Damien Rice hasn’t put out a new album in nearly a decade. Fortunately for his fans—as well as anyone who enjoys contemplative (and occasionally cheeky) indie folk music—that hasn’t stopped the Irish singer-songwriter from performing for audiences around the world. This year, Damien has, in fact, played in nearly every corner of the globe, from Europe and Australia to Asia, back to Europe, and now the United States. In early December, his Sailboat Tour docked in Los Angeles for two nights at the Orpheum Theatre downtown.

Night two, in particular, included a healthy list of Damien Rice standards, with occasional accompaniment from his opening act, Sílvia Pérez Cruz, and Brazilian cellist/vocalist Francesca Barreto, not to mention Damien’s own complement of stories, jokes, quips, spontaneous interactions with the sold-out crowd and sips of red wine.

For the first portion of the show, Damien performed solo, joined only by a variety of guitars and a piano on stage. He opened while seated with “Cannonball”, off of his 2002 debut album O, and shared some laughs around Hollywood romance and teenage angsty before diving into “The Professor & La Fille Danse”, from his 2004 album of B-Sides.

After standing up to play more, he dove into “Delicate” before welcoming Francesca to the stage. The two joined forces for “I Don’t Want to Change You” from 2014’s My Favourite Faded Fantasy along with “Volcano” and “Older Chests”, followed by two tracks from 2006’s 9: “Coconut Skins” and “Accidental Babies”.

At that point, Damien revealed that he typically performs without a setlist and, in this case, was stumped on what to play next. But rather than succumb to shouted suggestions from the crowd, he welcomed Sílvia Pérez Cruz to add to the milieu. The Spanish singer lent her haunting vocals to Damien’s 2022 single “Astronaut” and took the lead on her own song, “Man of the Trees”, with Damien trading in his acoustic guitar for a seat at the piano.

Damien and Francesca proceeded to close out the main set with stirring renditions of “9 Crimes” and “I Remember” before returning to the stage as silhouettes to sing “Cold Water”. They went on to end the evening with “The Blower’s Daughter” and “Behind Those Eyes”, the latter of which saw Sílvia’s return to the stage.

As heartfelt and emotionally nuanced as Damien was in bringing his songs to life, he proved to be just as adept at connecting with attendees on a less melodic level. The 49-year-old’s bits of dry humor balanced perfectly with the often melancholic depths of his music—from responding to fans screaming, “We love you, Damien!” by telling them, “Don’t talk to me about love,” and comparing loving chocolate to loving people (including what happens to chocolate after it’s been consumed), to sharing his assumption that anyone who comes to his shows is “troubled and sad”.

Damien’s charm lent a distinct intimacy to the show inside the Orpheum Theatre, with a capacity of fewer than 2,000 people. That an announcer asked the audience before the show to keep phones off only added to the closeness and attentiveness that everyone in the building brought to bear.

Just one show remains on Damien’s 2023 touring calendar: this Friday at the famous Fox Theatre in Oakland.

But supporters of Damien’s, especially those in America, need not fear. According to the artist’s website, he intends to return stateside in 2024 for another round of dates showcasing two hallmarks of his Irish background: His lyrics and his wit.

Damien Rice – Orpheum Theatre – Los Angeles, CA – 11/5/23 [Full-Show Video Playlist]

[Videos: Rose Hayes]

Setlist: Damien Rice | Orpheum Theatre | Los Angeles, CA | 11/5/23

Set: Cannonball, The Professor & la fille danse, Delicate, I Don’t Want to Change You, Volcano, Older Chests (Kim Crying), Coconut Skins, Accidental Babies, Astronaut (with Sílvia Pérez Cruz), Man of the Trees (Sílvia Pérez Cruz cover) (with Sílvia Pérez Cruz), 9 Crimes, I Remember

Encore: Cold Water, The Blower’s Daughter, Behind Those Eyes (with Sílvia Pérez Cruz)