Darren Hayes - The Side 2 Tour - 17th Feb 2008

Darren Hayes - The Side 2 Tour - 17th Feb 2008 - It was Genius!

Birmingham - Carling Academy.

Originally posted to Myspace 2/17/2009 3:57PM

So Birmingham was a year ago today and this is the review I never posted then: 

Apologies for the shorter length of this review, I'm sick and I just have the energy to write a massive long. I seem to get dopey when I'm sick too, so I don't remember as much as normal.

I’d read all the reviews from Brighton and it sounded like an awesome night! Balls mwahaha. Strange relationship was always one of my favourites I really hoped I got to hear it thrown into dirty. If not I already felt so lucky I got to hear Dublin sky and sexual healing. Songs that go wayyyy back, songs that I thought I never would see live. This tour has just been so completely awesome, Darren just keeps getting better, I don’t know how he can top it in Birmingham but I know he will and I can’t wait.

Ready to head off to birmingham:

I was waiting for Kelly at the station and I bumped into Hilary and asked who she was waiting for. I remember saying words to the effect of “fancy seeing you here” lol! It was only after she had said Anna that it sunk in. Anna’s Myspace status said she was plotting but then it dawned on me what! :)

Kelly and I met in Birmingham and set about making our way to the Birmingham Central Travelodge. I remember it being a gorgeous sunny day as we walked past the war memorial and I stopped to be a tourist and take a pic of the symphony hall:

Inside those walls was one of the best gigs I have ever seen Darren do. Fun times! We found the Travelodge pretty easily. I remember there being so faff about at the reception but I can’t remember what about. The door key?

I got our door key and went up to our room. I remember sitting down on the bed and just collapsing in a heap and Kelly was lying on the sofa and we turned the TV on for a bit. We were in no rush today. I was sick and just felt so lifeless. I put the kettle on to make my blackcurrant lemsip and left it to stand on the window sill. Damn me who do I see standing outside the pub (O Neils?) than Ade. If the window had of opened further I would have been leaning out it screaming hello lol. Turns out he was waiting for Maria and Olly to arrive, the sat nav had directed them to the car park alright... but the car park wasn’t sign posted so they thought they were lost but they actually weren’t!

I remember refusing to get ready as it wouldn’t take me long and Kelly reminded me I always take the longest. Sure enough as we both got ready I was the last to be ready (again!) and as always declaring I was coming about 20 minutes before I was actually ready to leave.

 

We went down to the reception to ask for directions to the carling academy and the receptionist said it was too far to walk. I had already looked up the distance online and it wasn’t far. The receptionist seemed really keen we taxi it (they are probably on commission) but I asked for a map and headed outside and worked it out for ourselves. We got into the surrounding area of the academy and started to look for TGIs. After a while we didn’t find it so I rung Ade (after asking the bin man lol) and there isn’t one. KFC it was. I just didn’t have the energy or want to eat but managed to polish off most of it as I knew I would be hungry later and we went to queue. I counted about 50 people in front of us including the lovely Heidi. It was good to see her and catch up a bit. I went off the say hello to Mr Pop!ular, a.k.a Ade but he was just heading off for a coffee with his folks so I had a quick hug and went back to see him a bit later on. Damn doesn’t he give the best hugs? I was sad when I got sick that I wouldn’t get hugs but apparently he didn’t care. We caught up with Natalie when she joined us a bit later on.

I don’t know what happened as when we got inside Ade, Charles, Kelly and I all ended up together anyhoo! I thoroughly enjoyed the pre-show tonight. Normally it is hell with sore feet just hanging around waiting but tonight we all laughed like it was the only thing we knew how to do. Ade would start telling a story and I’d start dying with laughter because I knew which story he was going to tell and then I would start telling a story and he would start dying laughing as he knew was I was going to say. It was uncanny and it made my stomach muscles hurt but it was so much fun. Kelly, Natalie and Charles seemed to look a bit confused as to what was so funny most of the time. Ade and I just hugged. We got it. We understood. It was just that connection we have. Indefinable. Precious.

Ade was funny. He was telling Charles the last 7 years was a mistake and he was running off with me. Charles was a bit drunk and was funny, some of what he was saying made little sense, much like me after a few ;). You know like when you go to the loo and you tell your friends you’re going but to everyone else you just say excuse me? Well Charles was telling EVERYONE he was going for a pee, even strangers because Ade said make sure they know you're coming back. It was funny when Charles said he was going to the bar and Ade said “don’t you won’t get back” so Charles decided to go anyway and then Ade shouts over his shoulder “get me a pint” LMAO!


Before Darren came on there was an announcement tomorrow’s gig would be in a bigger room (the password was DHTSTT for tickets). This was much to Ade’s amusement and screaming “that’s genius!" As it stood for ‘Darren Hayes The Side Two Tour’. Immediately I made a decision to go. If I could I would. I never thought about not going if it was possible to. The rest of the time of the pre-show was spent buzzing and wondering, plotting if tomorrow was possible. Can I get a train? Can I afford it? What do I wear? Tonight I had my sparkly purple top on that I wore to the RAH, tomorrow was going to be jeans and a T-shirt... who cares? Would it be worth it? Hell yeah.


I just love how the gig starts. Kate Bush’s song, shave holds that note and then Darren, on stage. Lights on him.


The outfit:

Black Suit, silver tie, red belt, don’t forgot the red socks. ;)



The set list:

1. Hero
2. Bombs Up In My Face
3. Sense of Humour
4. A Conversation with God
5. Random Blinking Light (Acoustic)
6. 100 Challenging Things (Acoustic)
7. Gunning Down Romance
8. Setting Sun (Just Shave and Darren)
9. Maybe
10. Mine (Acoustic)
11. Dirty (mash up)
12. Casey
13. Sing To Me
------------- Encore --------------
14. Unlovable
15. I Don't Care
16. So Beautiful (The Beautiful Mix)


. Hero

I’m running out of things to say about Hero. It is an incredible song to open the show with. Especially the opener of a gig that will be one of the last for a while.

‘I don’t want to be your Hero’

2. Bombs Up In My Face

What I adore about is its defiance. Especially live. The way certain words are emphasised. Or sung more than others.

3. Sense Of Humor

‘you will be addicted to my playful childlike smile, and I will be the shit’.  There is no such thing as WILL BE the shit. Darren Hayes IS the shit.

4. A Conversation with God

This has become one of my favourites live. I first noticed that fact in Manchester. It is beautifully haunting. Darren portrays through hand gestures and the emotion in his voice what the song is saying. This is a song that definitely shows of the power and emotion Darren can put into his voice. Sadness and Anger. But portrayed so beautifully.

5. Random Blinking Light (Acoustic)

‘You’re beautiful in an ugly kinda fucked up way’. The emphasis Darren places on the words fucked up gets a gasp every night. I’ve always felt beautiful in the unconventional way. I see it in a lot of the people I’m friends with too. Beautifully flawed. That is what I love.

6. 100 Challenging Things (Acoustic)

You all know the beauty story. And the Beautiful song. Dare I say anymore.

7. Gunning Down Romance

Darren: Steve give me a loop
Steve: no it’s not that song...

This song never was one of my favourite songs. It took on another life on side 2. It was rock. It was Steve. It was today but yet yesterday as well. It was old but new. It was LOTS of fun.

‘love don’t leave me....’

8. Setting Sun (Just Shave and Darren)

Darren introduced Justin as the guy who co-wrote and produced his last double CD. “We were in the studio one day and found this patch. It was meant to be part of a song but I said lets write a song...well when we weren’t making videos of puppet sex!”

I remember almost dying laughing.

Setting sun IS shave and it is so much fun. It’s such a get up and dance at the party kind of track.

9. Maybe


Darren: Steve give me a loop
Steve: nope *shook head*

This was always always one of my favourite songs from this delicate thing. Live it just took on another direction, one where I loved it more than I did originally or thought I ever could.

I love how the words are sung ‘oh oh oh oh understaaaaaaand’

10. Mine (Acoustic)

Darren: “Steve give me a loop.. Thank god! I think I need to wear glasses all the time, apparently that happens as you get older”. *Lots of people yelled yes in agreement*. His set list was at his feet but I think to be honest it was just that it was low lighting.

I love how the word naked is sung na_aa_ked.

