Damien Dempsey @ The Hot Press Chat Room - Electric Picnic 2007

Without a shadow of doubt, it was one of the emotional highpoints of Electric Picnic 07. The wait was intense in a packed and steamy Hot Press chatroom, with the Donaghmede giant arriving a full half an hour behind schedule. But did people mind? Not one bit.

With noise pumping left, right and centre outside, accompanied by his mandolin-toting sidekick John McLoughlin, Damien clambered aboard the small stage, tuned up the acoustic, drew us into a virtual circle around him, cracked a few earthy jokes and unleashed that mighty voice of his on 'Negative Vibes'. What followed was a wonderfully intimate, spell-binding 20 minute set of thoroughly inspiring music – raw, real, soulful and from the heart. Here it is...