December 2020 was the first time in 16 years Darren Hanlon couldn’t embark on his national Christmas tour.
So this year with the borders opening just wide enough for him to sneak in a couple of shows down south in Sydney and Melbourne he’s doing just that, with a show in his home state of Queensland in Brisbane at the historic Balmoral Cinema.
Additionally, Hanlon was excited by the idea of playing some smaller community shows as part of this year’s Christmas tour as he had just returned from a 15 show ‘Small Halls’ tour of Western Queensland and thoroughly enjoyed the experience.
Hanlon has invited a cast of characters along for the Queensland leg including the amazing Tasmanian folk singer Claire Anne Taylor.
Born in a barn built by her parents in Tasmania’s ancient Tarkine forest, Taylor’s music is reflective of her wild and remote upbringing.
Hanlon is also bringing along a couple of people he met and bonded with on the recent ‘Small Halls’ tour, both of them octogenarian.
Uncle Herb Wharton is an Aboriginal exstockman turned celebrated poet and novelist.
Being a fan of his writing Hanlon tracked him down while in Cunnamulla and the pair spent an afternoon yarning on Wharton’s veranda.
Being an avid traveller, the author lamented about being grounded for two years due to Covid.
Hanlon promised he’d try and include him in this year’s tour.
Herb will be reading a story each night about his experiences and memories of Christmas out on remote cattle stations.
Also coming along is the emcee from Hanlon’s recent Muckadilla show, David Bowden.
“We just connected,” says Hanlon, “and he really got the crowd revved up in a very funny and old fashioned way.
“Plus the day after the show he gave me a tour of Roma in his hearse so that really won me over!
“I’m most excited to see how his style works at the inner-city Brisbane show.
“They’re really gonna get a slice of Muckadilla.
“Plus he’s gonna be travelling the whole tour in his hearse!”
As for the show itself, it’ll be business as usual, with Hanlon playing a selection of songs from his ever-growing catalogue, including his latest single ‘Lapsed Catholic’.
The song comes equipped with the candid and acutely observant lyrics Hanlon has become widely known for and is the first release from Darren’s 6th studio album ‘Life Tax’ due for release in March 2022.
The music video was filmed at various locations in his home town of Gympie.
Hanlon himself says of Lapsed Catholic: “It’s not a comment on Catholics themselves but the administration”.
“I was brought up Catholic.
“The song was a knee jerk reaction after the parish priest handed out an anti-gay marriage petition at a Christmas Eve mass a few years ago.
“I had gay friends who were in the congregation, and they must’ve felt pretty conflicted.
“In the end, this song became less a protest as first intended, but more a map of my journey out of the Catholic franchise.
“Thankfully I’ve never lost my sense of wonder in terms of spirituality, just the Catholic guidebook towards it.”
‘Lapsed Catholic’ will be Hanlon’s first release since the lockdown inspired single ‘We All Cope in Different Ways’.
The unlikely radio hit became an ABC and Double J favourite, and won the 2020 audience-voted best song on Henry Wagon’s ‘Tower of Song’ show.
And landed on some heavy-hitting Spotify playlists.
As 2021 nears its end, it’s an increasingly busy time for Hanlon including being the feature Artist in Residence across Australian Music Month in November 2021 on Double J.
And he has voiced a cameo character on the new series of Bluey that was released on 22 November.
Also in the works is a five-part podcast telling the story of Darren’s life and career produced and created by Mike Williams which will be released in early 2022.
Jenny McCarthy from the Glen Aplin Memorial Hall Committee says that “with the Festival of Small Halls giving our community hall a heartbeat over the last couple of years bringing live music to locals surrounding our area and beyond, we look super forward to Darren gracing the stage”.
“We thought this would be a good opportunity and great news story to support Stanthorpe and the arts. I know it will be a fantastic night and hope that people will have the opportunity to come and share Darren’s and friends stories.”
