Would you look into the twilight if you knew that it could blind your eyes

The Candle Thieves

Chorlton Arts  Festival 

Wilbraham St Ninians United Reformed Church

23/5/2013.

I actually don't know what to say. We laughed, we cried, we loved. 

The support from Scott and Glock and the strength their music brings me is something I don't take for  granted and won’t change because the band have split.

Last Night was so many different things.

We sat in the bar crossed the road called 'oddest' before the show and talked about the memories. The crowd surfing shark that made the first balcony at Birmingham symphony hall is right up there. And the balloons album launch. 

The church was beautiful but the same can’t be said for the support act. Anna sighed heavily. My thoughts exactly. I don't do religion and I never will. Listening to a band spout their religious ideologies marketed as a 'song' was getting on my last nerve, but I knew the candle thieves would be worth it.

What I wasn't prepared for was how fucking beautiful Scott and Glock's voices sounded in that church. The sound travelled so beautifully, it was the best I'd ever heard them, and it was so bittersweet because it was the end. 

1. Breathing (just for you).

I adore this song. I still remember when I bought the album ‘Sunshine and other misfortunes’ and played it and this song stood out. It reminds me of drunken times at Darren Hayes NYE party and it I just love it.

"But your words were my lifeline, I tried this time to reach out. Breathe in and breathe out".

I couldn't have put it better myself. I knew then that tonight was gonna get hard. 

2. My little room

I've always loved this song. It gives me happiness. 

It made me smile though….and Scott too: "I went to church to teach me how to smile, I'm so happy now that I could cry."

Scott made a comment he didn't realise it was gonna be this hard tonight. Yeah me neither. I thought the music would sail me through on the usual euphoria until the end. But this isn't what a candle thieves gig normally feels like.

3. NEW SONG: ocean of storms?

I didn't quite catch what this song was called.

I’m not gonna lie, I was nervous about what this new album ‘All’s well that ends well’ might sounds like. From the opening bars of this song, I knew it was gonna be ok. 

OMG. major relate. I was determined not to cry but this song almost got to me. I sat beside a friend and I just KNEW she understood too. Special songs paint pictures in your head. If I could paint, I would paint you what the song looked like. I can't remember the lyrics that hit me square in the chest, but just seriously, I just understand.

It’s definitely gonna become a fave candle thieves song of mine. It sounds so gorgeous. 

4. NEW SONG: Don't Grow Up Too Soon

This song made me think of Glock's newborn baby boy. "Don’t grow up too soon... we could waste an afternoon". so sweet. 

5. Lonely lonely lonely.

Scott said they had a choice of songs. ‘The Rock and The Bug’ or ‘lonely lonely lonely’. I screamed for the rock and the bug, my heart beating out my chest, because that is one of the songs that I connect to most.  

lonely lonely lonely won out. 

It made me sad that I'd always dreamed of the rock and the bug 'maybe one day' and now it's a definite no, because this is the end.

But it was still major fun. Glock forgot about his surroundings and a certain perhaps inappropriate lyric.

I’m sorry I lost it half way through the video, I was DYING laughing. Nice lyric change afterwards Glock. We love you.

I watched as Scott as he stood clutching his water bottle, watching Glock sing, I could tell what Scott was thinking: ‘I DON'T WANT THIS TO END’. 

I’ve been running around all day today just singing ‘let me in and I won’t bother you again’. The rain was hammering off the train window when i was playing it on the way home. somehow fitting.

6. NEW SONG: it's in my mind?

I didn't quite catch the name of this one either.

I liked this one with the ukulele. Glock and Scott were out in the aisle, and then Danny gruff stood up from literally behind us and contributed a few lines. He sounded good as well. I didn't realise he was sat behind us. There was a lyric about hell, giving the surroundings, I giggled. EVERY TIME.

7. Not the only one

This song makes me sad. It makes me think of the story behind it. Scott's voice is just WOW on it.

8. The Sunshine Song

Scott: ‘We are gonna pick things up a bit’

Nope it’s not working I thought. I'm thoroughly sad now.

“we can't stay young forever but we can stay young for the rest of our days”.

9. Sharks and bears

Scott: "actually I’m gonna use electric for this next one as it's means we're more rock and we mean business... Glock have you got any tales of fave moments in the band?"

"We used to have a list of things we wanted to do before we split up, like a band bucket list. One of them was play a song with our pants around our ankles". Someone shouted “it’s not too late”. That was literally my thoughts exactly.

Scott remarked that they thought that if a gig wasn't going so well, they could at least be the band that played with their pants down.

I guess a crowd surfing shark in a church would have been frowned upon, but I did miss it. 

"Talking to myself I wonder if I'm really there". yep that's me.

…and it still reminds me of that time I did really dream about a shark and a bear in a cage together at a zoo. I was just concerned the shark wasn't in any water and was out on the concrete with the bear.... don't ask. I digress.....

