Damien Rice Brings His ‘Favourite Faded Fantasy’ to the Apollo Theater

Damien Rice is celebrating the release of his first full-length record in eight years -- and much of that celebration involves performing his music in solo, intimate settings in theaters across the country. Saturday night (Nov. 15), we had the distinct pleasure to see Rice at New York City's iconic Apollo Theater.

Opening with 'The Professor & La Fille Danse' from 2004's 'B-Sides,' Rice set the stage for what would turn into a nearly 140-minute performance of his beautifully delicate music; but even with the most ethereal of songs, he still had the ability to make them explode in front of the audience with either his powerful vocals or a well-timed effect from his guitar pedals (or sometimes, both).

As the night began, it seemed apparent that Rice would be spending little time conversing with the crowd; that turned out to be far from the case, though. After a few songs, he made it clear that he did not want anyone getting up during his songs -- if they needed to leave for whatever reason, they should wait until the conclusion. This wasn't the demand of a prima donna; no, this came from an artist who not only has a certain amount of self-respect for his craft, but also wants to ensure his fans are able to enjoy every second of the show.

And this was a common topic throughout the rest of the night -- most notably, Rice's funny, though seemingly accurate, claim that concertgoers today compared to 15 years ago seem to have severe bladder problems.

There were several highlights throughout the set -- like when Rice performed 'Colour Me In' in absolute darkness. Just a couple of songs later, he pushed his talents even further with 'Cannonball' as he walked in front of his mic and unplugged his acoustic guitar and gave a true acoustic performance with no amplification of any kind.

The four-song encore could've served as a separate concert in itself; opening with massive fan-favorite 'The Blower's Daughter,' Rice quickly invited his friend, Shahzad Ismaily, out to the stage to help him with 'I Don't Want to Change You' (Ismaily remained onstage for the rest of the encore).

For 'I Remember,' show openers My Bubba -- who were amazing, by the way -- joined Rice and Ismaily for an exquisite rendition. And to close the night out, Rice brought out even more friends, including an entire choir of singers, to help with 'Trusty and True.'

Needless to say, the evening was unforgettable. Grab the setlist and check out a couple of shots below, and keep an eye on Rice's website for his full tour itinerary:

Damien Rice -- Setlist, Nov. 15, 2014
‘The Professor & La Fille Danse’
‘Delicate’
‘9 Crimes’
‘My Favourite Faded Fantasy’
‘Elephant’
‘Older Chests’
‘The Box’
‘Colour Me In’
‘Amie’
‘Cannonball’
‘Volcano’

Encore
‘The Blower’s Daughter’
‘I Don’t Want to Change You’
‘I Remember’
‘Trusty and True’

Damien Rice -- New York City's Apollo Theater

Listen to Damien Rice Perform 'The Professor & La Fille Danse' at the Apollo Theater