11. Dirty

I almost died and went to heaven. Not only was there the usual all around me, dirty, I want you and me myself and I but also Madonna’s vogue and Prince’s kiss thrown in for good measure. Dirty was becoming funkier. And longer each night. What started off as Dirty was becoming a jamming session and I loved it! Darren sure seemed to be Enjoying it too. Really getting into it ;)

Ade..I’m going to kill him. “If you want to you can be dirty too, Don’t ya Hayley”. I ALMOST died again. Ade rubbing my head, pissing himself!

12. Casey

The room was jam packed with people and they were all jumping. Certain people decided it was a good idea to shout over the top of Casey just to be heard. I thought it was childish and uncalled for.

Darren introduced the song and joked "I spent enough money on the bird to buy a house, does anyone want to buy a rather large bird? What am I going to do with it?"

I’ve decided the song of the minute reminding me of the gigs is Casey. It was never one of my faves live until Bristol. I hadn’t actually noticed how much on an anthem it was. Well I kinda had on TTMT but not to this extent.

13. Sing To Me

This is THE anthem live. It's one of those songs everyone can sing along to. and they do. The whole place singing along....

'I’ll be alright if you could sing to me'

------------- Encore --------------

14. Unlovable

Darren was really sad it was coming to an end I think. He left the stage early after sing to me and took ages to come back and did look like he had been crying when he came out for the encore. Darren said 'thanks for making my dreams come true, this last year had been the best and the hardest'. Then he paused to breathe, practically in tears and said 'I promise you I will always come back'. I think a lot of people where particularly emotional tonight. That made my night, and then he launched into an electric guitar version of unlovable. It sounds more raw and emotional on electric guitar. Ade bless him looked over my shoulder, got me to look at him and made sure I was ok.

15. I Don't Care

All I know is that live, in that moment, When Darren is singing I don’t care, it was one of my favourite moments each night on side 2 and I just loved jumping up and down to it. It was the way it was so beautifully harmonised tonight and then launched straight into so beautiful. Darren was on fire tonight, a massive grin on his face, jumping up and down on the spot. I Don't know where he gets his energy from.


Ade was a complete gentleman. He asked if I could see and I said no so he let me stand in front of him so I could see. There so wasn’t enough room for both of us in that spot though, we were literally AGAINST each other dancing to I don’t care. t'was funny, all I could feel was Ade’s chest on my back, it was a little bit awesome. So there we both were in a space meant for one, both trying to dance, much to the expense of his toes... sorry Ade!



16. So Beautiful (The Beautiful Mix)

The audience was all jumping. So was Darren. Literally jumping on spot. At that moment I could really feel Darren’s energy. His passion for the song. Darren bowed and left the stage. Darren was just so Full of Energy and that 110% tonight. I loved it. I adore this version of so beautiful. it's version with a dance vibe, you can jump, you can dance, you can even hear part of Madonna's get together mixed in. One of my favourite ever songs.

'Can we get together?
I really, I really wanna be with you
Come on, check it out with me
I hope you, I hope you feel the same way too'


After the gig we made our way outside to wait for Darren. I took a pic of the venue. It was so great seeing Darren's name in lights. I'd never seen that before.

We headed down to where everyone was gathering in a rather orderly queue to see Darren. I remember thinking it was strange it was so organised. We hung around, we chatted, we chatted some more and then a woman asked us if we were in the queue for the car park. Suddenly it all made sense. You know the single file queuing was for the ticket machine! Doh! We headed back down to the loading area and Darren hopping into his van and off he went. I had a feeling he wouldn't hang around tonight. It was cold and it was one hell of a show he put on.

We decided to stop off at a local chip shop just down from the venue and get some chips. Kelly kept slipping in her shoes but was alright. She slipped again and this time her chips went flying... straight into Natalie's handbag. We all laughed really hard. It got to the point where I had her arm interlocked in mine so that if she slipped again, I had her. We both almost ended up on our arses a few times. I considered letting go LOL.

We took a rather interesting detour home. As we approached the palisades we thought the shortcut we had used getting to the venue was locked so we walked around and up the spiral open stair case (I'm afraid of open steps and more specifically spiral ones as I don't like heights)... only to get to the top and it lead us where we thought was locked. grrr.

We got into the Travelodge and the lift made for 8. That is 8 people if they are about 7 years old. It wouldn't move. Apparently there was too many of us in there. Some of us got out and shouted through the doors as they closed what number are you? 308. OMG we are 305. Our partners in crime. Literally opposite us.

When we all got upstairs we converged in 308. We had brought our cups with us but didn’t think when we waited for the world's tiniest kettle to boil that we could have brought our kettle too! We all sat on the floor and chatted and had tea, or coke, and soon it was 2:30am. My cough was getting worse. You know it still feels weird I’m part of a group of friends. I’ve never had that and I certainly don’t have it around me every day. But on tour, my with Darren friends we are on big happy family. I miss them all like mad when I’m at home. Especially Ade as Birmingham is his home town.

I can't wait to see if it all works out again tomorrow.

xx

Darren Hayes – Side 2 Tour – 11th Feb 2008

Darren Hayes - The Side 2 Tour - 11th Feb 2008 - Only the Harbour could know.
Bristol – Thelka.

Originally posted to Myspace 2/11/2009 5:01:00PM

Before The gig.

Monday started with getting up wayyyy too early after going to bed way too late. Sorry I never got my Manchester reviews up before I left. Shoot me! ;)! I got to the station on time (miracle!) and got on the train. Some woman had 3 kids with her and had the bee movie on a portable DVD player. I’m sure the brats loved it but the rest of the coach I don’t think was so keen! I read my magazine. Or at least tried to. I got off the train at Birmingham (thank god!) but not before telling the lovely old lady beside me about Darren. She’d lost her husband at Christmas and always went on holiday this time of year so was going to see her daughter. The woman sitting opposite me was on her way to London to see a theatre show. Turns out she loved theatre as much as I love gigs. It’s nice when you get talking to someone on the train, its kills time.

So anyway I got on my train at Birmingham and walked the whole way up to the board to discover the train to Bristol was the same platform as I’d just got off at! Platform 11. I got on the virgin train and I was so excited to get on train and had a phone charger socket, OMFG!! The first train of the tour with a charger! I was actually grinning as the virgin train pulled up. I plugged my phone in to txt lou and Kelly and couldn’t get a signal. I sat and watched skins, and then I listened to the songs Darren was going to sing tonight. Got all excited.


The train got to Bristol temple meads and straight away I spotted Kelly.
She asked:
Did you just get off that train? yes.
It was 10 mins early? Yes.
It stopped at Birmingham. Yes.
It was meant to arrive at 14:11. Yes.
It was the same train!
When I had txt her the night before to find out what time she was arriving and I did think it was a coincidence we both got to Bristol at the same time. Durr! What can I say? I am blonde after all. Turns out Kelly couldn’t be arsed finding her seat in coach C (60 something) so sat in coach D. which is how when I walked down 3/4 of coach C to get my seat I didn’t see her. But I would if she had been in her reserved seat. It really made me think about the movie sliding doors and how fate has this way of choosing if paths cross or not and then making it happen.

I spotted Louise and Hilary coming up to the station and as we walked towards the Thekla we all had a great chat. We spotted a dodgy chair and Kelly suggested we nick it for the queue. Hilary said they’d had the same conversation beforehand when they’d seen it on the way to get us. So we left the dodgy chair and headed to the Travelodge via the Thekla. No one was in the queue i.e. there wasn’t one single person. We saw the van pull up and we all thought Darren was in it but alas it was just equipment. I was so nervous. And my hair a mess as it hadn’t been straightened. Maybe just as well he wasn’t in the van lol!

Hilary came with Lou, Kelly and I to the Travelodge. Damn the building work! Damn banging! Kelly and I checked into room 219 and got ready. We left lou and hils to go off to queue with instructions to txt me if the queue got a bit big.

It was such a gorgeous day the sun was shining; I put my normal socks on instead of my fluffy ones. I debated not bringing a coat because it was sunny and hot but figured I would be cold later. When we got back to the venue later there was about 10 people and Lou was just saying how big is big so I can txt hails, then we arrived anyway! Well I can be a bit vague lol!

