15 & 16 Apr 2010 Brass Monkey Cronulla

[shimmery]

Apr 19, 2010 12:23:32 GMT 10 tarapanda said:

DAMIEN IS SIMPLY THE BEST. great reports and a belated happy birthday shims luck you. every girls dream.

Thank you all so much for your lovely birthday wishes It was such an amazing night I'm still almost lost for words!!! But have more now at least than the other day when I posted

Apr 17, 2010 15:26:32 GMT 10 Trilly said:

It's cracking me up that I wrote all about how much we swooned but forgot to mention that the song was KISS!

I think that's indicative of the major coma going on that night - wow we all flipped when we heard the first note of KISS at the very end of Wicked Game. Just love that way Damien sings it - wow- Sooooooooo funky, Damien's version is teh sexeh . Also loved the Prince style guitar accompanying - that's a rare song that I'd love to see brought into the set more often It's fantastic at small venues because everyone really gets into it and belts it out with him - loved it!!

It's a wonder we didn't have some sort of breakdown by KISS, I was already in nirvana eclipse as it was I think I spent most of the night alternating between and

Was thrilled when Damien sung Catch the Wind - oh wow such a favourite and it gets better and better each time - his voice is so warm and full of heart, and I just love the latest arrangement!!!

Ride On was stunning and the slide guitar really added another fantastic dimension!!

Was also brilliant hearing the new arrangement to Stairway to Heaven up close - WOW Eric can rock out and Damien joining in was spinetingling. Seriously, how talented are these guys!!!! The show went from heavenly acoustic to epic rock and back and it all was so seamless - ah I just LOVED IT!!!

So many hilarious moments during the night too, the shows are so much fun!! There's really nothing better than being at the front, and at a small venue it's so cosy and the real definition of "up close and personal" music! Was great to be able to see Kevin and Cesar better too. I love their addition to the group, there's so much exciting potential for the future arrangemengs there as well!

Great audience as well like at Souths the week before, a lot of Irish and they really joined in with the songs, even adding the answer back bit in "Wild Rover" - it was all just totally magic really!

When Damien wished me a Happy Birthday and asked me if there was a song I'd like I think my heart just about stopped. I'd hoped to hear For All of Time this tour and hadn't yet, so this was all just a dream! It's not only my favourite song of Damien's, it's one of my favourite songs ever, full stop!

Damien said that the band hadn't played this one so he might do this one himself & he began those beautiful plaintive notes on the guitar - aaaaaaaah! Then as he started singing the rest of the guys in the band softly joined in and felt their way into the song as well - it was utterly divine. At the very end Damien not only reached the sweetest high note, he kept going right up the scale we were gasping - it was stunning!!!!

Just like at the Listening Party, Morgs & I were huddled together throughout this song and fighting back tears, wow did it bring back some memories & to see Damien there actually singing it live - it was so beautiful, I'll never forget it

A few times during the next songs I was still biting my lip fighting back (happy) tears ! Damien said there was to be no crying, lol, we'd already done "Crying" so we couldn't do it again

Then it was time for the singalongs! I had my arms around b/f and Morgs and we were happily swaying and having a blast.

It was all such a beautiful night. I also loved seeing Diana Rouvas as support act again and b/f and I both really enjoy her singing, shes got such a strong bluesy voice.

As mentioned already by the others there were certainly some quirks to the dining experience (main served during Damien's set and no dessert or coffee offered after?!) and we didn't want to eat while Damien was performing either so waited til the break.

All in all though I just love the venue and as a wonderful place to see Damien and the guys play, the experience was unbeatable!!

It was fantastic to see Damien at the end of the evening to say hi & thank him for the wonderful show Our last sight as we left the club was of a lone musician striding away into the night with his guitarcase swaying by his side - I hope Damien had a brilliant time, we all had the best!

[thebraff (Braffy)]

Lovely report Shims.

[Nuffy]

Shimmery, i feel like I was there too... and it was beautiful!

How generous of Damien to give you a song for your birthday just as well you weren't so that you couldn't remember your favourite song. What a great choice too.

[Nuffy]

Apr 17, 2010 2:33:41 GMT 10 Trilly said:

RJ
TGTY

(D mentioned he'd had a busy day today. He had been interviewed by 60 Mins! It's going to be shown next week)

How did I miss this bit!!
Is this a certainty Trilly?
and which Sunday??

[thebraff (Braffy)]

I gather it is this coming Sunday (ANZAC Day)

[CarlaM]

OMG OMG OMG OMG OMG!

I am still recovering on more levels than one from these 2 fantastic shows!!

You girls have done some amazing reports. I was with Trilly when she was writing hers so I am going to be really lazy and not write out a report but I can honestly say this was one of...THE BEST shows I have been to.

I absolutely adore this venue, in fact, it is easily the best venue I have seen Damien play and I have now had the pleasure of seeing him here 4 times. I do hope he returns. It has such a great atmosphere and always such an appreciative and active crowd. I love it!

Both nights were amazing but the 2nd night was better despite the fact that Trilly, Dawn and I were running on very little sleep.
The set list was shorter on the 15th but Damien was still singing like and Angel and can I say.....OMG, he looked incredible in the red and black.
We were so lucky to arrive for our dinner and see D sitting there with Eric and co and he so kindly came on over and gave us lovely hugs and kisses and we had a great little chat with him

The set list on the 16th was much longer and OMG...when he did KISS, a few of us just went absolutely mental. I haven't heard D do Kiss for a while so it was a real treat and he sounded very sexy indeed as Shims stated in her report!!

