Ah, go on then... *Dark Light tour spoilers*

[Moondreamer]

^^ Well...I went last night to the first show, the Manchester show. It was...nice. [img]smile.gif[/img]
I mean, it was nice to just be there and hear the music from a different perspective.

The support band, Honeymoon, were good. Not *really* my style of music, but they weren't bad at all. It was funny when they had a few technical problems and ended up laughing and joking with us all while they tried to sort it out. They put me in mind of the Cardigans in their sound. The female singer had a lovely voice, she was Icelandic, and I think the rest of them were British. They did several original songs from their album, including what they said would be released as their single. One song was called Passive Agressive [muhahahaPlaceeeeebo!] and then they did a "Kate Bush cover" and I thought...oh my gosh... it's probably Running Up That Hill. And it WAS! XD [For those of you who don't have a clue what I'm going on about, Placebo have a *wonderful* cover of this song]. It was good, but as I am biased, it could not top my babies' version. *g*

My throat is OK today because I didn't scream at all, though I cheered him on and danced to a few songs. He performed several songs from The Tension and the Spark, including Darkness, Pop!ular, Light, Dublin Sky, I Forgive You, Unloveable, and I Like The Way. He opened with Void and closed with Feel, which was just him and the piano [as in, he was playing the piano]. He played a little piano [chords and such] in another song too [I think it was Light].

The set was very imaginative and stuck with the theme of the album, I was actually really impressed with it and it was very interesting. There were TVs on stage [I think about four?] and quite a bit of digital gadgetry for Robert to play around with...lamps and stuff, so the stage reflected the artwork from TTATS. There was a big glowing red neon heart thing at one corner of the stage. There was also a great deal of interesting lighting effects [Willie Williams has not lost his touch] and backgrounds that occasionally appeared in a huge screenlike display at the back of the stage, curtains etc. True to the album's theme it did keep veering from darkness and back again, using a lot of shadow to contrast with the bright lights. A few times the lighting was very reminiscent of the lighting for the Affirmation tour, with similiar flashing arrangements and things. It was just Robert and Darren on stage for the first few songs and then they drafted in the new band members, Keith and George, when they needed them. Occasionally Keith and George would go backstage for a bit when it was just meant to be Robert and Darren again.

I'm still not very familiar with the new album as I haven't listened to it much, but I can really tell you he did me proud, even if I don't feel the same way I used to do about him. It was pretty wonderful to not have to scream and show my appreciation with so much hysteria, just to sing along with the words I knew and manage to catch his eye a few times [mostly because everyone around me was going crazy and I just...wasn't XD I'm hoping he wasn't offended, because I was just standing there with a little smile on my face when there was any reminder of old memories].

I very much liked I Like The Way and I Forgive You, and I was quite fond of Darkness as well. I'm sorry I can't remember the exact order of the songs, maybe I'll be able to glean a setlist from someone else's review, or it'll come back to me eventually.

My favourite part of the show was the audience participation part, predictably because it was all about Savage Garden. He performed Break Me Shake Me and To The Moon And Back [only a little bit of it mind you] and later he went to pick somebody from the audience. I was eight rows back and he was considering people further my way, but to be honest I would have keeled over if he'd chosen me. [img]tongue.gif[/img] He pointed out a few people in the audience and said something like he thought some of us might go insane if picked so he should be careful. Then he said how "I always choose girls, I think I need to pick a boy!" and he did, a boy called Stef dressed in a bright red t-shirt in something like the fourth or fifth row.
This segment of the show was all to do with an iPod, and Darren explained to us that Stef had to help him out on stage because it was a Savage Garden hits karaoke. Troy! XD appeared on stage to help with this. There were a few SG songs on the iPod and Darren was asking for suggestions on which hits to perform [cue plenty of insane shouting from the audience!] He eventually went with Hold Me, which was absolutely lovely, and got Stef to sing a couple of lines at the end [badly, as Darren teased him afterwards, but he was so sweet. XD] Then he performed I Want You, which was really fun, and got Stef to film him as he did it. It was really lovely; Darren got Stef's mate up on stage to take a picture of them together "You *are* his friend, aren't you? Oh good, thank God for that!" [img]tongue.gif[/img]
When Stef was filming I Want You he got to turn around the camera and film himself with Darren too. I bet he is *reeling* today, he seemed like a big fan [knowing Hold Me, and all that].

After this they returned to the set. Among the remaining songs on TTATS that I've previously mentioned, Darren also sang Strange Relationship earlier on and also Insatiable. One of the truly wonderful highlights of the night were his renditions of both Crash and Burn and Two Beds And A Coffee Machine [which I had expected he might do and it was beautiful]. He didn't play the piano himself this one. I missed Daniel very much during this song, but I'm trying not to harp on about it because I know it's probably annoying. [img]wink.gif[/img] He also did the token Truly Madly Deeply, and I Knew I Loved You, which seemed slightly slower than their original carnations and were nice to hear, and Affirmation. When he did Pop!ular he donned his pair of dark sunglasses and was ever so slightly camp and funny with a couple of crotch grabby type moves, which got most of the crowd going *g*

As I said, he ended with Feel, as part of the encore. There was one costume change in the entire show, which he did backstage obviously but they purposely set up a teasing GDR-style shadow-light screen where you could very clearly see his shadow getting changed behind it. XD

Mum and I waited around for a little bit after the show outside just to wave goodbye and stuff, but it was very cold and we had to catch the last Metrolink home, and they were still packing up the equipment when we left so I suspect he wouldn't have shown up for a while.

