Impressions on a great concert: Damien Rice live at Conservatorio Sala Verdi, Milan 18 March 2007

Premise: Lisa has not been present , doh!
In the afternoon, Vyv, asked about rumours on Lisa's absence, she said Lisa hasn't really quit but "she won't be on stage tonight". She looked like she was carefully choosing words and maybe trying to say a bit more without actually saying the whole story.
After the concert, a girl asked "is Lisa not touring with you?" and Damo replied "she was..." then paused and finished with "... but not anymore" and looked at her as though she shouldn't ask anything else.

Update 26 March: Now it is official :-(
"After much thought and discussion Damien has decided that his professional relationship with Lisa Hannigan has run its creative course. As a result Lisa will not be appearing at any of the upcoming live shows. Lisa is embarking on her own artistic endeavours and there are no plans for them to work together in the foreseeable future. The current band on tour at the moment are - Damien Rice, Joel Shearer, Shane Fitzsimons, Tom Osander & Vyvienne Long"

When he started singing my head was pulsing like my heart had moved there... it was my first Damien concert and I was totally out of myself!

- TRACKLIST -
1. Cannonball (no mic)
2. Delicate
3. Rootless Tree (piano version with a long intro)
4. Me My Yoke and I
5. The Rat Within The Grain
6. Volcano
7. Accidental Babies (outro with Vyv)
8. "O sole mio"
9. Amie (he asked "happy or depressing song?" - "both!" and then, under fans request, he played Amie)
10. Coconut Skins
11. I Remember
- ENCORE -
12. Yoshimi Battles The Pink Robots Part I (Vyv piano solo)
13. Sand
14. The Blower's daughter
15. 9 Crimes
16. What this night is for / Sleep don't weep

My highlights:
- In Accidental Babies he totally messed up the lyrics twice...:P but both the intro and the long ending at the piano went on forever and were absolutely beautiful!
- He started playing woman like a man but his guitar was out of tune so he started fixing it and since it took him some time, Vyv started palying with shadows on the wall and helped with her hand Damien's shadow... Unfortunately he decided to change the song after that and played Amie.
- He talked a lot... but a certain point he wondered if anyone in the crowd talked English because we were all too quiet I guess... :P he told us the usual story for Amie... a long story for Volcano (but I missed part of it because of my far from perfect English) and he also introduced I remember and Coconut Skins... which was my favourit! About being a kid and wanting to dig a hole to get to the other side of the earth... it was lovely!
- I kind of liked the lack of drums I think Tomo did an awesome job with congas.
- After Volcano, a lot of people asked about Lisa but Damien didn't say anything...

***VIDEOS***

Rootless Tree

And if you hate me, hate me, hate me, hate me so good
that you just let me out
let me out, let me out?
Its hell when you're around.
Let me out, let me out, let me out, let me out.
Let me out, let me out, let me out, let me out.
LET ME OUT, LET ME OUT, LET ME OUT, LET ME OUT.
LET ME OUT, LET ME OUT, LET ME OUT!!!
FUCK YOU, FUCK YOU, LOVE YOU



Accidental Babies

Well I know I make you cry
And I know sometimes you wanna die
But do you really feel alive without me
If so, be free
If not, leave him for me
Before one of us has accidental babies
...
We aren't free
...
Do you come Together ever with him
Is he dark enough
Enough to see your light
Do you brush your teeth before you kiss
DO YOU MISS MY SMELL



Amie

Amie come sit on my wall
And read me the story of O
And tell it like you still believe
That the end of the century
Brings a change for you and me



Yoshimi

Her name is Yoshimi
she's a black belt in karate
working for the city
she has to discipline her body
Oh Yoshimi, they don't believe me
but you won't let those robots eat me
Yoshimi, they don't believe me
but you won't let those robots defeat me



The Blower's Daughter

And so it is
Just like you said it would be
Life goes easy on me
Most of the time
And so it is
The shorter story
No love, no glory
No hero in her sky
I can't take my eyes off you
I can't take my eyes off you
I can't take my eyes off you
I can't take my eyes off you
I can't take my eyes off you
I can't take my eyes...



9 Crimes

Leave me out with the waste
This is not what i do
It's the wrong kind of place
To be cheating on you
It's the wrong time
but she's pulling me through
It's a small crime
And I've got no excuse
Is that alright?
Give my gun away when it's loaded
Is that alright?



Sleep Don't weep

Sleep. Don’t weep,
My sweet love.
Your face, it's all wet.
And your day was rough.
So do what you must do
To find yourself.
Wear another shoe.
Paint my shelf.
There's times that I was broke
When you stood strong.
I think I’ve found a place
Where I ...

Sleep. Don’t weep,
My sweet love.
Your face, it's all wet
‘Cause our days were rough.
So do what you must do
To fill that hole.
Wear another shoe
To comfort the soul.
There's times that I was broke
When you stood strong.
I think I’ve found a place
Where I feel I will...belong