Damien Rice performed for an audience of around 200 people in New York at the weekend (September 15) – and was introduced by Bono.
The star played a surprise show at the Hudson Hotel, watched by a supermodel-heavy crowd.
Introducing Rice, U2 frontman Bono said: “What you’re about to hear and see is like being at a Bob Dylan gig in the early Sixties or a Cat Stevens gig in the early Seventies or James Taylor, or something extraordinary.
“Damien Rice is able to still and distil the storms into quiet reflection. He’s really a remarkable talent, I can’t quite believe that he’s here. I’m very humbled and very honoured and I would ask New York to give him the kind of welcome only New York, only Manhattan can, and then give him the silence he deserves because this is something very special.”
The fellow Irishmen were in New York to promote the ONE campaign to make poverty history,and the Edun clothing line owned by Bono, his wife Ali Hewson and designer Rogan Gregory.
Rice repeatedly demanded silence, and played just two songs for the crowd which included supermodels Helena Christensen and Christy Turlington, Ed Burns, James Iha and Heather Graham.
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