Review of Damien Rice in Kansas City
Damien Rice played Kansas City last night, and a lot of people have been looking for a review of the gig.
I didn’t go myself because even if you had bought me a ticket, (and you didn’t) Lisa Hannigan is no longer with the tour or collaborating with Rice.
Tim Finn of the Star however did go, and never having seen Rice and Hannigan together he had little to lose. Almost. Because the Irish singer can be odd.
Last night his oddness was in starting on time. With no support act Damien took the stage at 7:30pm. That’s not exactly rock and roll, and many people missed quite a few songs - like Pomegranate - though Finn just missed the opening number.
It’s a postive review overall: “Without her, he still put on a dynamic live show” “loaded with grand (sometimes melodramatic) moments” and the reservations Finn has are the same I had when I last saw Rice live, namely the use of the sound effects to jazz things up a bit, sometimes way too much.
The near sell-out crowd this evening was with him nearly every step of the way, even during the bloated 15 minute jam at the end of “I Remember.” In fact, by doing nothing, the crowd helped deliver some of the more memorable moments of this show. During “Cannonball,” which Rice sang on acoustic guitar, away from the microphone — unmic-ed? — 1,800 people turned stone-cold still and silent so everyone could hear every lyric and each lightly strummed guitar chord.
Setlist: Rat Within the Grain, 9 Crimes, Volcano, Coconut Skins, Woman Like a Man, The Animals Were Gone, Grey Room, Me My Yoke and I, Rootless Tree, Yoshimi Battles the Pink Robots (Flaming Lips), The Professor & La Fille Danse; The Blower’s Daughter, I Remember (jam), Cannonball. Encore: Accidental Babies, Cheers Darlin’
Read all of Tim’s Review
Other Rice Related Writings:
• Damien Rice’s 9 reviewed
• Damien Rice & Lisa Hannigan End Music Relationship
• Former Rice Band Lead Singer: Irish Music is Not all Blustery and Heart Wrenching
• Glen Hansard Doesn’t Come To KC
Eolaí gan Fhéile:
I have seen him live both with her and without and for me there’s no comparison - Lisa brought that extra sprinkle of magic.
yeah. i’m a doofus.
it was in the middle of the “Cannonball” performance that we walked in. it was eerie.
Pom, I’d have done the same as you.
Never in a million years would it have occurred to me that he would have gone on stage at 7:30 on the nose - not even if I knew he had no support act.
I think Rice should have made it clear he would be taking the stage when he did - and in fact when he was about to start he must have known from the people who were missing compared with ticket sales. He could have waited.
We arrived around 6:30 to a line halfway down the street…we were inside around 7…and went straight up to the balcony…which was completely full by 7:15….and what we could see of the unseated floor..it was full too.
Thanks Flowerparts. Were you expecting him to start at 7:30?
It may have appeared full-ish but given that the show wasn’t quite a sell-out crowd, even if everybody was there it couldn’t have been full. And as we know, everybody wasn’t there:
I wasn’t suggesting that Damien walk on stage, judge the crowd size and walk off again, but that his management be aware of what tickets have been taken at the door.
I was expecting the show to begin at 7:30 (what it said on my ticket)…didn’t know there wasn’t an opening act until I walked in the door and asked someone. It sure looked close to being full - even if it wasn’t a sold out crowd. I guess I just prefer to show up early…rather than risk there not being an opener…which has happened on occasion with various artists I’ve seen..and was always happy I’d gotten there on time. I just think that if I’d shown up late I would be ticked off- but at myself for not getting there - not at the artist…for starting on time.
I can’t argue with what you say Flowerparts.
I’d probably have to make the mistake before adopting your attitude though, just based on my own experiences with concert start times. I tend to see the start time as a case of crying wolf, but I know I would be ticked off at myself first if it did backfire.
I agree…the majority of shows tend to start MUCH later than stated (and a lot of times there’s even a 2nd opener - which puts the main act even later!!!)…. especially in smaller venues. I’ve just been burned by missing out on 1/2 the main act in the past - didn’t risk it this time. I saw Damien last time he was in Lawrence and knew this was a show not to miss - even without Lisa accompanying him. There’s just no way to win if you ask me.