Damien Rice

soadtool

The big top doesn't suit a singer/songwriter format. I saw DR in the roskilde festival in Denmark circa 2006. The venue was virtually identical, big tent in a field. He had a band with him then and I remember it being a good gig.

The closed bar didn't bother me, as I was driving. But me and my wife don't get out often, as we have a nine month old, and the night felt marred by rice's attitude and comments.
We had bought these tickets months before the gig too.

If he wanted to create the perfect atmosphere for his soundscape ie an intimate rapport between artist and audience, he should choose to play only intimate/ smaller venues- Maybe YOU should have gone to f***ing roisins Damien!!

ben.schlomo

soadtool wrote: »

The big top doesn't suit a singer/songwriter format. I saw DR in the roskilde festival in Denmark circa 2006. The venue was virtually identical, big tent in a field. He had a band with him then and I remember it being a good gig.

The closed bar didn't bother me, as I was driving. But me and my wife don't get out often, as we have a nine month old, and the night felt marred by rice's attitude and comments.
We had bought these tickets months before the gig too.

If he wanted to create the perfect atmosphere for his soundscape ie an intimate rapport between artist and audience, he should choose to play only intimate/ smaller venues- Maybe YOU should have gone to f***ing roisins Damien!!

I think David Gray, Paddy Casey, Josh Ritter, Bon Iver, Jack L to name but a few would strongly disagree. Saw a great David Gray gig there back in 1998 or 99.

phelixoflaherty

Exactly. The fest should be killed for a year or change thecrowd who organise it. Bring in younger people who might take a risk.
The music choices are always uninspiring

gordongekko

phelixoflaherty wrote: »

Exactly. The fest should be killed for a year or change thecrowd who organise it. Bring in younger people who might take a risk.
The music choices are always uninspiring

These uninspiring acts are probably keeping the whole festival solvent.

munchkin_utd

gordongekko wrote: »

These uninspiring acts are probably keeping the whole festival solvent.

bringing Damien Rice screams of middle of the road birthday/ christmas present fodder - which probably added to the amount of foks present who really didn't care much for his music in the first place.
I can also imagine there was a good few "reunions", i.e. friends meeting up for a night who havent seen each other for ages.

But, with such an audience thats for him then to engage and bring them along and give them a reason not to be chatting.

soadtool

ben.schlomo wrote: »

I think David Gray, Paddy Casey, Josh Ritter, Bon Iver, Jack L to name but a few would strongly disagree. Saw a great David Gray gig there back in 1998 or 99.

I'm sorry, but anytime I've seen the artists you have mentioned play in a big venue, they had a band/accompanied by other musicians. I'm in no way suggesting that a solo singer/songwriter can't pull off a successful gig. I'm just pointing out that in more cases than not, an intimate atmosphere cannot be achieved in such a venue especially by DR in this case.

Many of DR's songs are depressing in nature too. He hasn't really recorded a track like Babylon or saints and sinners. I feel the "the upbeat singalong song" isn't in his repertoire
Just my opinion though, just thing a smaller venue would have satisfied audience and artists better

Miose

Last time I saw Damien Rice play there was a drummer, a bassist, a celloist and an extra guitar player. There was a piano on stage which he played for certain songs. I felt if he had that kind of backup, he wouldn't have noticed any chattering. It was a cheap-ass production.

soadtool

Miose wrote: »

Last time I saw Damien Rice play there was a drummer, a bassist, a celloist and an extra guitar player. There was a piano on stage which he played for certain songs. I felt if he had that kind of backup, he wouldn't have noticed any chattering. It was a cheap-ass production.

Exactly the set-up w hen I initially saw him

mosstin

Trimm Trabb wrote: »

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.

YOU didn't. Others wanted to and were entitled to, including, from reading this thread, many of his fans. I've been to countless gigs over the years, solo artists also who've never let a bar or chatter get in the way of the performance.
Damien Rice could have done with a drink I reckon. Might have helped him chill the **** out.

Trimm Trabb

mosstin wrote: »

YOU didn't. Others wanted to and were entitled to, including, from reading this thread, many of his fans. I've been to countless gigs over the years, solo artists also who've never let a bar or chatter get in the way of the performance.
Damien Rice could have done with a drink I reckon. Might have helped him chill the **** out.

I disagree that people are 'entitled' to having a bar open if the artist wants it closed.

sexyfirepants

I was at it and was disappointed with they way it turned out with the crowd talking. It took away from the atmosphere but I guess that type of venue just wasn't suited to that. Didn't mind the bar closing. I was at a gig of his in 2007 and you could literally have heard a pin drop, it was amazing! Definitely going with an indoor gig if I see him again.

mosstin

Trimm Trabb wrote: »

I disagree that people are 'entitled' to having a bar open if the artist wants it closed.