Kelly and I went off to find food. The mud dock had a private function going on. Maybe it was Darren’s crew. Maybe it wasn’t who knows (Someone said he’s been in Bristol hours when we seen him arrive at the venue about 5). The other restaurants nearby were expensive so we headed off in the direction to the town centre and by pure luck found a gorgeous pub just down the street from the venue. The Shakespeare. A gorgeous old pub my dad would have loved. We ordered food and out came my gorgeous homemade chips and burger. I LOVED it. Best meal of the tour so far. I did chuckle when I went looking for the loo as we were leaving and there was a sign that said “toilets are thataway,  please wash your hands”.


I have to say how gorgeous Bristol is. The water, the buildings. The people. We walked back to the venue and there were about 15 people. We started to queue about 4:45pm. A few people arrived and said we will be back later to queue and went into the cafe on the boat. So at 5:30pm after we’d been froze for 45mins the rest of our group arrived. Maria, Janice, Doug, Joyce, Val and Gilly. No one had joined the queue before them! What a waste of 45 minutes! Was nice we all got to be together though. God job I brought my coat, turns out I would need it a lot sooner than after the gig! The sun had gone in, it was getting dark. And it was soooo cold at the waterfront.

We could hear Darren sound checking dirty. His voice (well the high notes anyhoo) bounced off the walls of the harbour side. We had a debate about what it is actually called. I can’t remember what we decided now. Quayside? I thought how funny it would be, if we were to be people walking past later and hearing that song as the gig was in full swing.

It got colder and colder, feet more and more sore. Maria was so sweet and offered her car to warm me up until we discovered she didn’t have the keys. She offered me her gloves. Was very kind of her but it wasn’t really my hands that were cold!

Darren came out about 6:40pm and got into the van. I few people called out and he waved over his shoulder. We presumed he went back to the hotel to get changed. The van arrived back just as we were getting let in. He didn’t get out but the band did. I presume he waited till we were all inside. Steve had to push his way through and smacked Lou’s leg with his guitar case lol. Once we got let in we talked about the difference between the stamps on our hands. Kelly and I got T’s written on our hands in blue marker pen. The people before us got stamps saying Thekla. The people after us got scribbles that looked it were meant to say something in a language other than English, possibly martian.

The air con was on when we got inside and it was working a little too well. Centre of second row but I was soo cold. I think we were all ready to put our coats back on. The stage was higher tonight, a bit more like at a concert stage than a club gig. You get less eye contact, mind you nothing can beat the first Manchester gig when there wasn’t really a stage at all just a step. We all chatted about our middle names and random stuff and after way too long it was 9pm. That pre-show song right before he comes on. Kate Bush. Something about a child. And I guess goodbye. No idea what song it is. I would recognise the lyrics if I seen them. Maybe I should just turn iTunes on and play through all the clips till I find it.



The setlist:

1. Hero
2. Bombs Up In My Face
3. Sense Of Humor
4. A Conversation With God
5. Random Blinking Light (Acoustic)
6. 100 Challenging Things (Acoustic)
7. Gunning Down Romance
8. Setting Sun (Just Shave And Darren)
9. Maybe
10. Mine (Acoustic)
11. Dirty (Drum Machine Version)
12. Casey
13. Sing To Me

------------- Encore --------------

14. Dublin sky
15. Unlovable
16. I Don't Care
17. So Beautiful (The Beautiful Mix)






The outfit:

The first thing I spotted when Darren came out was the neon bird badge of the left lapel of his jacket. The suit was a pin stripe, that gorgeous silver tie (the one Maria’s hubby has from Topman lol) and the red belt. As soon as Darren started dancing to hero I noticed that one of the belt loops had been safety pinned. I think he might have had too much fun putting his thumb through the loop and shaking his thing in Manchester the other night ;) There was one point when Darren put his foot up on the fold back to reveal his red socks. I don’t know why but I never imagined his socks would be red. Maybe it matches the belt ;)





1. Hero

Those moves!, that’s all I’m saying ;)
Love the way he just launches into ‘outside….’




2. Bombs Up In My Face

Darren sung more of the words planes and trains, more like a harmony. Darren made his fingers into a gun and pointed at Steve. Steve just kinda looked at Darren and grinned, you know that awkward kinda what do I do now kinda grin?

I don’t trust the media

like to get a suntan - Darren rubbed his hand down his side like presenting himself to us.

it moves my boddage, it moves my boddage, Darren moves away from Steve a bit and started jumping up and down. LOVED it!

fuck forever endlessly..but you don’t but that ok *raises eyebrows* the rest is better anyway ;)

Darren wiggled to the word scuba and pretended to get a golf ball out of his pocket and golf it.

H didn’t pull a face to the words same sex union he just looked at bloke in front of me.

Darren pointed to shave and said youth, then pointed to shave and said beauty.

Love how it ends, those high notes. I DON’T WANT TO TALK ABOUT IT. Full stop.





3. Sense Of Humor

And I will be the shit. Yes you are! You will like my sense of Humoooooorrrrr :p

Darren asked to dim the light between songs




4. A Conversation with God

I still love this beat and the way the music literally sounds like its moving along. I like it more live. Darren pulled his arms to his sides like drawing someone close to you. Like him pulling the enemy close. The way he throws his hands up ‘my hands fly off the steering wheel. I do adore this one. Turn my light, their running up that road, be running that hill, be running up the building. I love how Darren can act this song out so well. Shaking his fist to the words I scream at god.

ummmm ummmm oooooh oooh oh..we’re driving…

no more linger-riiiii-ng

I hear it THIS voice of god

sarcasm in your HAAAAAAAAAAAND. such a beautifully held note.




After convo with god:

Darren joked he was trying to get someone to turn his fan on, “my fan turned my fan on”. I have to be careful because last week I asked or some fans and some of you got invited up here. That was a BAD joke. In our house that’s called dropping the funny egg and you have to pick it up and give it back. (He did motion of picking something up and held his hand out).

The Darren asked If we’d noticed the boat was leaning to one side - I hadn’t actually! People were screaming that he was about to knock the water bottle over, the stage was deep but not very wide and it was a bit cramped up there for putting bottles and cups down. He joked he didn’t have time for Question time as he was trying to sing to us as he hadn’t heard our pleas to not electrocute himself or the band. After the place was half flooded Darren said he needed a towel as he’d knocked over his water bottle *pauses and look at shave* it looks like shave peed himself.


Darren joked he had visions of playing on a cruise, he joked the room seemed quite normal and asked us ‘this is quite normal right?’. We all agreed. Then Darren joked can everybody just move to the left (to counter balance it, it was our left too not his, well done D I’m impressed!). I was concerned before (then he broke out in song)  ‘rock the boat baby, don’t rock the boat over’- complete with the hand spinning from MMI. It was so funny!

Yes I was aware of the strange notion of it being a boat but the room itself didn’t remind you it was a boat. The toilets did when you had part of a boat like an old light, or window or something above the cistern. That was a bit weird. As soon as I discovered Bristol was a boat I knew I had to go. I wanted new fandangledness of a boat. How many people can say they have seen Darren Hayes play on a boat? (It was rocking a right bit when we were all trying to leave though! Eek!).






5. Random Blinking Light (Acoustic)

you’ve got good intensions. I’m beautiful in a ugly kinda fucked up way but I’ve got good intentions

so full of love. Darren hold the note for ‘love’ for longer than on record

thoughts without the words- that line grabs me EVERY night.

Darren Held the note at end ‘you are’ just beautifully.






100 Challenging Things STORY

This was a MASSIVE story and a half tonight, but soo funny in places but also so sad.

Darren joked he doesn’t normally read reviews but there was a few funny ones. He said he had been doing press in Malaysia and the last time He went to Malaysia he was involved in a police escort thing it was in the 90â’s and he had big hair and sold a lot of records. He asked us what it was called and people shouted out cavalcade. He explained the car he was in run some police man over so they got out to help then he was talking about the press asking ‘do you realise that a lot of this record talks about that your GAY?’ (I love how he said gay in a provoking kinda tone), why did you make a record that was so GAY? (said gay in a provoking kinda tone again). Darren asked if he did and said he didn’t know he had but that there was this one line. I was stood for ages trying to work it out … listen all you people!

Darren said the interviewer kept saying he was so controversial, do you purposefully live your life so controversially? and then he said he couldn’t even get arrested then paused and said, well I can get arrested but the point is in general in when I’m not being falsely accused I’m kinda boring.

Then he proceeded to tell a story about when Richard and him first started going out and he was holding richard’s hand, my boyfriend’s hand, I still can’t say husband but we’re married (held his ring up to the audience to much screaming) and the paps all run past after kate moss and he thought there was somewhat of a story but thought fuck it I don’t really care.


