First report: Damien Rice in Vicar St

Last night's launch gig for Damien Rice's long-awaited O was, according to our (wo)man in Christchurch, "the best Irish gig I've ever seen".

Rice was in relaxed celebratory form, clearly exhilarated by O's completion, and the evening was characterised by a level of intimacy even uncommon for the cosy environs of Vicar Street. At one point, Rice and co. opted to discard mics in favour of speaking and singing directly to the audience, Rice collaborator Lisa Hannigan delivering her husky counterpoint from a reclined position on a couch.

Our girl also reported on the overall warmth and excellence of the evening's performances, including that of Rice's cellist ("it was mindblowing").

Check back soon for the live review in full - and for more first reports in future.