Damien Rice - London Palladium - 07 Nov '14

How do you return from eight years of silence? Damien Rice was a largely forgotten man, someone who people would wonder about on occasion or when flicking through their record collection. Quite frankly though, Rice was a voice who inspired a generation. Most namely one of the biggest singer-songwriters the UK has to offer as an export, Ed Sheeran, who has Rice's name tattooed on his arm. 

 

Armed with two multi-million selling albums behind him, Damien Rice seems ready to unleash his inner demons again. His comeback tour sold out in minutes, and with only one London show it was a hot ticket in town. 

 

The London Palladium was the venue, and although it's not the best suited for gigs, it was the perfect place for Rice to demonstrate his talents. A two hour set full of songs from the new record, ‘My Favourite Faded Fantasy’, some forgotten numbers and some of his hits. 

 

With little acknowledgement between the opening few numbers, Rice seemed nervous and shy in front of an adoring sold out crowd. Once he caught up with himself, he started to chat. There was touch of the Ryan Adams syndrome about him from this point, where he'd enlighten the crowd about what he'd been doing for the past eight years. Turns out, talking to himself (and other personalities) in the mirror. 

 

You couldn't help but feel that with a band behind him, there would be more structure to the set. This is by no means a criticism; it is refreshing to see one man, or woman, with a guitar and nothing else. 

 

It was a two hour set full of everything you wanted, minus Cannonball, including a full choir appearing from the mist of the stage for the final number.  With Damien explaining that this was actually a pre-tour tour, expect to see him in bigger, possibly open air venues and festivals in 2015. 

 

Joe

@thejoeeley

 

9/11

 

 

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