Shave started the song and Darren asked if he had started it yet as he was just mentioning GAY! and everyone was making a big deal out of it but he wasn’t.. irony. I love it! (Darren started it! The whole room I was laughing!)

Darren paused, he’d lost his train of thought...he said and the reason I told that story was to bring up Richard, and the fact he was the son of a coal miner, thank god I’ve found my train of thought! (did phew kinda motion with hand wiping forehead). He said he was being criticised for how he knew anything of the mining strikes and he what he knew was that he had met and fell in love with someone affected by it.

He explained that Richard’s dad was afraid of the Dark but worked for a better life in the sun and that richard’s mother was Austrian but when they got to the sun his mum passed away and his dad got cancer, but how Richard didn’t play on the sadness of it and he was so full of energy and positivity and at a time when Darren was so low he wrote this song about not having the luxury of parents. Then Darren quipped he will have a shorter story at the next gig (laughing!)

6. 100 Challenging Things (Acoustic)

that’s why I loved you oh ohhh oh’ those oh notes, held so beautifully each night

she never saw her son on OUR wedding day


the pain in Darren’s voice was so obvious at this point:
The sacrifice.
Dreams overrun.
Hopes for a future for her son in Ollerton.
ollerton- 2 breathes but second one is more technical, has more twiddly bits than on cd. oller-toooooo-oooooo-oooon

Each night this song was so beautifully harmonised by Steve.

Darren held two notes at the end, both for AGES and both just that resonance in his voice and the pain in his voice that gave me shivers- held note at end = massive praise/cheers/applause





After 100 challenging things:

Darren just casually said ‘you where rocking with your cock out there Steve’. Darren joked Steve was rocking with his cock out and he liked his *pauses* Rock! I didn’t see this but apparently Steve’s flies was undone and he was looking like he was desperate to check and then he wasn’t even subtle with doing his zip back up he just pulled his guitar out the way and pulled his zip up, he could have done zip up behind his guitar!

7. Gunning down romance

how you feeling so far? Good?

Darren did rock thing with index and little fingers

The whole place just singing ‘love I beg you, love don’t leave me, lift me up in to that privileged point of view, the world of two’

‘its on the brink’

‘I console myself that hallmark cards are true, I really doooooo. Hey!’

‘Hey! I’m gunning down romance’

The aggression in his voice, I’m gunning down romance. It never did a thing for me. Except tragedy and misery. The whole place was singing along too. The way Steve has this way of emphasising the notes to Darren’s voice.

‘Love don’t leave meeeee-eeee’

‘Hey! I’m gonna take this broken wings, and learn to fly away, learn to fly, learn to fly away, ooohhh, heyyy, ohhhhh, hey..’

He almost smacked his head on the speakers, he put his hand to his head and kinda made a phew expression and rolled his eyes, we were just saying before the gig we LOVED the red tape for the edges.
Steve so beautifully held the note at the end






Before setting sun:

“someone tried to give me the dodgy stool and I’m not having it!” *takes steve’s stool* Riiiiiiiiiiiight!!!! sorry about that steve! - What was so funny was that he wasn’t sorry at all, it was hilarious!

Darren introduced Justin and joked he’d met him because his last keyboard player left in the middle of the tour “you could say because he pushed someone down some stairs”. Then he joked Justin shaved the day. Lol! Darren said Justin impressed him because he wasn’t trying to impress him and he was saying how Shave had the okkam and he was just doing his thing and Darren came in and was like “hey im Darren Hazzzzze. Darren Hazeeeee. The GAAAAAAAAY. I wasn’t gay back then”. (Much laughter! He’s got the cutest giggle and then in a gruff voice said : ‘I turned gay. I turned!’

Darren said he was kidding and was impersonating his dad then said actually his dad was lovely. He explained he thought shave had a bit of an attitude to start with but managed to play everything Darren threw at him really well.

Once again Darren lost his train of thought and asked where he was going..

Darren put on an hilarious voice: ‘can you play this with your keytar?’ why have I become silent bob?’ Darren explained he became fascinated with shave and they became friends and made the album. Darren explained that one day they had what was like a casio keyboard with all the sounds in (the keytar) and Darren tried to mimic it, it was really funny. He joked he couldn’t beat box. He’s right lol. He said how they had found the keys for the sound for setting sun and that shave was going to play it with just one of his ten golden fingers.



8. Setting Sun (Just Shave And Darren)


I love the clapping we all do, to that beat it has. It’s a song I NEVER loved on the cd but now I do. Live these songs transform before your eyes (and ears) and you can never listen to it the same again. I love its vibe. I love watching shave get really into it. The passion in Darren’s voice and the need for the audience to jump up and down, such a dance song!

Everyone singing. I really need to to find a way back home - Ho----ooooo-meeee

Shave was moving to the song and brushing the water bottle with his backside, he was actually leaning against it when the cries of people were heard and he stood up the bottle with a look of relief on his face (and puzzlement on Darren’s lol) and moved across and bit

Darren puts his hand out like someone washing their car bonnet and waves hand across and back to the beat

He did that same moment with moving his neck to one side and back to the ‘urgent-cee-ceee-eeee’
There’s an urgent-ceeeeeeeeeeeee held note.

I’m coming down.
Down down down
Woah!
so low
I love how low a note to the ‘so low’ bit is too though
I love how it just ends. Just like that. Over.

Darren went over to hug shave and them embracing each other so tightly, pressing against each other with the keytar in the middle played a funny little tune, if you could call it that. It was really funny..but it was never as funny at gigs on a later date when they deliberately tried to do it!




9. Maybe

this is a song called maybe…

love this one, love love love it!

that gorgeous resonance in this voice at the end holding the note.

10. Mine (Acoustic)

Darren explained that Steve was going to give us a drum loop and that this was one of his favourite old songs and that it originally on the first savage garden album but the Americans took it off (boos) but that he still thinking of mine as a big part of that record.

‘in the cover of darkness I can make believe’

Darren sings ‘you could be mine’ Steve sings backing on this song ‘just a twist in time’

I love how the music soars ‘I’ll bear all the crucifixes you can provide’

Note at end = wow!!! Before he goes into Leona lewis. “keep bleeding, I keep keep bleeding in love I keep keep bleeding in love”. I love how it still has the drum loop of mine going on. It sounds awesome. Darren added more of bleeding love than Manchester.






11. Dirty (Drum Machine Version)

someone shouted “Go Darren” and Darren asked ‘Was that a thekle heckle? I’ve been dying to say that all night’.

What followed was one sexy medley! Even Darren declared it was kinda funky and asked if we were having fun. erm? You had to ask? ;) This one is STUNNING - like a good chardonnay ;)


come on shave, give me a beat!
if you know how to party say yeah! YEAH!
If you know how to party say oh yeah! OH YEAH!

God I'm running out of words but you know what I mean... The way Darren Held the word ‘mean’. Incredible!

‘I can be dirty too, and do the dirty things you do’.

(He did sing the word ‘down’ the first time but put his hand over his open mouth feigning shock and horror instead of singing the word ‘down’ the second time)

I’m going down to alphabet street
I’m gonna crown the first girl that I meet
Im gonna talk so sexy
She’ll want me from my head 2 my feet
Yeah, yeah, yeah
ummmm-ummmm!

Then could someone make the clock of time stop? - *yes please!*

All you got is this moment
The 21st Century's yesterday

Baby I'm hot just like an oven
I need some lovin'
And baby, I can't hold it much longer
It's getting stronger and stronger
And when I get that feeling
I want Sexual Healing

Then Darren Joked ‘we’re available for weddings, Bar Mitzvahs..’- I remember thinking that song might not go down so well in some places!

I txt Kelly a few days after this gig and said 'was a dreaming or did he sing sexual healing' nope he really did. I remember being in complete shock! That was the first time I’ve ever really questioned my memory! And I like how I didn’t even remember about it until 2 days after the event!






12. Casey

‘I was never gonna fit in’

Darren said they were recording it, and then made the mistake of saying ‘if you want to be in it, just sing along and you will be, this is Casey in Bristol’ and now he’d given himself stage fright but you could download it from www. Somethin somethin something and he didn’t understand the technology! There was times when I could hardly hear Darren but that sense of unity was an incredible feeling. I remember singing SO loud tonight. I could just feel it. Afterwards Darren said it was the best yet and had a massive grin on his face. He truly felt loved, happy, comforted by the song. As did I. I Adored casey tonight.





