Darren Hanlon, Laura Jean @Mojo's Bar, Fremantle(16/6/2007)

Mon 18th Jun, 2007 in Gig Reviews

Darren Hanlon returned to Perth this weekend to play two intimate shows at Mojo’s Bar in Fremantle, charming crowds with his unassuming wit and consummate storytelling.

Support act Laura Jean warmed the crowd, accompanying her beautiful vocals with guitar. Her tales may have been haunting, as she informed us they were, however most of the audience gave up trying to find out after a few minutes, as the vocals were, for the most part, indecipherable. They were still happy to have her there, letting the sound of her voice augment their conversations, and remaining ready to applaud warmly at the end of each song. Toward the end of her set she claimed the undivided attention of the crowd with her cover of Don Henley’s Boys of Summer, with which she could give Sarah Blasko a run for her money for the best-reinterpretation-of-a-blokey-song award. .

Every available space around the stage was crowded with people eager to be entertained by Hanlon, chatting amiably among themselves as they waited. Hanlon himself had to wend his way through the crowd, excusing himself as he eased his way toward the stage, fans only realising after they had made way for him, that he was the man they had come to see. His walking through the crowd set the tone for the evening, Hanlon entertaining, telling stories, and interacting comfortably with the audience as if he was nothing special. He acted as though it could have been any one of us onstage, but for the machinations of chance.

Hanlon began his set solo, accompanying himself on banjo, but was soon joined by a band to help him through the more upbeat songs of the Fingertips and Mountaintops album, interspersed with songs from his earlier releases. The audience were rapt and attentive, calling out encouraging words, and at least two declarations of love, and at their insistence, Hanlon returned to the stage for an encore, took requests and was surprised when the entire crowd sang happy birthday to him. He claimed it was his 41st, and no one believed him. Even the staff loved him, shouting him several birthday shots during the performance.

The two hour set flew by, and Hanlon can take credit for rekindling the flame in at least one relationship, for, standing front left of the stage, a couple were busy grinding their goods against each other, though they never took their eyes off him for a second, it looked as thought they might not make it home. Looking around, it was clear that his lyrics had deep spiritual significance for a good number of couples who clasped hands or waists as Hanlon reminded them of the simple joy of being in love.

Though many in the crowd sang along throughout the set, at the encore, Hanlon asked the audience to sing a part in – œThe best song written in the last 100 years.’ and proceeded to teach us the harmonic line in Georgio Moroder’s Together in Electric Dreams. The audience loved it, and loved him, and were so enthusiastic about the song, that they sang along all the way through, and forgot to sing the part they were asked to sing, and even though Hanlon warned that the song wouldn’t work without it, the singers didn’t care, they sang. The song still worked, because Hanlon made it work.

Consider yourself warned; if you see him live next time around, he will make you work too, but you will thank him for it.