23/3/2013 LIZOTTE'S SYDNEY (Dee Why)

[thebraff (Braffy)]

THE MAN & HIS MUSIC

For the first time in over 6 years, Damien Leith will take to the stage on his own as part of a one of run of solo shows - Damien Leith “The Man & His Music”

During these intimate shows, fans will experience Damien performing songs on keys and guitar. The popular Irishman will be performing favourite hit songs from his six albums and popular songs across all generations in the show.

“The Man & His Music” will feature Leith’s hallmark voice and the opportunity for Damien to interact with the audience with stories behind the penning of his hit songs along with what made him fall in love with the classic cover songs he performs - where it all started on Idol with songs like “Crying”, “Hallelujah” and “Nessun Dorma” to his own original compositions with hits such as “Beautiful”, “Good Night” and “To Get To You”.

Don’t miss this truly one off opportunity to hear Damien’s uniquely inspiring voice in intimate mode - Damien Leith “The Man & His Music” shows.

Ticketing details :-

Saturday 23rd March

Sydney

4/5 629 Pittwater Road
Dee Why NSW

ph: 02 9984 9933

www.sydney.lizottes.com.au/live/index.asp

[dmac]

Have a great time folks

[thebraff (Braffy)]

This is tomorrow night and is the first of the solo shows. I'm sure it s going to be a very enjoyable night.

Enjoy it those that are going;l

[Glawz]

Do we know who's going to this one? Could look back but don't have time, maybe KAZZA & Michele?

[thebraff (Braffy)]

Gloria, Shims & 2DamienFans are the likely contenders for this show. Hopefully someone will be able to do a report for us and a setlist.

[kazzababe]

Sorry not me at this one its too far

[plugger]

Me too Kazza . Look forward to seeing or hearing about it though. Kazza you must have a show soon ?

[shimmery]

I'm back! - back here at last and back from an INCREDIBLE SHOW!!!!!!



Damien did an absolutely brilliant solo show, I'll keep editing this post and write the setlist etc before I crash while it's all still fresh.

This was Damien's first solo show in 7 years and it was a triumph. He is so accomplished as a musician and a performer after all these years that he can totally hold the room on his own as he directs the evening with gusto.

Here's the set-list for starters - then much more to say!!


--SET LIST--

ALL in Glorious ACOUSTIC - Damien with his guitar, the Man and his Music!

1: Catch the Wind
2: Only the Lonely
3: FAITH IN ME - NEW ORIGINAL co-written with Joe Melson One of the best and most accomplished songs I've ever heard, should be an INSTANT CLASSIC!!!!
4: If Tomorrow Never Comes
5: 22 Steps
6: Sky
7: 7 Drunken Nights
8: Rocky Road to Dublin
9: I Am a Little Beggar Man (Diddly diddly dee song lol)
10: Danny Boy
11: Message to My Girl
12: Beautiful
13: Creep
14: You Got It
16: In Dreams
17: Lilac Wine (OMG.... )
18: Everybody's Talkin'
19: Here Comes the Sun (Duet with Jess Chalker)
20: Mad World (Impromtu Duet with Jess Chalker)
21: STRONGER THAN SUPERMAN - A NEW ORIGINAL that Damien loves and wanted to perform - BEAUTIFUL SONG!!
22: Crying

ENCORE

23: Pretty Woman
24: Hallelujah

[shimmery]

I was so lucky to be able to go to this show. It was last minute again so we were sitting up the back but we had a great sense of the space and the way Damien could carry the room from there, it was really fantastic to see him so in his element with all these amazing songs and performing so well. I don't know how he does it and I know every year I say the same but he is singing better than I've ever heard him - how is this even possible that his voice keeps getting better than it already is?!!!!


As always he takes the show through so many moods, it's hilarious one moment then so moving you are in tears, then inspiring! Damien has such a beautiful spirit and the whole room feels naturally included in the journey he leads us through in all the songs.


The new songs are jaw-droppingly good. I was stunned by FAITH IN ME - it really carries the hallmarks of the epic storytelling feel of Joe Melson AND also is so Damien. What a collaboration!!! It's such an incredibly moving song which builds through all these changes of mood into an epic chorus. I think it's one of the best things Damien's ever done! I felt so privileged seeing him at this creative fruition he's enjoying at the moment with the writing with Joe Melson as well as his studio work. It's a very exciting time for him and for us who will hear all the new work!!!


Another Highlight was STRONGER THAN SUPERMAN, a really beautiful song by Damien about being inspired by relationships that have stood the test of time and that when there is true feeling then anything can be faced. Fantastic uplifiting thoughts. Damien said on stage that he really loved this song and wanted to perform it in these solo shows to share it.