13. Sing To Me

Darren said he’d done the big tour and he wanted to do a little thank you and he didn’t expect the club gigs to sell so well and someone shouted I love you and Darren said I love you more!.

Darren fucked up the song and started again and said ˜this is a tiny little club gig, blah blah blah and the Malaysian lady said GAY!  the he just started to sing. “they tried to make me go to rehab, trying to sing without my song” what was the funniest thing was when he restarted the song he still got the words wrong. He was kinda looking a bit vague to start with, the first time its curtain not landslide ;)

Darren looked my way during sing to me, it don’t think it was me though, I think his eyes went over me and it was someone behind me.

What I adore most about this song is the entire room screaming “maybe it’s just meant to be, maybe you’d find a way to haunt me, come back and sing a melody to me”.






------------- Encore --------------

Darren hid his cup before he left the stage, he gave it to guy standing just off stage behind Steve.





14. Dublin sky

A woman behind us kept screaming sing so beautiful and Darren joked “What you asking for? Invisible? Hunni that wasn’t me”

Darren shouted shave! Wait! Poor shave didn’t know what was going on and neither did we then Darren whispered in Steve’s ear and the notes started. All the while I was thinking OMG OMG but not quite placing the song. Darren decided last minute to do it. They hadn’t rehearsed it but it was incredible.


My god this was awesome at Bristol. I thought I wouldn’t hold it together but to my amazement I was ok. I expected to get emotional about it but I didn’t. That was a relief! I haven’t heard this one since dark light way back when, were it all began, my first gig, and now 3 1/2 yrs later I got the shock of my life when I heard the opening lines.

“I've been down a lonely street tonight
And I don't know what's wrong with me
I don't know what's wrong with me”

I was thinking omg I know this one, OMFG its Dublin sky. It took a while to sink in. never thought I’d hear this one again live. At least not in Bristol last night. It was a dream come true. I knew there was a reason why we went all the way down to Bristol ;)

Steve got a bit lost and Darren joked 'it’s a middle 8 steve'!

It still sounds as awesome now as it did back then. Only now it is broken down, acoustic and awesome! I didn’t think it could get much better before this song!

I’m sure Darren pointed in lou’s direction when he sung the line “holding hands you promised me”

…counted to 3, and counted on his hand.






15. unlovable

Darren just said “the other one Steve, I wouldn’t be that cruel”

Darren said thanks for coming to the love boat…

he explained that unlovable was a break up letter he wrote in his email that he didn’t send and it wasn’t panto and we weren’t meant to say no, “it was really sweet but I wasn’t asking you, I was asking me”

I was just in heaven when unlovable was played. I doubted if it would be if Dublin sky was.





16. I Don't Care

I love this one! It’s probably my favourite each night, rivalled with setting sun. Considering sing to me and maybe are my favourites on the album, live they all work differently.

The woman behind us was still screaming for So beautiful and Darren just Tapped his wrist like a watch then he turned and whispers for fuck sake. What I was thinking exactly Darren!






17. So Beautiful (The Beautiful Mix)

I ADORE this dance-y remix live. Just the whole crowd jumping, Darren frowned at only wanna see your frown bit. It was so cute. I loved how he just pointed to the floor when he sung ‘dirt designing stars’. He looked around the stage and then just shrugged and walked off. It was funny!





After the gig.

We waited to say a quick hello to Darren, watched as they loaded his stuff onto the street, including his laptop before someone rescued it! It was lovely to finally meet Michelle briefly :) Then we all went in search of some food, we found a Weatherspoon’s that wasn’t serving food and eventually a takeaway. All was going ok, I was trying to be good. looking after the door card to the room so put it in my wallet for once but forgot to bring the bit with the room number on. Luckily we managed to guess which one was ours by the layout of the floor.





12 Feb. 2008. The Day after Bristol.

So I’m sitting on the delayed, last minute platform altered train. Never had a platform alternation before. When I said I hated Birmingham station, as it was so big and scary, I wasn’t joking. When I say platform altered I mean it was meant to be 9B but they changed it to 10A only for us to get there and 10A be a different train. We asked the bloke and he said it was 10B. There was an announcement the train now approaching 10B is for Nottingham. Well that was cutting it fine.


I’ve had a ball the last 2 days. I feel sad I’m not seeing Darren again till Sunday. I’m listening to I don’t care again. Man I love this song! Reminds me so much of the gig. Takes me back to right then when he was singing it.

Kelly and I spent today with the lovely Lou in her home town. It was the most fun. I took lots of piccies, looked like a right tourist but I had the most fun! I adored seeing all the sights, the cathedral, the wetherspoons. Thank you Louise for an awesome time around Bristol. It was so great to finally spend time with you and so great to see your beautiful beautiful city. Kelly and I got on the same train back to Birmingham. Probably the best txt conversation ever: As I got up too soon to get off the train.. “well you shouldn’t have been a sheep then”. Nah it was funnier at the time when sleep deprived.

Then Kelly rung me, she’s got stuck at Derby because of a loose wire on her train’s line. I’d left her when I got off at Birmingham only for that train to stop at Derby which the train I was now on was going through and I could see her on the other side of the platform. She had seen my train approaching when it said train now approaching pt 3 is for Nottingham and guessed I was on it. She’d said all weekend it was easier to fly easyjet to Bristol than get the train. I txt her and said: “just listening to GDR, ˜learn to fly. ok its not funny sorry! X” I got a reply that said no not funny. When I got in a rung Kelly and read her Darren’s blog and she proceeded to scream about the bus being stupid. I’ve never heard her so mad. She had every right to be. I’m soo over having to talk to people on msn again, was so nice to just sit and watch crap tv with Kelly and chat face to face. I miss that after the tours!

Onward to Birmingham on Sunday! Bristol was one of the best gigs and worth the horrific cold I now have!

These are a few of my best pics from our day off around Bristol:




























and here is a pic of a very happy me in the lift up to my flat when I got home:

Darren Hayes – Side 2 Tour – 7th Feb 2008

Darren Hayes - The Side 2 Tour - 7th Feb 2008 - you come and save me once again.
Manchester - Studio (Formerly The Late Room) Club.

Originally posted to myspace 2/16/2008 9:17PM

We woke up at 11:50 and I quickly got dressed and run to the lift to renew the door card for the second night. There was no way I was going down in my PJ's no matter how late I was. Ok it’s been done in Liverpool at 11pm but not at Midday! I’ve never moved so fast in my life. Well at least I did until I got to the lifts. One was stuck on the top floor and so the other one wouldn't come up as it thought there was a lift available to me. So I run down all 200 flights of stairs. Ok I exaggerate but there were 2 flights to each floor. And we were on the seventh floor. We decided to quickly get dressed go and find some breakfast at the wetherspoons around the corner and then come back to the hotel to get showered and changed. We sat and watched something on TV I have no idea what, I wasn't really watching it as I was writing my review. We all got showered (the shower was so powerful should that read sandblasted?) and changed and of course I was the last one ready again. I spent ages running around trying to get ready whilst trying to make notes for my review as well.

We joined the queue about 4pm. It wasn't as cold as yesterday thank god! We stood around and I wrote my little notes about my review and then we decided to use the rest of the notebook to play hangman. After we had disputed the rules for a bit we played it for a while. That wasted a few minutes! We could see a commotion at the front about 5:15pm and one by one we left the queue to go see through the window what was happening. You could see across the bar that Darren was sound checking. Was kinda lucky we went to get our dose of starbucks about 5pm. Hmm hot chocolate and a yummy cookie. What more could you ask for? If we'd have went any later we'd have missed what was about to unfold. As I went to put my cup in the bin I took another sneaky peek at what was going on. and take a piccie. I have a new game with my photos it’s called spot the dot that's Darren.

To all our surprise he came outside after the sound check about 5:30! Nat asked what was going on and I pointed at Darren right in front of us! Bless! I'm sure he seen me point at him. Tracey came out and asked where Darren was going if he was going back to hotel and his driver said no. I asked Nat to take a pic but Darren had moved on before I got a chance to ask him. Should have asked him first sure I’d have found someone to take it. He signed a few autographs, posed for a few pics, and came walking towards me (ok I was in middle of pavement) and asked if I was alright. I almost dropped dead. I just managed yeah as he walked past. Idiot Hayley! Idiot! That reply should have been 'hi, yeah thanks are you' or the equivalent not  just 'yeah'. But then everyone had asked me that question and they all got the same reply. I was exhausted and cold. I'm hoping Darren just asked I was ok because he is sweet like that and not because I probably looked as nervous as hell, tired, cold and fit to drop! Darren came a bit more down the queue, gave Cat a hug and said he's let us get in (I wish!). He was wearing his big puffy jacket inside and when he came out it was COLD! Not as cold as the first night though.