10. We won't ever be rich (but we could be happy).

Scott: ‘This is our last song but we are gonna come back and sing a bit more if you want us to’.

awwww our happy song. It’s literally the soundtrack myself and my friends lives. It made me happy for a minute, almost made me almost forget it was the end, and then they changed the lyrics to 'we won't ever be rich but were splitting up' and it made me really sad. The sing-a-long just wasn’t the same.

Glock lit the sparkler. Then remarked that he thought scott was gonna talk for longer. LOL. Whoops.

----encore-----

11. NEW SONG:  Too little Too late.

 "Wish there was something I could do to make you stay".
yeah, THAT lyric exactly.

Scott sang about a girl that basically told a boy no more chances. That you can’t argue all afternoon and then just buy flowers. That you can’t slam the door and scare the birds and think it funny (I thought it was funny). That maybe he wasn't a knight in shining armour...and I just kept thinking HE IS. SHE'S A FOOL.

Scott said they was gonna end with that one but they couldn't. 

.... And then the band bucket list re-appeared.  Scott said another one on the bucket list was get a chant going. I don’t know how the chant ended up being “chew-ing gum, chew-ing gum”. Anyhow, We did it Scott!
He joked afterwards “I just wish I could have been something more meaningful”.

12. We're All Gonna Die (Have Fun) 

They played 3/4 of the song through and then Scott said mid-song "if hails is here tonight that song's for you". Scott knows why. THANK YOU. I started to shake. My heart beat out of my chest again. That little shout out meant so much to me.

13. Stars. 

Scott was swapping guitars and said "I don't wanna rush it's our last song". At that moment the silence in the room became deafening. It made me so sad. 

I was videoing this song for Anna. I lost it once Scott started to cry. To see him swallow tears and still open his mouth to sing. So brave. I was crying too. I was doing so well until Scott started crying.

The video’s a bit shaky because I was trying not to cry all over it lol.

I looked around after the band had come off stage and half the room was also crying. 

“You shine like stars to me”. Always.

After the show.

Someone asked Scott how he got to know Darren Hayes. “We made a video with his husband Richard Cullen. Darren was acting as a runner, making cups of tea, and I thought I'm sure that's the guy out of savage garden, what's he doing here”. Awwwww.

I managed to FINALLY get a copy of Twilight. I never thought I would ever get my hands on it. I gave scott a tenner and he joked that when I got home I’d realise it wasn't worth a tenner and he wanted to give me change. I said no. keep it. And I got home and I played it for the first time and it made me realise a few things: 

* I'm obsessed with Scott's voice.

* I’m not the only tortured soul out there.

* I didn't realise how much of the first candle thieves record was Scott's own EP.

* Such a gorgeous pretty shiny disc!!

* it was totally worth the £10 Scott said it wasn't.

"Would you look into the twilight if you knew that it could blind your eyes?"

finally a full set:

And then we got thrown out of church and into the car-park.

Glock joked that the new album might be a hit now they’ve split up and they’d joked their success would come after they split. Glock joked that he keeps trying to crash the car to get headlines. Once we’d got kicked out into the car park, I told Glock this was his chance to run someone over LOL.

I said to Glock outside that my first thought when I heard that sound travel so beautifully in that church was that's its criminal how talented they are but they never made it :( :(

I just went up to Scott and threw my arms around him. I didn't have many words, I just needed a hug. I think he did too.

Scott asked if I had a pen and rather abruptly said no. oops. I didn’t mean it like that.

Scott also said he’d forgotten his bag of gig clothes hence why he was wearing what he was.

I look really happy in my picture. I was really happy to be speaking to them, but really sad given the circumstances.

A final note.

I Actually can't believe it's over. The only small comfort is the new album in August. I know it's gonna be awesome but also so bittersweet. 

Thank you guys, for the music, the love, the laughs.... good luck with everything you do. And massive congrats to Glock on the birth of Glock jr. 

I love what you guys do. Don’t ever give up singing, playing, even if it’s only for fun in your living rooms on a Saturday afternoon, I know how much joy you get from playing and singing and that should never stop because the band has.  

Maybe one day the time will be right and the band will get back together and we can have a big reunion of our own.

Thank you for making music that has a place in my heart. I love you guys.

Good luck and take care.

All’s well that ends well.

Much Love, 

Hails.

x

A Love Letter to Newton Faulkner

“It's one thing time will not erase, My life would not have been the same”.

On 1/11/07 I can't begin to tell you how much my life changed. 

I bought a single by an artist called Newton Faulkner. This song had been on the radio at work for months but I couldn't catch enough of the lyrics above the noise to Google it. Then I was sitting watching TV one night and this advert came on. It was THAT song. I quickly noted the artist’s name and went to iTunes. I downloaded the song, it was called ‘Dream Catch Me’. I still remember that exact moment I saw that ad. Something clicked.

2008.

In January 2008 my sister lent me the album. I fell in love with it. I very quickly decided I needed to see this guy live. My friend and I went to see Newton play at the Cambridge corn exchange in February 2008. I was broke so she very kindly let me sleep on her floor and bought me my ticket. That night blew my mind. As did her kindness.

