Firstly i wanted to thank all the lovely people who came to shows over the past few months on the world tour. I had the best time since sliced bread and hope to be back over again next year.

And now it’s time to travel again on native soil. To start off we”re playing some theatre shows with Sarah Blasko and Kristin Hersh in WA and Tasmania. The details for these are at http://www.sarahblasko.com/.

I apologize to all our friends in the Apple Isle, I know we haven’t done our own show down there for a while but i promise it’ll happen sometime before the next blue moon.

Afterwards we’ll though be doing our own shows in familiar places and some new ones too. Traveling for the first time to Geraldton in WA and performing in some 100 year old stone building. Also The Famous Spiegeltent has invited us to play inside it as part of the Melbourne festival. I realize that the ticket prices are a little higher than usual but I’m told that’s the way it goes with old historical tee-pees so i promise we”ll wear the most expensive clothes we have if that helps.

This tour also marks the first ever show proper in my home town of Gympie.
The show in the Heritage Hall at the Gympie Civic center will be the first time i’ve trodden those boards since reciting “the man from snowy river” for the esteiddfod in highschool. Rumor has it my grandmother has started baking already.

Making up the band on this trip will be Portlands own Cory Gray on piano/trumpet and the wonderful Pikelet on drums who’ll also be supporting with her solo act at most shows. Pikelet and i met for the first time in Europe a few months back and did 2 weeks touring together and had an amazing time. I’m so happy to bring her on the road with us here. This will be the first tour in many years without Bree Van Reyk who’s taking time to concentrate on work with Holly Throsby so we wish her the best with that.

So here”s the official spiel:

DARREN HANLON BACK ON THE ROAD IN SPRINGTIME

With the stamp ink still drying in his passport after an adventure around the globe, Darren Hanlon returns home to play a run of shows on his native soil to make sure Australia hasn’t forgotten him. Over the last three months his journey took him to such exotic locales as Norway, Estonia, Latvia, Italy, UK, France, Germany, Sweden, Finland and the USA. Playing to audiences of anywhere between 10 and 1000 in clubs, book shops, cinemas, churches and even the odd living room, Darren regaled people with his songs and confused them with his thick South East Queensland accent.

“I really needed the adventure”, he confesses, “the shows themselves fell in categories from bizarre to joyous or just plain character building.”

It was also a good time to perform with old friends David Dondero, Don Lennon, Leader and Dear Nora as well as share the stage with musical heros Jeffrey Lewis, Kimya Dawson, Deerhoof and Daniel Johnston.

Throughout the European leg of the tour Darren was joined onstage by Melbourne’s angel-voiced, multi-instrumentalist Pikelet. They had so much fun together the partnership will continue for this Australian tour with Pikelet filling in on drum and vocal duties. Pikelet will also double as the support act for most of the dates, which will be very pleasant.

This will be the last chance to catch Darren before he takes a break next year to work on the follow-up to his most excellent record of 2006, Fingertips and Mountaintops.

DATES AND VENUES

Oct 20
Bootenal Family Tavern, Geraldton
Free!

Oct 27
Jade Monkey, Adelaide
Tickets from CIB on 08 8231 0824 or
www.venuetix.com.au or 08 8225 8888

Oct 28 and 29
The Famous Spiegeltent, Melbourne
http://www.spiegeltent.net/index.php?action=productcatalogue&prodcat_id=1771&prod_id=14237&pageID=4633&sectionID=0

Oct 30
ANU Bar, Canberra
Tickets available from Ticketek – 13 28 49 or www.ticketek.com.au and ANU Union (02) 6125 2446

Oct 31
Factory, Sydney
Tickets available from The Factory website, the Factory Box Office phone number on 9550 3666 and also in person at 130 Enmore Road, Newtown. Website:
http://www.factorytheatre.com.au/events/2007/10/31/darren-hanlon

Nov 1
Galipolli Legion Club, Newcastle
Tickets available from the venue on (02) 49612430

Nov 2
The Top Pub – Uralla
Tickets available from the venue and Black Dot Music Armidale

Nov 3
Bon Amici – Toowoomba
Tickets available from the venue on (07) 46324533

Nov 4
Gympie Civic Centre
Tickets available from Gympie CD Centre (07) 5482 2615

Nov 8
The Globe, Brisbane
Ticket available from OzTix on 1300 762 545 or www.oztix.com.au

Nov 9
Riverstone, Bellingen
Tickets at the door, enquiries Riverstone Shop on (02) 66559099