Gigs are social events. That the bar is there and usually open and that Rice specifically requested it to be closed smacks of this prissy, delusional, 'look at me, I'm an artist man' crap that Rice has been wallowing in for years now.
Indulge him if you want. Whatever effect he wanted to create by closing the bar seems to have had the opposite effect.
Won't be long before he's back playing in Roisin's. If they'll have him.

inisboffin

Did it say "bar closing before main act goes on" or "listening gig" on the tickets? Anyone know?

If it did, then at least they had the decency to give a heads up. If not then it is unfair on the part of the artist to impose a different set up than was expected.

Utopia Parkway

At the end of the day it is quite expensive to attend gigs these days. Just about the last thing anyone wants after spending their hard earned money on is to be lectured and hectored by the person they spent that money to see perform.

inisboffin

inisboffin wrote: »

Did it say "bar closing before main act goes on" or "listening gig" on the tickets? Anyone know?

If it did, then at least they had the decency to give a heads up. If not then it is unfair on the part of the artist to impose a different set up than was expected.

Why would you need to be told that you have to listen to a gig. It'd be like saying that they should put "viewing film" on the tickets for the cinema

Utopia Parkway wrote: »

At the end of the day it is quite expensive to attend gigs these days. Just about the last thing anyone wants after spending their hard earned money on is to be lectured and hectored by the person they spent that money to see perform.

I disagree. The LAST thing someone who went to the expense of buying a ticket for a well known acoustic musician would want is for a gig that they had been looking forward to for ages being ruined by people shouting, puking and acting the arsehole. Lectured and hectored is a bit much. If there were many people there on a freebie, then he was right to suggest they go somewhere else. Damien Rice gigs aren't for everyone, but the people not enjoying it shouldn't ruin it for everyone with talking, shouting etc. They should just leave.

Miose

I think that the well established norms at music concerts of any type. You go play in a tent in a field with a couple of thousand people you will get a mix of diehard fans, people who have some idea of the music, people who are there to discover music, people who are there for a night out and have no specific interest in the artist playing but who have the potential to walk away from the gig saying 'hey, that was great, must check out more of their stuff.' I did that myself with One Day International who supported Lisa Hannigan fado fado. Never heard of them, went out afterwards, bought their CD and went to hear them in their own right a couple of times.

I think it is unfair of an artist to inflict their own expectations on the crowd and expect them to adhere from that when it veers from the norms that we have come to expect. What was achieved? I don't think Damien Rice gained any new fans as a result of his performance, existing fans felt alienated and let down. The gig got a lot of negative publicity for the artist, the venue and the Arts Festival. Are we now expected to spend months researching the whims of an artist before going to see them live, or can we not just go to a gig and expect it to be a gig like the many we have been to before, and walk away from it having had a good time?

Miose

And, I think he could've redeemed himself to the crowd somewhat if he had come on stage and said 'Hey Galway, yeah, this bar closing business. Look, by the time I've finished my set tonight, you will have forgotten all about the bar as I intend to blow you away with it. Some of these songs start off a little quiet and I would prefer a bit of hush for those. Thanks so much for coming out and supporting me!' and then followed through.

I see all of these posts telling me that we are such an awful country and we don't give the artist the respect they deserve and we are such alcoholics and need help and I'm shaking my head thinking 'no, you don't get it'. I personally didn't like the assumption that was made that the Galway crowd couldn't be trusted to behave themselves, measures had to be taken. That was a slight against the crowd before it had even began. I listened to him berate the crowd and thought of how I had supported him after the acrimonious dismissal of Lisa Hannigan following the 'difficult' second album phase, turning out to see him play even though her absence was marked. I missed his presence on the music scene these past few years and rejoiced when I heard of his return. I stood there in the crowd thinking 'Ah, here, I'm a bit long in the tooth for this kind of ****e now. I'll save my money in future for someone who has a bit of respect for me as a fan of their music.' And that, really is the end of the road for me with him. I don't really know where there is for him to go with his music from here.

mosstin

Miose wrote: »

And, I think he could've redeemed himself to the crowd somewhat if he had come on stage and said 'Hey Galway, yeah, this bar closing business. Look, by the time I've finished my set tonight, you will have forgotten all about the bar as I intend to blow you away with it. Some of these songs start off a little quiet and I would prefer a bit of hush for those. Thanks so much for coming out and supporting me!' and then followed through.