I wasn't until March 2008, when my cat died unexpectedly and I ended up in a house share as I had to leave my flat that I noticed this guy Newton Faulkner really was special. The strength he gave me in those darkest hours is something I can’t explain. Those few months in 2008 were absolutely horrid. I wouldn't wish it on anyone. Depression consumed me. I look back now and I have no idea how I made I got through it. I counted my blessings for the friends who saw me through, and I never forgot about Newton either. In those months I went on iTunes and I purchased up every single version of the songs I didn't have and all the bonus tracks.

I joined Newton's website and forum. Kept up with the news.

2009.

what’s that? New album and a gig in London? go on then.

20 Oct 2009. 

That night at the shepherd’s bush empire, front row, the new album stole my heart. As did Newton. Now he didn't have a band behind him, just a few guitars, a tape machine, foot pedals and odd socks. There was this new song, ‘If This is it’. I fell in love with it. Long before Newton explained the song I knew it was about the feeling you get at a gig. I knew because I felt it too. There was other new songs that night, songs that had already stole my heart when the album when it was released in September 2009, and my favourite ‘I'm not giving up yet’. OH MY. Mr inspiration. BIG TIME. That show remains one of my favourites ever

.

 

2010.

March 2010. 

Newton was playing my adopted home town, Nottingham, and I had to go. 3rd row, fun night. But I knew that crowd was capable of much more than what they gave that night. They just didn't seem to understand Newton or what he does. So I booked a last minute ticket to St Patrick's day at the Hammersmith Apollo  I'm Irish, it was an amazing artist and an excuse to have a great night. I was right up in the gods at the back but it didn't change a single thing. That gig was amazing. I wasn't wrong. The audience gave what I knew they were capable of.

There was one amazing thing that came out of Nottingham  I stole a poster off the door on the way out (well the guy at the venue did say take it when I'm not looking) and took it to the stage door to try and meet newton. And I met him, and he was impressed with my poster stealing skills. haha.

Nov 2010. 

Highlands and Islands tour. 

No change in hell a girl in Nottingham can get to it. Gutted.

2011.

May 2011. St Pancras church. This girl couldn't get a ticket for the love of anything worth wishing on.

The rest of 2011 was mostly festivals.  Also impossible.

Then came a break. 

15 June 2011:The Forum - Bath. 

What a beautiful venue and such a good show. A tale about I've been thinking about it, a pirates with rabies version of 'gone in the morning' and 'Professional dog food taster'. Serious LOLz.

2012.

Newton was back with new music.

May 2012 was my chance.

I was front row in London at the Scala but absolutely devastated when the show started late due to technical issues and I had to leave and miss the end of the show to get my last train. I got home at 2am and went on eBay and bought an e-ticket to Birmingham the next night. Impulsive? Me? Never.  I had to get the last train again but this time I made it to the end of the show and ran to the station. I'm so pleased I did. That night was amazing. The second time hearing the new songs, and already I’d been bitten by them. ‘Soon’, ‘Against The Grain’ and ‘Clouds’ had literally bowled me over. That emotion him me square in the chest. I stood there in Birmingham, tears in my eyes, singing my heart out to the words I knew of the new songs and all of the old. Clouds especially got to me.

London:

Birmingham:

8 May 2012. Newcastle upon Tyne.

I’d already booked this one to go with a friend, it wasn't another implusive thing. Front row, singing my little heart out to increasingly familiar new songs. And then we met Newton afterwards and all the things I wanted to say refused to fall out of my mouth apart from hi and thanks.

I decided I couldn't not see Newton one more time. So I got 2 tickets to Leeds on ebay, sold one for face value to a girl in the queue, met my friend and we done another front row in what Newton called ‘The Bomb shelter’. Leeds cockpit.  Still one of my favourite ever shows. AMAZING.  I met Newton after and he recognised me, wrote ‘4 gigs?!’ on my flyer and I had a little chat with him. Just like an old friend. He was so sweet to me. I did try and stretch to Dundee the following week but just couldn't make it work.

October 2012. 

Another tour. SQUEE.

I'm sorry bank account, I do love you really.

Glasgow.

I was so ill I almost didn't go. But singing my heart out to dream catch me and Newton seeing me and singing back to me made the whole thing worthwhile.

Newcastle.

LOVED the chat afterwards. He might just of well recognised me from may!

.

Manchester.

"this next song requires a small amount of tea, it's not actually tea it's ginger and honey, yes I know it's cannibalism"

That is not a sexy face. *when concentrating tuning his guitar, someone shouted 'sexy'. 

People just shouting requests and Newton just playing them: Kermit the frog version of professional dog food taster, full fat and UFO.

....And then that you again look at the stage door Lol.

]

And then Leicester with colleagues....

......and Birmingham.

Until next time Newton, I still love you just as much as before. If not more.

“If this is it, all we have,

 I know I've done all I can.

If this is it.

And we can't stop,

And start again,

We can't fast forward to the end.

This is it”.

6 years ago tonight my mind was blown

I still can't believe it's 6 years ago tonight since Darren Hayes club delicacy show at the Soho revue bar.

