Thursday 11/10/07 Damien Rice @ Evening News Arena, Manchester

He busked. He recorded. He conquered. That’s the brief history of 34-year–old Irishman Damien Rice. For a man who writes frighteningly intimate songs, it was an odd venue  for his new UK tour. Maybe supply and demand dictated, though he did confess to hating arenas simply because he couldn’t see us.  The big question was, would the reclusive Irishman adapt to an 8,000 crowd? Would it be an ‘O’ dear, or a just a ‘9’. Instead, it was a perfect 10.

For two hours he plunderd his back-catalogue with songs from both albums, and lesser known songs. Giving serious thought to his set, (plenty of candles and joss sticks wafting the stage front) he beefed -up things when it mattered, shifting from penchant ‘mello-chello’ ballads, on both piano and guitar,to rock excusrions that recalled his early rock days, it was triumphant night.

Just like his albums, it was a slow start – Rice and guitar only and not much said during the first few songs, that included ‘Then Go’, as his band increased to four on the divine ‘Older Chests’ and ‘What I Am To You’ with sublime cello hitting the heart strings, as it does on many of his sad songs. Gradually his confidence grew. He engaged more and more, showing a sharp wit, in contrast with his melancholic musical template, drawing roars of laughter to the very end, which was, by any standard, unusually spectacular. From then on, he teased us, building his set to many highs and lows.  Dipping into ‘9’ he played the, almost, uplifting last single ‘Dogs’. The sombre but achingly beautiful Amie drew us in, as the sweeping cello rang around the cavernous arena, then on piano for non-album single ‘Unplayed Piano’ with smoke and film footage rolling we got a tear-jerking tribute to Burmese democracy leader Aung San Suu Kyi.