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Harts has sole ambition

CONCERT

Harts

Amplifier

Friday, June 12

REVIEW SIMON COLLINS

4

Darren Hart makes his guitar talk, walk, fly, cry, sigh, fill in your tax return and get you home before your parents even notice you were gone. He’s that good – sorry, great.

Too early to say that? Never heard of him? You bloody well should sort that out. As the bloke with the hat who had that show on the ABC mumbled, do yourself a favour.

But we’re getting ahead of ourselves.

Darren Hart is Harts – Chennai-born, Melbourne-based funk guitar god, falsetto singer extraordinaire, Jimi Hendrix and Prince disciple and one-man music machine.

At his first ever, and very much overdue, WA show at city venue Amplifier on Friday night, Harts’ solo show was bolstered by the powerhouse drumming of Emmanuel Bourakis.

But his crashing thunder was the backdrop to Hart, who worked two microphones, a synthesiser, effects pedals and the stage – plus his psychedelically decorated Fender Squier Stratocaster guitar – to get the near-capacity venue grooving to songs blending funk, rock, blues and pop.

Kicking off with Angels Walk Below off Daydreamer, Harts’ brilliant debut album of last year, the sonic magician set the scene, kissing the sky with riffs (excuse me) while dropping to his knees.

The funky glide of Lovers in Bloom segued into Breakthrough, a harder strutting blues-inflected number off the brand new EP of the same name. The rabble rousing Streets, from the same release, highlighted that the tyros’ debt to Hendrix extended well beyond his impressive mop of hair.

The relatively sparse and bluesy Red and Blue, Harts’ breakthrough single, saw the dialogue between guitar and voice continue. The punters joined the conversation, helpfully punctuating the chorus with yelps.

Tide, from Daydreamer, finished the show way too soon. Hart showed off by playing an epic solo with his guitar behind his noggin. Made it look easy.

The superstar-in-the-making quickly returned for a cover of Hendrix’s Purple Haze that was so wicked even West Coast Eagles’ fans had to boogie.

Nine songs. One hour of power. Not enough, but plenty. Like I said, do yourself a favour.