Cheers, Damien

"I feel naked," our friend leaned over and whispered. We nodded our head. "Exposed, but in a good way," we replied, in awe of the man who was causing this feeling. It was the third song in and Damien Rice was alone on the stage, bathed in red light, with only his voice and his guitar. He sang, "It's not that we're scared/It's just that it's delicate," with such candor that the vulnerability in his voice blanketed the audience, covering us in that emotion. All this, even without the cello.

To describe the songwriter's lyrics as personal would be an understatement. And to call last night's show at the Mann anything less than amazing would also be a misnomer. Whether it was the beginning of the set, where Rice played accompanied only by his acoustic guitar, or the remainder of the set, backed by a full band, the show remained mesmerizing. Personally, having associated both 9 and O with a range of moods, both good and bad, we were wondering whether the show would be lively and fun or would devolve into a support group for sad bastards.

We are happy to report that there wasn't a sad bastard in the house. The show was full of humor and honesty, and some of the sad songs lost their dirge-like tone when performed live and in a context Rice provided by sharing stories. He spoke of looking back on life and sheepishly seeing "That trail of poo that you left." The audience laughed at a story about how snagging a new woman evokes a feeling of getting away with something, until you realize what you've stolen is damaged and a pain in your ass. Such cynicism was couched in humor and the hope that things would work out better next time.

For us, there were many highlights, but our two favorite moments were the last song of his set, when he sang "Cannonball" completely unplugged. A soft breeze pushed us forward while his voice pulled us toward him; he sang with no mic, no amplifier, and no band. There was something so personal about it, as if his heart was on his sleeve, and the applause was long and loud when he finished.

Rice totally cracked us up with the last song from his encore, "Cheers Darlin'." A table was placed on the stage and Rice sat at it while a waitress served him wine. He sang the song of a spurned lover, punctuating lines by guzzling down wine and taking drags from a cigarette. Comically, he stumbled away from the table as the song drew to a close, and with the last notes he mimed pissing behind a street lamp.

It was the perfect ending to kick-ass show.

Set list
9 Crimes
The Professor
Delicate
Volcano
Me, My Yoke, and I
Older Chests
I Remember
Rootless Tree
Grey Room
Coconut Skins
Woman Like a Man
Accidental Babies
Eskimo
Cannonball

Encore
The Blower's Daughter
Cheers Darlin'

Image credit: Flickr user * Janice