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DVD - Darren Hayes - The Time Machine Tour DVD

Reviews, By Cheetah77, 29th July, 2008

It has been a busy couple of years for Darren Hayes. He (finally) came out to the world, got married (to his husband) and divorced (from his record company). As the label head and CEO of his own independent label, Powdered Sugar, he released his double album This Delicate Thing We’ve Made and toured his show all over Australia and the UK.

This concert recording took place on the last night of the show, in his hometown of Brisbane and like most of Darren’s work, the concert is entertaining, honest and without pretence. When stripped back and laid bare, you can’t help but see the pure talent. The many layers of his songs all stand on their own without needing to be propped up by amazing sets and back up dancers that some performers rely on.

The concert opens with the first song the album – A Fear Of Falling Under, and moves through a selection of tracks from his album including singles On The Verge of Something Wonderful, Casey as well as Step Into the Light which many would know from nightclub dance floors around the country. Like his album, a large part of the show’s focus reflects on the past and what we’d do differently if we had the chance to go back. With each passing song one gets the sense that this project was very cathartic for Darren and when he chats to the audience, he creates an instant intimacy in spite of the sheer size of the venue.

As a fan, it’s a side of Darren I welcomed, one that made me feel as though I knew something more about him than I did before. Making their own story relatable for their fans is the sign of a brilliant artist.

Most of the songs performed here are from his latest CD although he does throw in a couple of old faves for the fans –his solo hits Insatiable and Darkness, and I Want You, The Best Thing and Affirmation from his Savage Garden days. This is the one area I wasn’t 100% happy with and would have loved for him to include some of his other solo material. Still, he does a brilliant job with the songs that he does perform – his voice is pitch-perfect and his boundless energy and enthusiasm drive the show forward from start to finish.

The staging is simple but effective – massive ramps descend to the stage and are put to good use, and a 24 foot animatronic steel and neon origami bird is absolutely awesome when it’s revealed during Casey. He also spends a few numbers in the middle of the show saturated in green lasers – always a crowd pleaser! The lighting and sets are creative and interesting and have been well-designed to compliment Darren as he performs.

In terms of DVD special features, there are none. Some nice looking menus, but that’s it. A bit of time and money could definitely have been spent there but the quality of the concert more than makes up for it.

I’ve always found Darren to be an artist that most people don’t like – too cheesy, too pop, too daggy. I think this concert and his latest album prove that he is so much more than a pop star. He is an artist in love with his career and continues to deliver with each new project. I can’t wait for the next one!