It was my favourite delicacy by far, the atmosphere was just electric, everyone could feel it. Kelly and I weren't going to go to the may gig. I was at home for Easter and we suddenly thought what if we don't get tickets to the last one so we decided to go to 12 may gig just in case.

That night truly changed things for me. I still remember fan-girling when Darren read my review and replied...and then he messaged me on myspace. I hadn't met him yet, but to stand literally at his feet and then have him message me was the most amazing thing I could ever imagine happening. I remember sitting reading his message to me on myspace again and again, just to make sure it was real, I remember it being almost 3am and NO NE was awake so I just sat shaking and unable to go to bed!

From that night came a chance meeting at park in the park a couple of months later and another message from Darren saying it was lovely to put a face to the name. Those few months in 2007 changed everything. I'm so blessed with everything that has come my way because of that night and my review I posted.

I remember that night so well. it was the first night I was ever front row at Soho. More to the point it was the first time I was front row at all. I remember standing watching his support act Antigone and realising Darren would be that close. I almost burst into tears with joy, excitement, nerves, I dunno.

It was a terrible day, it had rained so much and I was wandering London in my dress and pumps. we'd just learnt the joys of the pie tin motel and my feet killed by the time I'd queued for so long but when I was stood in front of Darren, just the other side of his laptop, when he looked down and sung to me nothing else seemed to matter. I remember after he sung that line to me, I stood shaking for about 10 minutes afterwards!

That night was so special I remember coming in and writing this review,when I posted it I have never been so shocked as the first person to reply to it was Darren himself. I still cringe when I think about him reading it, a lot of it was written from a fan-girl’s point of view for another fan to read, it was never meant for his eyes.

Darren had his friend and photographer Myrna Suarez there that night. I remember seeing her come out to the side of the stage with her camera, I considered for a minute not looking like a cat that got the cream but in the end it was impossible. I decided to look away from her, and to behave naturally towards Darren in that moment. I'm so glad I did because my adorable gazing up at a hero is exactly what that moment was.

Here is Myrna's pic: Can you all spot me? ;) 

The following text is the review I originally posted on myspace on 16 May 2007:

conversations with 'God' my review of soho May 12th :p

Current mood: happy

Well this review is kinda all the little things Darren said, some paraphrased. Just the bits that make it unique and my memories. An investment I'll never forget!


The setlist:
1. for fear of falling under
2. who would have thought
3. carry on Amadeus
4. unlovable / teardrops
5. step into the light 
6. time machine
7. I like the way
8. words
9. I want you
10. on the verge of something wonderful
11. me myself and I
12. baby I'm popular
13. impromptu jacket song
14. I don't know you anymore
15. to the moon and back
16. void / all is full of love




It's Sunday. I'm sat at the train station. I feel numb. Happy. Sad. I dunno what I feel. On Saturday night Darren excelled himself. It was THE best night of my entire life. The best Darren gig by far. Kelly and I got soaked going to B&B got changed and then made our way to soho and we got their about 4:30pm KFC in hand! Glad it had stopped raining. There was me in my summery dress and it was raining!! Sorry guys I was trying to say hi through a handful of chips and popcorn chicken! We were 5th and 6th in the queue and god was it a long wait! We chatted, we listened to music (the killers, tig and Darren), we got sore feet, we complained some more about our feet. We were incredibly childish about the adult shops around us. We saw Boyd go in and a bit later Antigone. A Bloke outside asked what we were waiting for and said someone said Darren Hayes and he said 'Darren Hayes! savage garden! two beds and coffee machine! and started singing, could hear him down the street! Lol' Another Bloke outside asked what we were waiting for and someone said Darren Hayes and he said oh I thought it was free porn! Got a lot of strange looks in the cue from passers by it was funny, I don't think they are used to people queuing round the block! And their was a drunk standing at the front door! He stepped in when a few people asked if they could skip in as they were a myspace winners! Security moved him on hehe! 6:55 let us in! We got let in about 7 ish. We got in and were too the left at the front of the stage! We took it in turns to go to the loo then a girl screamed she'd got a cd, the woman at the bar had said they weren't doing it. I found some duct tape and though I was landed, my heart raced but alas the cd was already gone. We were so close to the stage, about a metre from Darren, we could read Steve's lyrics off his book in front of his pedals before tig came on! Didn't learn much we forgot it again as fast! He sings on wwht, time machine and verge.


Antigone

setlist:
1. Hello Yellow
2. into your head
3. more man than man
4. life without you
5. funky Dancers

We sat on the stage to rest our weary feet and got up when tig came on. My god isn't she energetic! She had a green leopard print t-shirt, black belt, pink shorts with ruffles all over, pink footless leopard print tights and red shoes with a wooden heel. The stage bounced as did the drum kit as she danced. Seeing tig up there it hit home how close Darren was going to be. Made me a bit emotional.