To sum up, it was a great show and I liked it. It was, like I've said, really nice and refreshing to hear his voice in this way, and actually just stand and listen to how beautiful it really is. It was very pure, very smooth like honey, like it's always been, but perhaps with a new maturity. He still used high notes but the falsetto was understated and I liked that, he made use of many low notes, very gorgeous. Things might have changed for me as a fan but I will never deny what a wonderful talent he is. The only thing I was extremely disappointed about was that he *didn't* sing Mine despite a lot of specualation that he would and the fact that me mentioned it to me in a chat [I'll be having certain words with him about this! O_o] I mean, I understand why he didn't, it's not a very well known song, but it would have made me very happy to hear it live.

But...in closing, anyone who's still going to see him is in for a real treat, probably more so than I was given my lack of enthusiasm [img]wink.gif[/img] But really, it was a good gig and I appreciated it a whole lot. And because hardly any gig is complete without girly tears from your over-emotional me, I'll let you know I did cry a little [To The Moon And Back, and Two Beds And A Coffee Machine].

If you are attending a concert, do enjoy! <3

xxSam

P.S. I've probably forgotten a few songs or whatever too, but, ah...you'll deal. With the iPod thing especially [and not to mention Darren's love of changing his mind] I don't know if all your songs will be the same at other concerts. It's like HIM...they sometimes like to change their setlist for each show. ^^

P.P.S. I apologize for the crazy crazy ramble thing. ^^

<font color="#9966FF"><font size="1">[ November 16, 2004 11:20 AM: Message edited by: MoonDreamer ]</font></font>

<font color="#9966FF" size="1">[ November 16, 2004 11:26 AM: Message edited by: MoonDreamer ]</font>

[gracie32]

Thank you Sam for the review. It wasn't a crazy ramble at all. [img]smile.gif[/img]

[sunhawk]

good review Sam!! ^____^ [img]graemlins/thumbs_up.gif[/img]

[BarbT]

Thanks Sam for that wonderful review, based on it I will wander off and see him if he comes to Adelaide next year. Also planning for the girls and I to sit front row balcony because I couldn't abide the claustrophobic front row+ stuff again, not to mention the squealing, lol.

<font color="#9966FF" size="1">[ November 16, 2004 11:06 PM: Message edited by: BarbT ]</font>

[BBD]

Well what a crazy 20+ hours I've just had!

I left my house at 7am to catch the boat and we got to SBE about 11.30, and had our hands numbered so there was no mistaking where people were in the queue( I was the 23rd person there!). Met LOADS of people, it was great to meet Janie and Laurie

Darren arrived about 3pm and we just caught a glimpse of him as he went inside closely followed by Troy.

After much pushing and shoving in the queue and the staff at SBE not giving a stuff about doing their jobs properly they finalluy opened the doors at just gone 7 and we made a mad dash inside and was a couple of rows behind the VIP's.

The Honeymoon were ok-ish IMO, the first couple of songs seemed good but them the rest sounded all the same. Then at 9pm out came DARREN!!! Boy did he look good or what! He started with Void then onto Darkness, and can't remember the order of the rest of them, but there was ALOT of SG stuff including a fantastic rendition of BMSM, he also sang Hold Me,IWY, C&B ( with the help of an audience member!), as well as loads off TTATS, Dublin Sky, I like the Way,Popular, I Forgive You and he sung Unloveable followed by TBAACM, which reduced me to tears, I was stood there like a blubbering wreck! I can;t remember all the songs he sang as it went by SO quickly.

The stage was VERY interesting, lots of stuff projected onto a white screen behind him, a couple of TV screens with various images on them, it was very different but very intriguing. The costume change was good! You could see him getting changed behind the screen, which created more than a few squeals!!

It all went by way too quickly, and afterwards went and bought a t shirt and a tour prog type thingy , it's more like a set of postcards with stuff written on the back. Then went outside to say goodbye to everyone and had to dash to get the boat home or I'd have been swimming the solent! I finally got in at 2.30am, I can barely feel my legs, my feet are throbbing, I've had about 2 hours sleep in the last 36 but can't wait to do it all again next Wednesday!
[img]smile.gif[/img]

[twizzle]

I really enjoyed reading that Sam so thank you very much for posting it. [img]smile.gif[/img]

I know what you mean about being 'apart' from the rest of the audience. I remember quite clearly just standing there looking at him whilst he sang ? (something) during the Hammersmith gig on the TCFC tour and I must've caught his eye, just as you did, cos at one point he was looking right back at me. I don't suppose that he's used to ppl under-reacting. [img]wink.gif[/img] *g* It's not that I wasn't enjoying myself or his performance but it's just that my 'fandom' has changed radically from what it was (much like yours has) and I can take a step back from all the mayhem and insanity. It makes for a much better experience, imho. [img]smile.gif[/img]

I'm quite look forward to tomorrow's gig now. [img]smile.gif[/img]

[Kattitude]

sounds like a good time was had by all

dont worry Sam I would join you in a " I miss Daniel sobfest whinge* for hours lol but thats just me. Having Robert on stage would be a reminder.

but anyhoooooo least it was somewhat fun and he sang well and such.

Barb its a big IF I reckon.

Kat

[DarrensPassion]

Sam, thanks for your very comprehensive review of Manchester [img]smile.gif[/img] Glad you enjoyed it. I was really pleased he included so much SG stuff because not being able to ever go to a live SG show sort of made up for that [img]smile.gif[/img]

Janie xx