Damien Dempsey – Saturday November 22nd, 2003
By Alice Farrell in New York - email afarrell@jigtime.com

Only the strong of will are able to tackle the rowdy crowd at Rocky Sullivan's in Manhattan, a no nonsense bar and venue with an Irish Republican edge, and Damien Dempsey was definitely a match for it at this powerful gig.

The evening started off with a very impressive min-set from Declan McLoughlin, former front man for the Derry band The Whole Tribe Sings, featuring his powerful voice and heartfelt songs, particularly one dealing with his own take on the hunger strikes and putting across a generally positive message. Hopefully an album from this gentleman won't be far away!

It's long been said of New York crowds that there is a sense of “impress us” hanging in the air at gigs, however for the early part of this gig Damien had to fight to get them even to notice that there was someone performing. Being that it's a hard-drinking establishment, and the large quotient of Irish-born customers on hand that night, he had to work to bring them round, but he certainly succeeded.

Focusing on the material from his wonderfully raw and real new album Seize the Day, it was only fitting that he started off with the hard hitting Negative Vibes setting the stage for a riveting set to follow. He continued on with a mix of material from this album, and his first They Don't Teach this #)?&% at School, including The Jar Song a paean to the days of overindulgence, Factories an honest song of the working man and the enchanting It's All Good. While it does take a trained ear sometimes to wend it's way through his thick Dublin accent, there is no mistaking the honesty and forthright nature of his presentation of his material. He is not afraid to make a political or social statement and won't honey coat his words for anyone.

By the latter half of the set he had the attention of the room swayed primarily in his direction and he was joined onstage for two songs and a set of reels by Chris Byrne, now known as Seanchai and former piper with Black 47 which got the whole room hopping and the crowd called him back for three encores: the Luke Kelly classic School Days Over the crowd favorite Bad Time Garda and finally the ever so New York appropriate cover of the Pogues Fairytale of New York.

I would say that the fact that he left the crowd screaming for more, combined with the fact that the pub remained packed elbow to elbow all night, means that a long awaited U.S. tour of larger venues should definitely be on the cards. There are a lot of people out there who should step up and listen to what this boldly brilliant man has to say.

Damien's Website is at
http://www.damiendempsey.com