Then it was soon time for our trip to the toilets to warm up a bit. Then we came back and waited for the doors to open.

Pre show.

We got let in at 7:30pm, it was a bit easier as we didn't expect to get let in at 7pm tonight. I got a spot at the left of the stage just beside the speakers. It was kinda the front row as no one was in front of me but the speaker at me feet kinda made me as far back as the second row if you get me. That pre-show song with that vibe still bugs me. I asked everyone around me. No one knew who it was. It seemed like FOREVER until the gig. Poor Mike looked fit to drop, I think it was the heat and tiredness getting to him and he sat down on the speaker and I sat down beside him. Mike ever adorable as he is, when he felt better let Kelly sit down for a bit. He reached between Kelly and I to get his drink and I don't know what way I moved but I pulled every muscle in my neck. Thanks Izzy for giving it a rub for me and thanks Mike for the massage. It was lovely, it really helped. Thank you! Mike and Maaike have hearts of gold. It was the first time I got to spend more than 3 seconds with them and it was great. There was a funny mirrored part of the sloping ceiling above the stage and we were using it to spot friends. I looked around and spotted Richard up on the balcony and gave a little wave. Queuing for a total of 7 hours was starting to take its toll. I was tired, my feet KILLED but soon Darren would be on again. The pre-show song started and we all got into position, put bags down (do you know how handy the side 2 tour bag is? I managed to fit 3 coats into it! lol) and got ready for Darren. On came the band and Darren.


The outfit.

black tie, black shirt and black waistcoat. White belt. Same trousers with the tiny shiny logo on his right pocket. Same shiny shoes (that I could hear less clipping on floor as I was further back from stage).



The setlist:

1. Hero
2. Bombs Up In My Face
3. Sense Of Humor
4. A Conversation With God
5. Random Blinking Light (Acoustic)
6. 100 Challenging Things (Acoustic)
7. Gunning Down Romance
8. Setting Sun (Just Shave And Darren)
9. Maybe
10. Mine (Acoustic)
11. Dirty (Drum Machine Version)
12. Casey
13. Sing To Me
------------- Encore --------------
14. I Don't Care
15. So Beautiful (The Beautiful Mix)


1. Hero

That vibe, that note that that the band start off with, before Darren starts singing and then 'outside' (sung for longer than cd) 'confidence is king.' It was like statements. Like a full stop was there. Just Breath taking. What a way to start a show.

Then that vibe rises, the guitar starts, ‘ladies and gentlemen listen up please’ then it just explodes, Steve goes for it, everyone clapping, ‘I was flying so high’.

Now HOW have a not remembered until now the dancing? Darren with his hand on his belt, thumb through the belt loop, moving hips to the beat it has. 'listen up please I don't want to be your hero'. I don't fancy him but there are certain moments when you think rawr ;)

'I’ll only let you down again'. The 'again' note is held for a while, just stunning!.


2. Bombs Up In My Face

Darren was pointed at Steve then shave in the lines were he compares things.
Youth (Steve) with beauty (shave)
Truth (Steve) with duty (shave)
Tonight Darren didn't point the gun into the audience, but up into the air. When I say gun I should probably point out I mean his fingers pointing like a gun lol. Darren did the same wriggle to the scuba line only tonight he swung his arm like a golf club and not the mic. The same face was pulled to same sex union and then Darren was fanning himself with his hand.

'It moves my boddage, it moves my boddage'. Every night it seems to get a bit more energetic and tonight Darren jumping, then the place jumping. It was fun!

Loved the high notes at the end 'they've got those bombs up in the planes they've got those bombs in the trai-iii-nnns, don't what to take about it!



3. Sense Of Humor

'Thanks for coming out tonight, thanks for bringing us here, this is the side 2 tour and this one is an album track called sense of humour'.

Again the audience harmonised that same verse. Again Darren sung 'be the shit'
I love the line 'Waves crashing higher and higher on me', the 'me' note is held and the song just seems to grow in its intensity and passion.

The end of the song is 'you will like my sense of humor'. Full stop. No trailing end notes after the singing. Just that sentence from Darren. Makes more of an impact.


4. A Conversation with God

this song always seems more breathy than on the record. More of an impact. More emphasise on the series of sentences it is. Thoughts run off the beaten track. No light house. or way back.  More of a statement, note the full stops.

Another little action I noticed tonight was Darren Throwing his hands up to the line 'hands fly of the steering wheel' as if he was showing all of us, even the people at the back, he didn't have his hands on the wheel, things weren't under control. There was also the action to 'turn my light off'. Darren turned to side and pulled an imaginary light switch pull chord from the base of his neck.

'no more linger-iiii-nnng' - the lingering note held. I love this bit. It doesn't sound the same as on the record but it's impossible to explain. It's more than notes than on the record.

There are a few lines in which the order is changed:
I'm diving
I'm not in myself
I'm falling
I'm underneath

The way the line 'I'm not in myself', the way he sings 'myself' I love it. It’s held a bit longer. 'The voice of God is laced with sarcasm in your hands'. Darren holds the hands note WOW!

Then at the end there is the bit of kate bush's running up the hill added:

I'd Reach behind,
And if I only could,
I’d make a deal with god,
And I’d get him to swap our places,
Be running up that road,
Be running up that hill,
Be running up that building,
And if I only could,
I’d make a deal with god,
And I’d get him to swap our places,
Be running up that road,
Be running up that hill,
Be running up that building.


Darren then said 'Thank you so much. I don't know why this city has always been so good to me but thank you so much. I love the north. We were here in September and this was meant to be a tiny club tour. We were downstairs last night and it was only meant to be the one night but it sold out you asked us back for another night and we moved up to this bigger room'



5. Random Blinking Light (Acoustic)

some nights Darren will look at someone and sing 'Random blinking light I can see it' but tonight he just sung the line Random blinking light I can feel it', he closed his eyes and looked up to the ceiling as if he was just absorbing what he felt.

'So full of love' I adore the way that the 'love' note is held, it soars and flows like the other notes he holds lo-vvvve

'I radiate the vibe' you sure do Darren!!!!

'You’ve  got this tiny light that no one else can see but I see it in you because you a-rrrrre, you are' I adored that line. Because I see it in you. definitely Darren.
The 'you a-rrrrre' is sung as a few notes all following together.


Darren the joked 'Look at me bringing out my cup that's available from my merchandise stall, do you like my cup? I wonder how much they are?' (Someone shouts £10) 'wow only 10 pounds, You know some dirty little bitch stole my cup from the stage last night, I hope that she's not here tonight as I'm about to shame her out, someone wrote to me on myspace, I'm sad I actually read my myspace, and said 'I've got a confession to make I stole your cup from the stage, there was still some dregs left in it, what she didn't know that I had the runs last night, I'm not making this up, so I think she's got the runs'

Someone was screaming at Darren and he just said 'hunni you don't have to call out I can see you I can see you from here, actually I can smell you from here'

'I'm going to sing a serious song so I need to change the topic off poo'


6. 100 challenging things

each night the story behind 100 challenging things seems to get longer and more of an insight Darren explained: 'I got married to a boy as you probably know as you can do in this country' (the audience cheered) he explained 'I knew that I was growing up, I knew that I was falling in love proper because I met somebody for who's sorrow and pain in their life made me feel quite humble'

I was someone who was always banging on about my life, most of the songs I've written have been about my old man, he was a hard man, a drink man, he inspired me to be a performer but I think we all run from something at some point' What Darren said really made me think for a minute about me, and where I am, who am i….

He then said: 'I met somebody who didn't have the luxury of having parents alive to blame for what was wrong for them, he told me a story about his parents and I wrote a song about it. The first verse is for the father and the second verse is for the mother. They were from the midlands and he the father worked in the coal mines but he hated the dark and they always wanted to move to the sun, they worked all their lives to do that and when they finally retired, she died very suddenly and he got cancer and they finally got to the sun but they didn't have each other'

'He (Richard) should have been really sad he didn't have these incredible people in their life but the person I fell in love with had a sparkle in his eyes'. I remember standing there and thinking that Richard has the most incredible smiling eyes. A real inspiration, I don't think I've ever seen him not happy, not smiling.