Damien was sooooooooo sweet to sing Happy B'day to Shims and let her request a song. I loved watching your face Shims as you really were in a coma...LOL. And of course, emotional and rightfully so...it was a beautiful moment. And Damien is right, you really are "a lovely lady"

I really am in love with Ride On . And this was the best I have heard Damien sing it. Such a beautiful song and it does his voice justice. And Rocky Road to Dublin gets the crowd going every time.

Eric was absolutely on FIRE on the Friday night, the man is a guitar God!!! And what can I say about Kevin??? He is sooooo adorable. We got the chance to have a couple of lovely chats with him and what a cute cheeky Irishman he is!!!

Again, we were lucky enough to have a great chat with D after the show and a few of us got our books and CD's signed. Damien was so sweet and lovely as always and he agreed that it is a fantastic venue and that it was a really great crowd

Sometimes during a show, and especially the Friday night show, I literally sit there in AWE of Damien. His incredible talent and exquisite voice is something I feel so privledged to see/hear so often and even after 3 and a half years and many many many shows, he still manages to absolutely blow me away every time.

Love ya Damien, you really are A STAR!!!

[CarlaM]

I have to add too, I know I have made no secret of the fact that I am not a fan of the song Danny Boy. It's a song I have never liked since I was a young child....however......I was stunned at how beautifully Damien sang this on the Friday night. I just sat there and listened and didn't move.

[thebraff (Braffy)]

I can just see you there Carla as you were writing your report. You would have been fanning yourself, or were you just waving hello to yourself?

Cesar was absolutely fantastic too. My he can make those fingers of his work on the various instruments.

[CarlaM]

I do tend to fan myself during certain notes don't I?

[Glawz]

Gosh, Shims and Carla, you had me with little tears of joy just reading your reports of the night. Fantastic birthday present Shims, you lucky duck..... I'm sure everybody including me is just a teensy bit jealous of you getting your special birthday song from Damien.
You both conveyed all your emotions so well I felt I was experiencing it all with you (wish I really did, it sounded awesome)

[dmac]

Just a few little snippets......re Thursday ;D
I was the last person to join the ladies with Damien, but when I saw the drop dead sexy man had to say and who's this tall, gorgeous man??? and was rewarded with a kiss and cuddle ....it was also noted by D that we were colour co-ordinated in red and black ;D ;D ;D sigggggh and he's definitely lost too much weight.....he forgets to eat
like the fact that after Diana, the 3 of us raced into the ladies and what did we suddenly hear but.......... oh no.....the flute....the intro to RJ...so there was much haste and panic to try and get back to the front.....in the meantime, the intro went a little longer than usual and we were told by D that he had stepped out of the exit door and was locked out couldn't get back in until Eric let him in
and yes Damien you are a yummy daddy and ridiculously handsome
After Ride On, D was talking about some of the naughty presents he has been given, the green mankini, the boxers with 'what a lovely bunch of coconuts', the blue pills for extra enhancement and he looked in our direction.....expectantly.....and was greeted with "tomorrow night!!!" which was when Annie gave him the Irish bear or was that a bare bear.....
After Crying, D was telling us how he thought Mark Holden was terrible initially, but came to respect him and actually liked him and they have still stayed in touch, especially as both of them now have young children.
It was great that Damien was promoting his Novel RJ, even though it wasn't on sale on the Thursday....it was on the Friday however ;D
Oh yeah.......and I'm somewhat relieved that we're not stalkers...(compliments of that lady at the Gaels ) but just hardcore fans ;D
We did kick on a bit back in room 101

[thebraff (Braffy)]

No one has mentioned 'the gift' on Friday night

[CarlaM]

And the fact that Damien ate some of it!!

[dmac]

Tonight is Friday's turn
Loved Damien telling the audience it was all right to stare.....mainly at his buns and guns
D really does have a thing about Bill Murray, we know he loves Groundhog Day and he also talked about being a card carrying pet detective, but he also wanted to be a ghost buster ...that was agreat movie though.
The funny part about D's mistake at the start of his piano playing was that we didn't notice it and he suddenly bounced out of his seat confessing his error
But we picked up on the start of 'Don't Like Mondays' in a flash ;D
and yup sure can understand why 6'4" Patrick never really was jockey material
Yes he did mention he was tired from the 60 minutes interview, but only said it wasn't related to his singing/music
Damien's aaaahhh aaaaahhhs in Stairway to Heaven were definitely spine tingling
Was lovely of D to sing Happy Birthday to Shims and lead the cheering. I think the guys were more comfortable to start to join in with FAOT after he'd done it the night before in his solo section ;D
I think by the time D started Kiss he was totally wired and so were we errrrrr we probably had the audience a little bit after the massive scream in unison ......... but oh boy that number was just totally hawt!!! as was the singer in his rendition
Oh yeah, Damien was given a gift and he just loves to open things completely to show everyone ....haha I gave him cherry flavoured edible men's undies (didn't take a pic as it was just a closed packet- not for long ) D opened the packet and the sealed packet and read what they were, then proceeded to eat them.....I was like not too sure they were all that tasty though.....hmmmmm next time will enclose instructions.....male wears undies and female nibbles them off and no wasn't volunteering, thought Eils might like a late snack
Was terrific to see so many younger, enthusiastic people in the audience who were having a wonderful time. Seems the crowd at the Brass Monkey are savy as are the ones at central coast Lizottes. Was absolutely delighted that the 3 shows I attended were sell outs

[princess1]

Thanks Dawn, it was nice to read your report, OMG you gave Damien edible undies and he had a taste of them I'm glad you all had a fantastic time, maybe next time I can make it too ;D