We chatted some more, sung and danced to the pre show music. The whole place screaming 'little red corvette' was amazing! Then bombs came on. OMG! The songs are going to be little sub headings as I cant be arsed to write it out logically my exams are in a week! Not enough time!! 

Bombs up in my face: heard it before the show! it was after tig and before Darren.
Now you know when I posted that thread about preshow music? 
Well there was this song I completely forgot about, there was a song that I loved but in the entertainment that is Calvin Harris forgot all about it. I remember loving it! It wasn't until Kelly pointed out is that Darren?.... I listened… I heard the line 'you can change the constitution, you can carry a gun' and thought, that's political that's bombs!, Darren's voice is hard to recognise on it, it sounds like the new stuff only very very fast, and the words are like statements, like all around me with the line 'In the middle of the night your a kiss so long You're the only good thing when all is wrong' kinda sounds in that sort of style but sounds nothing like all around me. I can't explain it but I was happily dancing when I realised it was Darren I danced some more. Whilst listening of course. The song rocks I can't believe I remembered hearing it at Soho in March! All this time id heard it but not known it. kinda awesome don't you think when everyone knows Darren's voice, they could spot it a mile off, but didn't spot it!!


About 9pm shave jumped up onto the stage followed by Darren strutting onto the stage. Sooo close. I was standing in front of his laptop with the lyrics onDarren was wearing those navy trainers with white soles, he had a black crocodile effect belt, shave had a white belt with a black kinda monochrome pattern, and I love white belts :p

The songs and the banter:

1. for fear of falling under:
From the first note I was so happy to here it as it wasn't on set list taped to stage, I remembered it from March but can't remember any of it now!! He backed into the laptop box, the box was lined with bubble wrap, way too much bouncing going on, Oops! You could tell why the box was lined in bubble wrap, the stage and the box bounced every time Darren danced! man how Darren can really move these days!...HOT! 

Then Steve and Keith came on looking as cool as ever, such sweeties!

2. Who would have thought: the beginning is different from the version we've heard, it starts with something along the lines of: why does first love, hurt love, first love, hurt love…..
After who would have thought: 
Darren said: Thanks for coming, for missing Eurovision, some of my friends stayed in to watch Eurovision, I've got a new record out in august, and I'm playing 21 dates at the O2 dome! That was shameless self promotion! Let's face it that's why I'm doing this (the gig) Jools shouted are you going to see prince. Darren asked, am I going to see prince? Then replied: I hope so, you know that thing were you get free tickets then put them on eBay to pay for the Alexander McQueen suit! (Nice touch Darren…meow! cue cheers) Then Darren sung 'you don't have to be rich to be my girl' then said that was prince – kiss. Someone shouted the Isle of Man loves you to which Darren replied – the Isle of Man that sounds like a nicccce place! *cue gasps from audience and much laughter* someone shouted happy birthday Darren! He said that was last week! Then said I'm 35! *pulls face* great!
Anyone here from myspace? *cheers* then he said: I try to trick people with the online thing and I send messages to people saying it's my helpers buts it's really me!

3. Carry on Amadeus
Before starting to sing carry on dancing Darren said: 'I used to love this song'.
All I remember is singing lots, and the Amadeus, Amadeus,…..lol. Afterwards Darren said 'you've passed your revision' (on us singing words to him).

4. Unlovable / teardrops:
Darren mentioned something about emptiness in one of the songs; think it might have been unlovable. I recognised the little teaser of youtube, the first bit you can hear, the last bit Darren sings over. Loved teardrops been listening to song non stop since last gig!


5. Step into the light
Before Darren started singing he said:
My songs used to be the Hollywood version of love because that's what believed I felt but now it's more real… (Exactly the words I've been trying to say to explain since March!)
During sitl – Darren put his hand on his heart and moved it to his heartbeat and looked at Richard, and then he was on his knees singing, he seems to reach into crowd and cleared a space so he could see down the crowd, either or that or he was looking at someone, I dunno. :D
He got up and was raising his hands to make us sing, at which point the place erupted singing 'so step into the light y'all, this dog doesn't bite no more'
I like sitl better live than wwht.


6. Time machine
Before time machine:
Darren said steve's going to play acoustic, then Steve played a little riff on the guitar so soft and gentle as Darren talked. Darren said tell me a joke, someone shouted I love you, to which Darren replied I love isn't a joke! Someone shouted You're sexy, to which Darren replied speaking of sexy I wanna sing a song about my dad, my dad is sexy *screams* that sounds so wrong, I'll explain, I had a crush on a guy and you know when you tell someone and it does work. If its gonna work it just happens, its progressive. The guy said to me you're not my type, you know your dad he's more my type. *cue laughter and awws from audience* Darren said he was devastated *then there was a huge crash at the bar* to which he replied: what a reaction! I had therapy! Don't worry too much!...their Danni Minogue fans getting here early for tomorrow night! I'm gonna sing a song, it sounds like it's about quantum physics but it's a song I wrote about my dad. I adore my dad but I have a really turbulent relationship with him…but erm …erm *pauses* …we had a turbulent time growing up; this is a song for my dad. It's a song about 1982 or 1983. he then mentioned something about 'for the relationships i've messed up…..if I could change some things…….for the times I lied….'

