Darren Hanlon, Shelley Short @Tilley's Devine Cafe, Canberra(14/8/10)

Mon 16th Aug, 2010 in Gig Reviews

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In an epic 22 song set, Darren Hanlon thrilled the Canberra crowd last Saturday night at Tilley’s Devine Cafe in Lyneham.

Portland, Oregon beauty and songstress, Shelley Short, started the night’s entertainment with an intimate and acoustic set with Cory Gray on keys and trumpet. Short has collaborated with Darren Hanlon on his new album I Will Love You At All and it’s easy to see why with her beautiful voice.

After an intermission allowing the crowd enough time to get another bottle of red and a slice of cake, Darren Hanlon strode out on stage to everyone’s delight.

Tilley’s is a favourite of Hanlon’s, and he noted during his set he is grateful to Tilley’s for allowing him to play the venue once again given their limits on live shows these days. Those lucky enough to snap up the tickets were grateful too and revelling in the intimacy that is a Tilley’s show (well unless you end up sharing a booth with a complete stranger).

Hanlon opened the set alone with Electric Skeleton from 2009 album Pointing Ray Guns At Pagans. He was then joined by his band; long-time collaborator Cory Gray, bass player Mark Monnone of The Lucksmiths fame and Triple J’s Steph Hughes on drums for new track, Butterfly Bones.

Shelley Short joined Hanlon and the band on stage for several songs and this is where she really shined. Short seems a crucial part of the live show for I Will Love You At All and her voice gives a beautiful lift to Hanlon’s songs. Despite seeming almost cripplingly shy, the interaction between the two is sweet and endearing. Scenes From A Separation, If Only My Heart Were Made Of Stone and All These Things come off just beautifully live.

Hanlon was his usual charming and affable self, happily chatting with or being heckled by, various unrelenting audience members. He attempted to swap some CDs for fireworks at one point and sheepishly admitted despite having played Canberra many times in the past 10 years, he missed the turn-off on the way in on Saturday.

At the mid-way point of the show, the band left the stage leaving Hanlon with his banjo to to play a few songs including Pinball Millionaire and Folk Insomnia. Proving he can still write a song-in-a-day, he pulled out an amusing newie about missing a bus in the US with Hughes and Short on backing vocals and invoking the year 3 school-yard with some playful hand-clapping games. Hanlon also tested Hughes – his newest recruit – asking her to play drums for Squash a song she’d never played before (and perhaps hadn’t heard). The crowd loved this spontaneity and you can see the awe and adoration on their faces as they sit back and watch him entertain.

Hanlon and the band played a four-song encore which included Elbows, Buy Me Presents and a cover of Electric Dreams. But this wasn’t enough for the Tilley’s crowd and their unrelenting clapping and cheering was rewarded by a second encore with only their man-of-the-moment on stage playing old favourite Punk’s Not Dead to wrap up the night.

Hanlon and co. then made themselves very available at the merch desk for chats and signing of t-shirts and you got the feeling everyone left feeling they had their own personal exchange with Hanlon. He really must be one of the hardest working musicians in the industry.

CHECK OUT THE GALLERY HERE!