All the familiar songs had new touches, with slight changes to the rhythms and arrangements. It was really interesting to hear how he has developed Sky for acoustic guitar, it has a staccato sound on the guitar but with a smooth swing to the vocal - really interesting contrast and just as gorgeous a song as it always was.

the Irish part in the middle was a bit of fun, Damien doing 7 Drunken nights to demonstrate why he wasn't going to sing it - while singing it Rocky Road to Dublin was next and it quickly degenerated in a hilarious way as Damien launched off into Diddly dee time with I Am A Little Beggar Man. Everyone was in stitches and Damien really seemed to be having a blast on stage with the songs. He was saying on stage it was in deference to the St Patrick's celebrations he'd had and the night where the gathering was all singing the Irish songs and it got him in the mood for doing some. Was great fun


Following the upbeat ones Danny Boy was just sublime by contrast and had me in tears. Divine.

Around this time Damien mentioned he couldn't read his handwriting on the setlist so he'd start improvising as the mood swept. Message To My Girl was next and utterly gorgeous with just acoustic guitar.

The duets with Jess Chalker were such a surprise to the usual show and WOW they nailed Here Comes the Sun. Jess does the harmonies beautifully and it's such an uplifting song, really suits Damien. A real highlight of the evening also.

Wow MAD WORLD!!! Jess mentioned after Here Comes the Sun that someone had mentioned to her that they'd love to hear Damien sing it so they did an off the cuff version there and then! Again, the harmonies were stunning! We all remember how exquisite Damien's version of this was on So You Think You Can Dance and it was so exciting to hear him sing this live! Because they hadn't rehearsed it they didn't remember all the verses so they just made some up on the spot and it went down brilliantly, was a lot of fun and a great end to that part of the show.

LILAC WINE OMG what a surprise, I was just about leaping in the air when I heard Damien say he was going to do a rare Jeff Buckley song - haven't heard him do this since the Jeff Buckley tribute night in 2007 and his version easily sits beside the divine original.


I was in raptures by the end and so excited about hearing the new and rare songs and the whole vibe of the show. It is such a great chance with the solo shows to hear Damien do some different and new material and for him to be free with how he approaches the show.


Was so wonderful afterwards to have a little chat with Damien and see the excitement in his eyes after launching the new songs and doing this first of the solo shows

Wardrobe report - teh Idol rocked white shirt, slim straight-end tan tie and teh soft blue jeans. Shirt delightfully rock-star wet, just the way we like it

I have a couple of pics I'll put up tomorrow

Love and adored all the rare songs tonight, it was like a show of dreams to see all these rare and new songs like this - I hope it grows and grows even more to be tour of rare and special things and also continue to reflect Damien's ideas about where he wants to be now.

Just fantastic Damien!!!!

[thebraff (Braffy)]

There is not much more I can say other than OMG this sounds so good. Thank you, thank you, thank you Shims for writing a report and how thrilling that you were there to witness it.

did you see 2 Damien Fans as well? I don't know if they were there, but I am sure they would have been if they were able to.

I can't wait to hear some of these new songs.

[princess1]

Thanks so much for the report Shims, I'm glad you were able to make it to the show, the whole thing sounds fantastic from start to finish, I'm a bit sad though that he won't be taking these shows to other states, he's such a great performer, I just want to

[2damienfans]

Hi Braffy and Shimmery,

We are so sorry that we could not go to Damien's show yesterday because we have just arrived from an overseas trip! But we will go to his show in Hornsby next month (we bought the tickets!!!) and we will try to buy tickets for Cronulla.

We can't wait to see Damien again - and perhaps you or some other lovely DLO ladies. Have you
any information about additional shows in the Sydney region (for example RSL Dee Why)?

Thank you very much, Shimmery, for your detailed report about the great show yesterday. We are happy with you that you had such a fantastic night, and we are looking forward to your pictures.

Kindest regards,
2 Damien Fans (Karin & Gottfried)

[Glawz]

OMFG Shims!! What a privilege it would have been to have been there! Wonderful set list and the new songs sound fantastic.

Sits here

I'm so glad to be catching a couple of these shows, no doubt he will tweak the set list a bit but hope he leaves in my fav's.

[nixter]

It sounds like Damien at his sublime best. Lucky you Shims and thank you for your wonderful report.

[Trilly]

Thanks for the great report Shms! How fabulous for you to hear two new originals and that great set list! I'm excited by your excitement at the quality of the new compositions.

Would love to catch one of these solo shows, but just can't make it to NSW on the dates.
Nevermind, I'm sure we'll have the opportunity at some point to hear Damien's new work. I'm very happy for him to take as much time as he needs to bring us a wonderful new all original album and tour!