Darren took a massive breath after explaining I think he was just glad he got all that out ok. He'd just started the song and all you heard was a crash from the bar. That's why I loved you, oh ohhh oh' the way the 'oh ohhh oh' part is sung. I think I might have mentioned this word before, stunning! ;)
I love Steve's added vocals on that whispering bit, '100 challenging 100 challenging 100 challenging things a boy can do'. Then the very end note 'do' was held for soooo long. Breathe taking.

Darren seemed to be taking quite a few cough sweets tonight, I think everyone was hoping he wasn't getting sick. Thankfully he was fine at Bristol.


7. Gunning down Romance

Darren asked: 'how you feeling?' *cue much screaming!*. I stood observing shave and noticed how he crosses his hands over the keys. It's normally something done by someone who taught themselves to play as I teacher wont teach you to cross your hands as you’re not meant to. For a split second I wondered if the genius that is shave taught himself to play piano. How my mind wanders! And Go steve and your solo!, he was really rocking out. On this tour especially you get to see the full potential of the band.

Darren took his tie off and wrapped it around hand and was boxing to steve- steve didn't seem bothered and was standing side on to Darren. That's one way to cure what to do with the tie.

'console myself that hallmark cards are true, I. REALLY. DO’. Such an impact. I love the way that line is sung.

'I'm gunning down romance, it never did a thing for me' and the whole place singing along, screaming along.

With all going on with me at the minute 'take these broken wings and learn to fly’ seemed to hit me like a punch in the stomach.


8. Setting Sun

Darren said: 'Mr Justin Shave!, he helped write and produce my last double record which was a huge feat. We were in the studio, messing about with a song and I'm going to explain like I know what I'm talking about, I blog!. He had the keys that a patch that had everything in it, it was meant to be part of a song but I said lets write a song and we wrote this song, it is possible to play this entire song with just one finger'

*shave tried the keys and they didn't sound like setting sun and he run back to computer to change the setting on the keytar so it has the patches for setting sun (Setting on keytar is R11)*

meanwhile Darren is joking: 'imagine a strapping young man here' (Darren looked back and waved at the place where shave was standing) 'like this one!' (shave was back)

the word urgency, Darren moves his head so its lean on one shoulder then the other like his head is going left the right 'cee-cee-cee' the next time Darren sung urgency it was just a really high note.

Darren messed up the bit about 'singing songs about my mammy' and said he just fucked that one up and shave restarted the second verse. The key lower again tonight. Darren rested an elbow on shave left shoulder, with a fist against shave's ear and Darren standing behind shave. Kinda hard to explain.

I love the way Darren whispers ‘down, down, down’ then screams 'so low!'



9. Maybe

'Maybe your gone you had to get out of here' my god this song was always a favourite always made me emotional and although I've never cried at a gig I came close to it. When Darren sung the line 'heart beating in fragile hands' he cupped hand and squeezed his fingers like a beating heart. Darren looked over at Tracey at side of stage and emotion was written all over his face. Was a sweet moment. Then he sung the line 'party was over but you realised' and looked at me. Like I wasn't emotional before! The last line of the song: 'Maybe you are finally coming home' the home note is held. My god awesome!!! After the song Darren mouthed sorry to Steve. I don't know why.




9. Mine (Acoustic)

Darren said: 'Steve give us a drum loop, this was one of my favourite ever savage garden songs called mine'. (last night was GDR lol!) Darren sat down on his own stool for a bit of the song, but it was going down really low so he had one foot firmly on floor to keep a reasonable height. 'I'll all bear of all the crosses and crucifixes that you can provide' Darren holds provide note like on the CD. Do I need to say stunning? Then to all our surprised and amusement Darren sung a bit of Leona Lewis' bleeding love at end ' keep bleeding, I keep keep bleeding in love I keep keep bleeding in love' Darren said Thank you! (and then just for a reaction) 'cheeky little buggers. cheeky little fuckers!'


11. Dirty


clap x 3, clap twice x 1, etc etc.. (Darren changed the clapping half way through to clap once x1 and clap twice x1. it was confusing!)


tell me who in this house know about the quake ?
band : we do (woo hoo band got it right tonight)

I mean really, really,

if you know how to party say yeah
*yeah*
if you know how to party say oh yeah
*oh yeah*

verse of all around me :

Like cold chardonnay chilled for a day,
You're smooth and crisp and on display.
Like Cartier, Armani, like TAG, Gucci, Versace.
In the middle of the night you're a kiss so long.
You're the only good thing when all is wrong.
You're a magic time reversal clock.
You're the fries on the side with a cherry on top.
You're sleek, velvet, gold lame, patent leather, enchante.
You're a legend, you're a glamor queen.
God I'm running out of words but you know what I mean...

(Hold the 'mean' note at the end, this one is STUNNING)

verse of dirty:

lookin' like first class acting like a cheap date..

if you want to i can be dirty too i can spin you around pick you up and go
down if you want to I'M just like you, I'LL do the dirty things you do.

*First verse of I want you and chorus*

you're dirty I like that!

*second verse of dirty*
walk into a room imperceptible boom. get this monkey off my back any dark space would do to show you baby

if you want to i can be dirty too i can spin you around pick you up and go
down if you want to I'M just like you, I'LL do the dirty things you do.

*third verse of dirty*
why don't you tell me your sign?

if you want to i can be dirty too i can spin you around pick you up and go (doesn't sing down just pointed down, you know that look though he doesn't need to say it ;) ) if you want to I'M just like you, I'LL do the dirty things you do.

If you want to, yeah yeah right now, yeah like that.;)

verse of MMI:
Did you ever get the feeling that universe is leaning.. Must have been a future shock.

Verse of INXS need you tonight:
All you got is this moment
The 21st Century's yesterday
You can care all you want
Everybody does yeah that's okay
So slide over here
And give me a moment
You moves are so raw
I've got to let you know
I've got to let you know
You're one of my kind

When Darren sung part of need you tonight, I recognised that rift almost straight away! Gotta love Mickie! He didn't laugh just straight away said sorry at the end of the song.


12. Casey

Tonight Darren never spoke about recording just said I want to thank you Manchester and started song. He looked at me and sung the line 'when we were amazing' and I just smiled and he grinned back. He always seems to melt my heart then the next song is sing to me and it chokes me! Everyone was clapping, singing, could hardly hear Darren It was so fun. Definitely one for the masses. Definitely the best I've heard it yet, sometimes audience participation is a good thing ;) 'casey! When you goooooooo!' the whole audience screaming, singing, you really feel less alone, sooo connected to Darren, the song, each other. I love the 'Its 1989’ bit, the vibe of the song starts building, Love the acoustic 'yellow car' bit. That bit just flows so easily.
'oh we were amazing, I know things have changed' then it just explodes and everyone claps. 'we don't have to go far'

he added a few lines in the middle, I have no idea what it is from, no doubt someone will know it’s been bugging me!:
'It was the summer of love, it was the sunny of innocence, the summer of love, the summer of innocence, casey when you go.. '


13. Sing to Me

Darren screamed 'we're gonna leave!' then launched into sing to me.

Certain lines stand out and work so well live:
'be alright if you sing to me'
'trying to sing without your song'. .the audience singing along.

The chorus of Darren is AWESOME, the way it just explodes 'ooooh'
The whole place just singing this bit:
If this is what you want then (the way the then note is held is awesome)
Maybe it's just meant to be,
That you would sing to me.
Maybe I'm just lost at sea.
Could you come sing to me? (quite a lot of the time Darren was singing 'sing a melody for me' when it should have been 'to me') but I damn well love this song live. Not much else to say.




------------- Encore --------------

Darren thanked us, asked us to thank his band and left the stage . He left and came back, not a lot else tonight.

Darren came back out and I think he recognised more than a few familiar faces and asked 'Do you all just come on the tour bus and come to every show?' ..well the train and almost every show! ;)

The Darren another rude joke. Your shocked aren't you? lol

Darren said: 'to sit on that stool was very emasculinating, I want it up! How do I get it up? (Steve pulled at the handle then gave up) Can I try yours Steve? (Steve gave Darren his stool)

'it's flaccid! That’s Steve young guitar at steveyoungguitar.com!'.

