough to entertain you but this can be easily deduced based on who is playing.

inisboffin

Arghus wrote: »

Then maybe they really should go to The Roisin.

As I mentioned earlier, there was a regular monthly gig on at the Róisín upstairs, and All Twins downstairs. ALL bars were open, and the upstairs gig still managed to maintain a 'listening audience' despite being packed! Funny that.
I found Rice's 'go to the Róisín' statement quite patronising considering he was telling people to go chat at someone else's gig!

inisboffin

Trimm Trabb wrote: »

I think the artists right to play the type of show he wants outweighs the rights of people who got free tickets to go and have a feed of pints. The reason a ticket is valued at €60 is that people people who like the music are willing to spend that to see the artist - but if you don't like the artist the ticket is actually worthless - in which case go to the pub. Obviously if it's a dance or pop act not a singer songwriter the atmosphere alone may be enough to entertain you but this can be easily deduced based on who is playing.

How do we discern between those who got 60 quid tix and those who paid in terms of rights so?
At Electric Picnic they put on plays as well as really quiet gigs. It's the luck of the draw if you have a quiet time, or indeed a quiet audience. I find it really arrogant to demand of an audience. I also support his right to stop if he wasn't able to 'do his art' but his promoters may not have liked it. Bad choice of venue for his music.

There also seems to be the assumption that anyone who would want a drink after 9.30 would be causing a disturbance. This is also untrue. As I mentioned a few posts above, some people are able to drink and listen, or chat quietly between songs!

Trimm Trabb

inisboffin wrote: »

How do we discern between those who got 60 quid tix and those who paid in terms of rights so?
At Electric Picnic they put on plays as well as really quiet gigs. It's the luck of the draw if you have a quiet time, or indeed a quiet audience. I find it really arrogant to demand of an audience. I also support his right to stop if he wasn't able to 'do his art' but his promoters may not have liked it. Bad choice of venue for his music.

There also seems to be the assumption that anyone who would want a drink after 9.30 would be causing a disturbance. This is also untrue. As I mentioned a few posts above, some people are able to drink and listen, or chat quietly between songs!

Sorry I'm not from Galway and am unfamiliar with why this tent was such a bad venue - for this night it was exclusively a damien rice gig right? It's not like EP where people are in for the whole festival and then wondering from one thing to another?

In regards to 'rights' - I wasn't discerning between the rights of people who bought tickets and who got freebies - I was talking about the rights of the artist to put on the type of show he wants versus the poster above who likes to go gigs of artists he has no interest in and 'have a feed of pints'.

Miose

I was at the gig. I'm a long time Damien Rice fan and I've heard him play in various locations and I have come to the conclusion that he doesn't like playing Galway. The gig was very disappointing. The level of chattering was no more or less than any gig I've been to. I wonder why he decided to close the bar early in Galway when he didn't do so in the Iveagh gardens or the marquee in Cork? I remember him chastising the crowd when he played in the Black Box years ago, something about people coming to see him play not looking at bums of those going to the bar and perhaps that is why he chose to close the bar.
I think that any performer should be able to gauge the crowd and adapt the setlist to suit the venue. He played a very mellow set, a different selection of songs from his back catalogue would have suited the venue, and the crowd better. There was no interraction with the crowd until the end - at which point many people were already leaving. It felt to me that he had already written off the gig before he started. I don't understand how he couldn't have hired a backing band, which would have added greatly to the performance. I don't understand why he didn't acknowledge the crowd, tell a few stories between songs, got the crowd on his side. There was a much older crowd there, drunkenness wasn't ever going to be a big issue. I don't think the closing of the bar was that big of a deal, only that it set him up for a bit of hostility- there was no need for it. It's a real shame, but I feel that the responsibility for the shambles of a gig that it was, fell squarely on his shoulders. I have no desire to see him play again. I looked forward to this for months and felt I got nothing back from the performance but disappointment.

mosstin

Trimm Trabb wrote: »

Well if you are singing really quiet ballads all night and trying to tell long stories explaining where the songs came from it seems reasonable that you dont want people going back and forth in the audience to the bar/toilets. He also plays a lot of 8/9 minute songs that build into something - he probably wants people to watch rather than make trips to the bar. Also especially in ireland you will reduce the amount of shouting, chatting, answering the phone etc that usually goes with drinking. I say this as someone who often drinks/gets drunk at gigs but there really isn't as much of a need for drink at the type of show Damien Rice puts on.

You are describing him as a 'diva' because you are used to a certain type of gig with conventional bands or artists - let's think about it another way - maybe you are a 'diva' because you aren't willing to let an artist perform a gig unless he does it in the way you normally expect even though it might ruin what he is trying to do on stage.

" There really isn't as much of a need for drink at the type of show Damien Rice puts on."
That is a quite remarkable line right there.
You don't feel the need to drink at his shows, so no one else should really?
Pompous much?

ste

Miose wrote: »

I was at the gig. I'm a long time Damien Rice fan and I've heard him play in various locations and I have come to the conclusion that he doesn't like playing Galway. The gig was very disappointing. The level of chattering was no more or less than any gig I've been to. I wonder why he decided to close the bar early in Galway when he didn't do so in the Iveagh gardens or the marquee in Cork? I remember him chastising the crowd when he played in the Black Box years ago, something about people coming to see him play not looking at bums of those going to the bar and perhaps that is why he chose to close the bar.
I think that any performer should be able to gauge the crowd and adapt the setlist to suit the venue. He played a very mellow set, a different selection of songs from his back catalogue would have suited the venue, and the crowd better. There was no interraction with the crowd until the end - at which point many people were already leaving. It felt to me that he had already written off the gig before he started. I don't understand how he couldn't have hired a backing band, which would have added greatly to the performance. I don't understand why he didn't acknowledge the crowd, tell a few stories between songs, got the crowd on his side. There was a much older crowd there, drunkenness wasn't ever going to be a big issue. I don't think the closing of the bar was that big of a deal, only that it set him up for a bit of hostility- there was no need for it. It's a real shame, but I feel that the responsibility for the shambles of a gig that it was, fell squarely on his shoulders. I have no desire to see him play again. I looked forward to this for months and felt I got nothing back from the performance but disappointment.

I too was at this gig & share the same opinion as above. It's a real shame DR decided to act the way he did. He may well have shaken off a tiny percent of loud-talkers in the crowd, but he isolated a lot more genuine fans of his. Disappointed

Trimm Trabb

mosstin wrote: »

" There really isn't as much of a need for drink at the type of show Damien Rice puts on."
That is a quite remarkable line right there.
You don't feel the need to drink at his shows, so no one else should really?
Pompous much?

I was at his show in the Iveagh Gardens and was drinking pints - but didn't bat an eyelid when they closed the bar early. I dont think it's a remarkable statement - he's hardly fatboy slim - like if the bar is open by all means go for it as far as I'm concerned but if the artist wants the bar closed then I respect that.