I Still love the line: 'they want me to stop…there coming after me….I hide the time machine…5 yr old me'. The middle of the song sounds about different to rest I like it...a lot! I've heard it twice now at the gigs and I still damn well love it, I want the lyrics, all I can remember and it might not be right is:
'if I've understood correctly velocity equals the distance travelled divided my time' …'I turned on the key…*Darren done the hand movement of turning a key in the lock*….'for all the things I haven't done, for all the people I hurt, for all the lies I told'

Omfg I still love it wayyyyy too much! The whole debate about velocity and speed has been done to death, they aren't the same thing
velocity = displacement (distance WITH A DIRECTION) divided by time
speed= distance divided by time
it doesn't matter the song rocks!! I love it, just thought it was funny especially as it has the line: 'if i've understood correctly velocity equals the distance travelled divided my time' dunno if that line was 1st or 2nd line but he ain't understood correctly as its wrong lol!! I think in all honestly singing the word speed wouldn't flow in the song the way velocity does.
There was a line in March which was 'I read you book' on Saturday he sung 'I read your books'.



7. I like the way
Before I like the way, Darren said: this is Steve *cheers* to which he replied: 'you didn't have to do anything'! Steve sat on the stool and played! I love I like the way live, Steve's guitar playing is so good, as is Darren's voice :p
During I like the way:
Steve dropped his plectrum the stage hand picked it up whilst Steve played on, I love Steve, what a professional!



8. words
Before words: Darren gestured at the stage hand to bring on the stool, then looked and shave and said I thought it was the fu*king party song! Put your fu*king party glasses on shave, (they were white and oversized and very funky!) I thought it was the fu*king party song, but I looked round and the stool was there so it's not the fu*king party song! *laughs* language Darren!!!! :p

During words – Darren closed his eyes and I just stood watching his eyelashes flutter, kinda hit home HOW close I really was! I just stood watching!
I remember the lines about 'paralyse me…..the contents of his pretty little head', remember listening to that bit in March! And the line 'Bible in your eyes'.
'Give me a taste of what's to come' – hehe yes please :p


9. I want you: Darren dropped his microphone, he was dancing, spinning, trying to look very jacko, very Justin and it was so funny that kinda oops look on his face. Like a kid that's dropped the paint pot! Then he said: 'there I was trying to be cool, Reign it back in, reign it back in, do you still think I'm cool? *Everyone cheered*, I screamed no as a joke :p I was only kidding!


Darren reached down for his towel and managed to pick up someone's scarf by accident! Wiped his face on it anyway after shrugging, put it around his neck then put it back on floor, the girl took it and put it on her hehe, the next time jools held out his towel and he wiped his face and threw it at the stage hand and it hit the wall, I don't think he meant it was just a joke throwing it!


10. on the verge of something wonderful
During verge – microphone stand fell into crowd! Darren spun round to Steve and knocked it over and someone in the front row put it back upright, Darren came back round to where it was none the wiser and did the same thing again! Was very funny!

'I'm in a panic, in bursts of bubbles (lol rock song with bubbles in)…on the verge of…..road trip….on the verge of….on the verge of something wonderful……resurgence….on the edge of…..You where there….dark and grey'

It reminds me of something I can't place, a 90's rock song but not rock, not rock pop, No idea! 

'You can dance in the devils heels'; remember that bit from March too!

Their was a lyric dropping a bomb, Darren put his hand up in fist and opens it up, as if letting go of something from height! The over-emphasis on his face of the word bomb :).

11. Me, myself and I:
There was no future holds a lion's heart, just straight into me, myself and I, it was ok with me as I didn't like lion's heart much in march but would have been cool to hear again. Me, myself and I, is jamiroquai sounding almost…. 'I don't know what the future will bring but I'm gonna sing till I drop' *cue much cheering!*
I left gig singing the line, 'it was all over'…… I drove everyone made asking what it was the concluded it was me, myself and I, only to get home a realise it was tig's life without you!! Oops!!


12. Baby I'm popular!: guitar...*points to Steve* very the darkness the way he said it (I believe in a thing called love?) then he points at shave, and says keys only, then points at Keith and says 'Keith prior' was expecting him the say drums! 