Darren sat down on his newly acquired stool that was ok and Steve was being all smug thinking Darren was an idiot who couldn't get the stool to work and he'd fixed it. He proudly sat down only to discover the stool went straight down and he almost fell off it! Darren wondered what we were all laughing at until he looked round. You know when you sit on it and hold the leaver to let it down? Well Steve thought it was locked and it slid straight down and he almost fell off. It was so funny!


14. unlovable

Someone screamed 'I love you Darren!' *there is always one every night!* He just laughed and smiled and launched into song. Sitting on Steve's stool. lol
Didn't see this song coming but I loved it. I sound angry bitter sad infatuated its true (not truth). Darren pulled his fingers apart like he used to do with Dublin sky on the dark/light tour and void on TTMT and I just remember thinking how touching it was. You could really feel the emotion being portrayed was abandonment.

“AM I so unlovable is my skin untouchable? And do I remind you of a part of you that you don't like, tell me, tell me, do I remind you ohh, because you reminded me, ohhh, I felt unlovable, always anyhow anyplace and when I'm around you, I felt unlovable.”.

 At the end he added the bit: 'here's what I'm gonna do, I'll grow back just like a star fish'. Everyone was cheering. I felt so proud of him. But all those annoying people screaming no to the Questions kinda got to me a bit, there is no place for panto screaming over Darren's gorgeous voice to a so very heartfelt song.


15. I Don't Care

I thought I'd go deaf beside the speakers! Darren came down the steps and looked straight at me. It was the line 'you pick the subject and I'll listen to you' Mike just looked at me. That was the confirmation I needed I wasn't imagining it. That bass line from Steve, I could feel it go right through me as I was leaning against the speakers. I love how Darren Clicks his fingers to the starting beat, he really gets into the song like we all do.


16. So Beautiful (The Beautiful Mix)

Still love this one live! Not a lot else I can say about it tonight.


Leaving stage.

Darren had took waistcoat off before and he made a big deal of putting it back on before left stage. He was playing up the audience a bit and we loved it. He took his tie and jumped off stage and hit his head on the ceiling. What an awful smack, Tracey tried to catch him but it was like slow motion, all I could see was the stark contrast of the black outfit and dark corner and the white of his belt just flashing past my eyes towards the ground. It seemed like his knees did a lot to absorb the shock. I think everyone was worried about him but when we seen Tracey at the door handing out flyers for the Casey phone downloads (thanks Tracey!) I think we all knew she wouldn't leave him if he wasn't ok.

After the gig.

He came out and jumped into van with Tracey, Steve and shave. His head seemed ok but he must have had a headache. He shook hands with the front row but he seen me and I seen him that's all that matters. That he knows I'm still here, supporting him. I could have gotten so much closer but I seem to approach him and then stand at a 'safe' distance. Grr!! I could scream at myself at times.


We all decided it was a good idea to go to the pub Brannigans next door to the venue. We were only meant to have one drink and a chat before finding some food but we stayed a while and I decided to have a drink or 5. No one believed me when I said it was Darren playing (a step into the light remix) until they heard the chorus. Turns out it was the moto blanco mix but it did bug me for a bit till I got my ipod out. I was a bit drunk!

We decided to go and find some food and found a takeaway this time. We sat and had a chicken burger, Joyce was a bit tipsy bless her. I was just rambling on and on. Joyce joked Kelly was quite normal at the meet up with her food. Doug was pinching Joyce's chips and Val had the biggest kebab ever. I spent the whole walk home declaring I wasn't drunk I was a bit tipsy, while insisting I needed the loo. I ended up in the men's in the Travelodge foyer, the ladies wasn't working. ooops!

The next morning I admitted defeat, I was drunk! Sooo embarrassing 5 drinks and I was drunk. Normally I can drink much more but when you haven't eaten in almost 12 hours I guess you get drunk a lot quicker! Sorry guys if I worried you, or scared you, or embarrassed you! It was a fun night but OMG today I wanted the day after to be over with! I checked my phone's sentbox and was reminded I'd sent a drunken txt to Ade and Clare that said: 'oh dear I fell into the pub next door to the gig bit pissed lol hope u had a good nite xx'

HAHA! Well if you can have fun on tour when can you have fun? I know I don't normally drink on tour but I decided it was time to let my hair down and celebrate. I was happy that night, so very happy and I decided a drink or two was needed. Whatever you do don't take happiness for granted.





------------------------------------------------------------------------------

8th Feb - the day after the 2 awesome gigs.

We got up and were sad there wasn't a gig today. Nat had gone home. We watched some bad house hunting programme and decided to set off in search of brunch. It still amuses me the soundgarden sign opposite the Travelodge. No idea what it is though. We found a pub and sat a ate a full breakfast and I did some more of my review. Tempers began to fray a little when you haven't had much sleep. Sorry Kelly!

We went and had a look in the arndale shopping centre, played around in the apple store like kids, we left Darren’s youtube page on the iphone's screen and I couldn't resist writing woo hoo on the word document on the new macbook air. Oh and I took a piccie of the table with the iphone. I was surprised how confusing it was at first but how quickly you got used to it. We left before we got thrown out, walked past the Ferris wheel and went to find a net cafe. We found one called ‘mail boxes etc’ just opposite the malmaison and had a read of the forums.

Then we went on the hunt for a starbucks. I wanted another yummy cookie. The one we had yesterday was so good! There was a sign that said it was closed but there was on the other side of the square. Just as we got to the other side of the square I decided it was time to stop and have a look round. Only for it to be literally just beside were we stopped. We got a hot chocolate and a cookie and chatted for a bit. it was nice to get the rucksacks off our backs.

 Then we decided it was time to head to the station. As I sat reading the free local paper Kelly sat listening to a conversation beside her. 'what have you got on you?' 'just weed'. Now you can imagine what Kelly thought right? A drug deal. Not it was even better than that, plain clothed police officers arresting 2 blokes for having cocaine. Kelly thought it was funny I chose to still read the paper. I guess when you have a forensic science degree and live in Nottingham not a lot phases you.

We sat and played the ipod music quiz on my ipod and then the older version of it on Kelly's ipod and I made my way to my platform. Maybe it might have been a good idea that as my train was meant to go from oxford road that I checked it went through Piccadilly beforehand? I'm always anxious of trains anyway but luckily all was ok and my train arrived and on I jumped - on the most LOVELY train ever. Not! Dear god! I'm also in the wrong seat, who has 10B and 10F?! oh well sod it! I've got I don't care on and I feel sad, it reminds me of the gig. Those special memories. I feel so blessed these last few days I've had so many moments with Darren. I've just noticed the lyric of I don't care ‘I ride this train’ LOL! On this train, right here right now. I've just fallen in love with the original version of I don't care. I only played the drum and bass one before.

I can feel the post tour blues and its only 2 days to Bristol. Everyone else felt it last nite but I was pissed! Now you all know I don't drink on tour. Well last night was ROCKIN! And I just decided sod it. London I didn't feel it. I was in the wrong place and now I feel found. Grateful. Blessed. Happy. Sad. HUNGOVER! Not necessarily in that order. I'm having my own little japan b-side tour. ‘fire inside the man’ now. Truth be told I haven't played these songs in months probably.

Every muscle aches from being bent around that speaker during the gig last night but it was worth it! My arms feel like they are about to fall off from carrying the kitchen sink around with me in my rucksack but hey I would do it all again for sure. And I am! Just might not bring the sink next time! ;) The tour blues seem to hit me harder than they have before. I think it’s because I was on such a high, perhaps more so than before as well. These past 3 days and 2 gigs have been amazing! Worth the sandblasting shower, the out of order lift, the cold, the embarrassing drunkenness when I had a drink or 5.

As awesome as the London gig was I didn't feel it. Too much was going on and wrong in my life, too soon after all the heartache. And it was a shock to my system to not be presented with 'hits'. As much as I adore the b-sides more than the hits it was a shock. But these last few days in Manchester I found myself as happy as NYE, really acutely aware I was happy and I loved every second especially the second night. The first gig seemed to go slowly and that's always a plus but the 2nd one just flew by. Before I knew it Darren was singing maybe. I wondered if someone had stolen time from us. God was both nights not fun! I've never screamed before, just clapped. The second night was special. So very special. All those little moments these past few days with Darren have made it all worthwhile. I can't wait for Bristol!