Darren Hayes - Do You Remember? Tour

Date: April 24, 2023

Location: Somerville Theater, Somerville, MA

Savage Garden played a huge soundtrack of my junior high days in the late 1990s/early 2000s. I absolutely adored Darren Hayes’  high falsetto voice. “I Knew I Loved You Before I Met You” would be playing constantly on MTV (when they played music videos) and sometimes on Disney Channel. The song would also be played at middle school dances. I remember watching Savage Garden performing Affirmation at the 2000 Olympics Closing Ceremony in Sydney, Australia on TV. 

So when Darren announced he was finally going back on his solo tour with added US tour dates, I knew I had to see Darren perform live. Originally, I was going to his New York concert. Of course after purchasing the NY tickets, Darren added Somerville (my hometown!) to his tour roster! 

Fortunately I was able to sell my NY tickets and grabbed great seats for the Somerville show. 

The Venue

The Somerville Theater is located in Davis Square which is an easy 15-20 minutes away from my apartment (combination of bus and walk). Mainly a movie theater, the venue has a smaller stage but provides a more intimate setting. Not to mention amazing acoustics! I could definitely smell Darren’s cologne where I was sitting. I also had a great view of Darren, the band and the back up singers/dancers. 

Originally I had gone to this concert alone. But I ended up meeting up with friends I saw at previous concerts as well as making new ones.

VIP Sound Check and Q&A 

Before the show, Darren did a soundcheck for the VIP audience. He tested and marked 1-2 songs including All You Pretty Things with his back up singers and dancers. From the soundcheck, I could tell Darren is very particular on how he delivers the performances and wants to make sure everything is succinct. 

Darren then took some questions and answers with the audience. We had to submit the questions in advance and his tour manager would select a few for Darren to answer. During the Q&A, we learned that Darren is planning to write a memoir. He also does not have a favorite Darren Hayes or Savage Garden song. He sees his songs as his children and picking a favorite song is like picking a favorite child. Despite the structured Q&A, I felt like I got to know Darren better as a person and a performer.  Also, since this was the last show, the tour crew took a group photo.

The Show

The concert, overall, was enticing and energetic. The two-hour show (with NO opening act) was non-stop entertainment with so much love and passion. Darren and his team carefully and thoughtfully curated and designed a fully jam-packed concert with multiple costume changes.

The setlist contained a mixture of Savage Garden songs and Darren Hayes solo songs, a combination of upbeat songs and ballads.The show included lively choreography and dance routines. I’m amazed that Darren can still dance! There was one segment routine where he moves around with this massive large fabric hanging from the ceiling. That particular choreography was intricate and I thought for sure he was going to get tangled in the cloth. Also, I loved how the band and the backup singers were an intricate part of the show rather than staying in the background. 

Furthermore, Darren’s voice is so velvety where he could still hit those high falsetto notes like he did in 1999. During the VIP event, we did learn that Darren takes meticulous care of his voice. He warms up his voice before soundcheck and before the main show. Darren also carries multiple suitcases for supplies just to protect his voice.  

My favorite performances were when he sang Savage Garden’s “Affirmation” and “The Animal Song”. But when Darren started singing the classic hit, “I Knew I Loved You”, I almost wanted to cry. That song with the accompanying melody just reinvigorated so many emotions and feelings.

My other favorite performance was “Two Beds and A Coffee Machine”. Darren truly poured his whole heart on the stage and displayed remarkable vulnerability. The song is about his dark childhood and his mother escaping domestic violence and an abusive relationship.   

Since the Somerville show was the last show of the Do You Remember Tour? Darren took the time to thank the stage crew, his band, and the fans. He was definitely humble, grateful and overwhelmed by the crowd turnout and ticket sales. 

I definitely enjoyed myself at the Do You Remember Tour. Darren Hayes is an amazing performer and entertainer. I hope he tours the US again and totally recommend you see him if you can.