Loved baby I'm a star mixed in, been listening to song non stop since last gig!
Darren left for a few seconds during baby I'm popular but returned in same clothes!
When singing the line 'baby I'm a star… tell me do u like what u see? hey, check it all out' started he was posing away, giving side profiles, hand on hip, putting the back of his hand on his forehead…very Madonna! Soo sexy, quite camp but I love camp!
Crowd went wild when he sung the line 'tell do you like what you hear'


13. Jacket song

Before I don't know you anymore:
I knew this was going to be played as I could read set list of the stage but didn't realise the impact it would have on me until Darren sung it!, it's one of my faves, 
Darren sung a few words then said 'I can't do this whilst Anthony is on stage' (joking) and then said 'can you dim the lights a bit but not to much and not over me…you know If you drink more the show gets better and the venue likes me more'

Then he sung jacket song:

Impromptu, as Keith's drums blew up, Darren decided to sit on the rickety table, you could see him contemplate sitting on it, he put his hand on it first then sat on the edge, foot on foldback and sang
'do you like my new jacket? (screams) I bought it last week
When I had a record deal they paid for my stuff
I'm a bit more choosy with what I pay for now
Can't believe how much I paid for it!'
Someone shouted out how much and someone else shouted out primark, shave was creased up laughing! Dunno if Darren heard it, he didn't react to it. He was sat on table and said he didn't think the new jacket went with his old trousers lol and then said ' I cant do this with him on here as well his jacket doesn't match mine' (meaning Anthony). He stood up and had his foot on the foldback poking someone in the stomach almost! Soooo close!


14. I don't know you anymore:
Then he said 'I haven't sung this song for 8 years, we worked out the other day it was in south Africa in 2000, so actually it was 7 years and I was really bad at math!' bless!!


15. to the moon and back
Before ttmab – do I have a drummer? Or a drum kit? (Keith had torch in his mouth, fiddling away trying to fix it during jacket song and I don't know you and then left stage) Darren said: 'I want the drums so I can sing you an awesome song' (void) 'shave we have to pull something out of our butts' This is Justin shave co producer of the new record, when we started making the record shave thought he was only doing a few songs did you shave? *shave nods* what will I sing for you? Someone shouted darkness, someone else shouted scootch, Darren said he couldn't sing that one as he didn't know it but he could sing buck fizz, he said to shave, come on shave you can do it, remember that song you played on bni?, shave played a few bars of ttmab, steve played a riff, Darren said he didn't know that one yet. someone shouted 'strip' and he said for £17 have I not entertained you enough, it's pretty good? i'm not going to strip for you'…laughing…someone shouted you're great, someone else shouted you're sexy, then a bloke shouted 'I'm pitching a tent for you', Darren looked shocked, kinda a bit horrified and put his face in his hands and shook his head for a few seconds, clearly thinking of what to say and everyone laughed and then he said 'before I got married I was getting teddies thrown on stage now i'm getting a guy pitching a tent for me I dunno what is worse *pauses and looks kinda embarrassed bless him* and said 'but thank you im flattered'. Then Darren said to shave 'there is a guy pitching a tent for you shave', Darren was trying to throw shave I think, shave laughed and started playing ttmab.


During ttmab – Darren sung the line 'All her friends they've been tried for
Treason and crimes that were never defined' straight into my eyes, those gorgeous big crystal clear blue eyes looking at little old me! I was so overwhelmed. I didn't stand a gasp though I just smiled at him. I hate my smile but right then at that moment in time that smile on my face was real, not held back, not faked, a real sense of happiness! then he sung 'She's saying love is like a Darren Hayes' instead of 'love is like a barren place', I dunno if that line was aimed at me I think it was just Darren having fun with the song as impromptu as it was, the whole place screamed so loud! We sung some of the song for him, poor guy was so concerned what he was going to sing, we would sing it back to him no matter what it was!!! Then Darren said 'id actually semi-retired that song'


16. Void/all is full of love:
Darren said: 'It's a good job were good could you imagine if we were bad? And there was this many delays?' (gig was 1 1/2hr in the end) then he sung void. I adore void it was the very first song I ever heard Darren sing live so I hold a special place for it. When the ttats 30sec sampler was made available it caught my attention. When void was over he thanked us, his band and antigone and left. :D 



After the gig:
Said to Kelly in Ed's easy diner with a few other friends that I would stop being a fangirl now! I wouldn't shut up about his gorgeous blue eyes!, the kit kat sundae shut me up for a small while, diet coke didn't, I only shut up when I was eating it then was hyper again! Was knackered on tube, but came alive writing review in the B&B about midnight then got tired again! It was 1:30 when we decided that was enough note taking! The B&B was lovely! The toilet and shower where 2 cupboards, and the heating was on it was soooo hot!! I think the funniest bit was dropping the mic! That face! Darren has such an expressionate face! My fave moment was Darren singing a line of ttmab at me!



Phew!! That was a bit of a book, I've written essays for uni that was shorter, if you've survived all the 3800 words, well done hope you enjoyed reading it half as much as I did at gig and reliving it when writing it.

Tonight’s as good a night as any to let you go.

This a love letter to a favourite band of mine.

The band is called The Candle Thieves.

2009.

When Darren Hayes first tweeted about this band he loved I thought I would check them out. I fell in love with a song Darren had linked to called stars. It was the end of 2009.

2010.

Spring of 2010 saw the release of we’re all gonna die have fun. I spoke to me like so many of the candle thieves songs were to later do so. I remember buying the single on iTunes the week it was released.  That song will always be special to me. ‘I know the sun is gonna get through, just gotta let it reach you’. Never a truer word said.

