Damien Rice

Having previously heard only one track by Damien Rice on the Top of the Pops 2 Glastonbury special, I had no idea what to expect from this hotly tipped Irish up-and-comer. But I was not to be disappointed, nor was the crowd that grew and grew as his set continued.

Originally allocated only a short mid-afternoon timeslot, Dublin-born former busker Rice impressed the ever-swelling audience with his own mix of rich harmonies, sumptuous, swollen strings and poetic lyrics. Mixing his own material from the acclaimed debut album O with well-chosen covers such as Jeff Buckley's "Hallejullah" and Radiohead's "Creep", Rice had those watching in the palm of his hand with his emotional performance which had many around me (including myself during Rice's beautiful The Professor) close to tears.

Rice's performance was one of my personal highlights of Glastonbury 2003, as I know it was for many who saw his set. His warm interactions with the audience, combined with the lush wall of sound that he and his band are capable of creating, combine to make Damien Rice a compelling live act to watch.

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