I see all of these posts telling me that we are such an awful country and we don't give the artist the respect they deserve and we are such alcoholics and need help and I'm shaking my head thinking 'no, you don't get it'. I personally didn't like the assumption that was made that the Galway crowd couldn't be trusted to behave themselves, measures had to be taken. That was a slight against the crowd before it had even began. I listened to him berate the crowd and thought of how I had supported him after the acrimonious dismissal of Lisa Hannigan following the 'difficult' second album phase, turning out to see him play even though her absence was marked. I missed his presence on the music scene these past few years and rejoiced when I heard of his return. I stood there in the crowd thinking 'Ah, here, I'm a bit long in the tooth for this kind of ****e now. I'll save my money in future for someone who has a bit of respect for me as a fan of their music.' And that, really is the end of the road for me with him. I don't really know where there is for him to go with his music from here.

Sally Longs.

Butterface

I can certainly understand that he'd want a bit of hush since he was playing solo. The crowd were very rowdy where I was standing - there were young lads taking selfies to beat the band and a lot of incessant chatter! However, from the off he didn't engage with the crowd at all. It was just such a detached gig and he just really misjudged how the crowd would react to closing the bar early.

I was annoyed by DR's prissiness and the small element of hecklers present, but more disappointed in myself for bothering to fork out for it!

Sofa King

Out of curioisty, is the bar ran by the Arts Festival or by a private vendor such as the Twelve being there etc?

Also, as the bar closed early, did all the staff working at the bar get sent home early and down money in their wages?

I was at the Kodaline gig the other night and it was fantastic, I was not a fan of them before I went to the gig but my wife was.

Despite the rain (and some amount of it at that), the gig was great and I discovered a new band called The Academic.

Miose

Sofa King wrote: »

Out of curioisty, is the bar ran by the Arts Festival or by a private vendor such as the Twelve being there etc?

Also, as the bar closed early, did all the staff working at the bar get sent home early and down money in their wages?

I was at the Kodaline gig the other night and it was fantastic, I was not a fan of them before I went to the gig but my wife was.

Despite the rain (and some amount of it at that), the gig was great and I discovered a new band called The Academic.

That's what I would define as a good gig. Not a fan, loved the gig, discovered new music.

inisboffin

Deleted User wrote: »

Why would you need to be told that you have to listen to a gig. It'd be like saying that they should put "viewing film" on the tickets for the cinema


I disagree. The LAST thing someone who went to the expense of buying a ticket for a well known acoustic musician would want is for a gig that they had been looking forward to for ages being ruined by people shouting, puking and acting the arsehole. Lectured and hectored is a bit much. If there were many people there on a freebie, then he was right to suggest they go somewhere else. Damien Rice gigs aren't for everyone, but the people not enjoying it shouldn't ruin it for everyone with talking, shouting etc. They should just leave.

Actually, in some music circles, often trad, the term is used a lot. The Crane gigs, for example, are often 'listening' gigs, and sadly very few pubs are exclusively 'listening' although many gigs in them still are. In a venue that hosts many different musical genres though, it would have helped immensely to have it. I suspect the promoters wouldn't again, have been mad about it.

On the bar thing, again, is there no medium between people 'allowed' :rolleyes: by Damien to have a pint VS becoming locked gob****es? He is obviously assuming his audience to be incapable of moderation. Damien Rice isn't for everyone, but if everyone can't do their thing, or what's normally the vibe for the tent, then he should at least have the decency to warn people on the ticket.

Zzippy

Sofa King wrote: »

Out of curioisty, is the bar ran by the Arts Festival or by a private vendor such as the Twelve being there etc?

Also, as the bar closed early, did all the staff working at the bar get sent home early and down money in their wages?

I was at the Kodaline gig the other night and it was fantastic, I was not a fan of them before I went to the gig but my wife was.

Despite the rain (and some amount of it at that), the gig was great and I discovered a new band called The Academic.

AFAIK Simon Heaslip (Massimo) is sunning the bar concession. I'm sure he had to pay the Arts Festival a pretty penny for the contract, and I would imagine they took a big hit by having to close early.

Kodaline gig was excellent alright. We stayed in the tent the whole time, didn't need beer to enjoy it, plus the rain and mud made the walk to the bar unappealing, but it was nice to know the option was there if we wanted it...

mikom

Little known fact........

The song "The blowers daughter" is about how in 1990 Damien Rice fathered a child with a breathalyzer machine.

Second Toughest in_the Freshers

:O