It was august when I got round to buying the album from HMV online. I remember being excited that HMV was selling a cd from an unsigned band. I listened, I loved it, and then life kinda got in the way. But we’re all gonna die have fun remained a favourite of mine.

2011.

It wasn't until April 2011, when the candle thieves were announced as the supporting act for Darren Hayes NYE show that year that I picked up sunshine and other misfortunes again. I loved it all over again. Sharks and bears, breathing just for you, my little room, not the only one, stars….. It was so full of great songs.

Those months before Dec 2011 seemed to drag so much. I honestly don’t think I’ve ever enjoyed a concert / party more than that night. I might have been drunk but I remember screaming I love this song when we’re all gonna die came on, and I remember loving a few others along the way in that set list. Afterwards we danced until they threw us out, we drank vodka and coke and I was so so happy. I loved that night with my girlies so much. I look back and sometimes can’t believe it happened, or that it’s possible to feel so much joy.

2012.

2012 started with a bang, I was in well and truly in love with the candle thieves now.  I pledged to the new album (not once but twice), for the hand written lyrics sheet and the pledge exclusive album launch.

I promised the guys I would frame my hand written lyrics for we’re all gonna die have fun and they would be one of the first things in my new flat. We got the flat and to this day they sit on my chest of drawers and its one of the first things I see every morning when I reach for my watch and hairbrush whilst trying to get out the door.

The album launch was incredible. There were songs thrown in from rare EP’s I didn’t really know of, and there were the new songs that were just WOW, and there were my old favourites. It’s not every day a man called glock sits at your feet with a keyboard with a sparkler taped to it and plays a song that made you fall in love with the band years earlier. ‘It looks like we made it; it looks like we made it through’. I really wasn’t in a good place when the candle thieves came into my life, but I did indeed make it through. It was an emotional moment of coming full circle. 

Scott came over to me afterwards and said thank you for my album review of balloons. It was just a blog from the heart ,about an album that touched me, and it meant the world that Scott came over and said thanks hails.

Darren Hayes tour came around and I was truly excited to see one of my favourite bands supporting my favourite artist. Those 10 days were some of the best days of my life.

Newcastle - the crowd surfing shark I didn’t know what to do with and singing my little heart out and Scott’s beaming smile back. The flowers that didn’t pop up.

Glasgow – the flowers finally popped. The balloon glock had sent up into the rafters with a lighter, came tumbling down in front of Darren about an hour later. LOL.

London – meeting Scott again. Meeting glock for the first time. It was an amazing day full of so much awesomeness.

Birmingham – the shark got to the 1st balcony. Genius.

Dublin – Oi shark man. That drunk guy beside us was genius. Glock gave him the shark and he gave it to me. It still sits blown up in my room.

Manchester - going to chat to the guys again with friends :)

Brighton – I said a quick hello once more and then the guys signed the aforementioned shark.

After Darren's tour I wished I could see the guys play again.  Then came news of a joint headline tour. I booked Manchester, Nottingham and Stamford. I couldn't make it to Nottingham, but Stamford and Manchester were just delightful.

I almost didn't make it to Stamford, I got stranded in Leicester due to stupid flooding and train failures. Anna and I ended up running around Stamford lost and were late for the gig, we poorly negotiated some uneven stairs, a butterfly scared me to death inside the venue, but we had so much fun. We had a great laugh with Scott when he asked if I’d received my “limited edition” weatherman EP with a pair of glock’s pants. I received the umbrella and print and that will do nicely thanks guys ;) Even though Scott was poorly it was a great afternoon.

Manchester was just SO MUCH FUN. I love the randomness. The good times. Love my girlie Hils and her poorly car, I will never forget the Glock drop during my little room. Or the fact we lost Chris for HOURS because his phone had died.  

The end of 2012 approached and with it my traditional end of year blog. I made Scott the man I’d like to be best friends with in 2012 and balloons that the album that most stirred my soul in 2012. ‘The rock and the bug’ became one of my favourite ever songs. It was my 7th most played of 2012. It really could have been written about me.

"I’m hoping that you’re happy because I’m not...

I really wonder what you see in me, when you could fly away happily..

 It’s a miracle you found me, I appreciate the company”

2013.

I was so excited to see the pre-order go up for the 3rd record. I was a bit apprehensive about the title and it turns out my instincts were right, this is the end. But we won’t go without a bang.

The Candles Thieves will always Shine like Stars to Me.  We’re all gonna die have fun will continue to remind me not to let the dark win and my motto will always be we won’t ever be rich but we could be happy. Thank you to helping me scare away the dark and let my light shine. For taking me to darkest corners of my soul with your music so I could emerge the other side Thank you for being so beautiful to me.

“Always sing your song from your heart, and if your journey has a bumpy start, just remember all good things in time”.

I am sure that 2013 will produce another amazing masterpiece that is all’s well that ends well before one last hooray at Chorlton arts festival. I am so sad to say goodbye to a band I love so dearly but we are gonna have a blast before we do.

I want that 3rd album in my hands. NOW.

I love you guys and what you do so much. Good luck with your next adventures.

With so much love,

Hails. x