Over the last fortnight, The Great Circle has wrapped itself around Midnight Oil’s homeland. Seven unique shows have taken the band from Coffs Harbour near Australia’s easternmost point to Perth in the continent’s far west and then back down to Hobart at the southern end of Tasmania. Along the way they played their biggest headlining show of 2017 so far (over 20,000 people at Hope Estate). They did an intimate ‘Sunday sessions’ benefit gig for Ocean charities in Fremantle where they played 10,9,8,7,6,5,4,3,2,1 in its entirety. They busted out two surprise ‘in memoriam’ covers – “Sorry” (in Canberra for Ozrock legend George Young) and “Blueberry Hill” (in Adelaide for Fats Domino).
Two gigs – Perth and Coffs – were momentarily halted while Pete evicted some troublemakers from the moshpit to the cheers of all around them. And the band kept up the 2017 setlist surprises when they treated Tasmania to the first live performance of “Who Can Stand In TheWay” in 30 years plus, aptly enough, a cracking tour premiere of “Burnie”. The critics have been very kind and feathers continue to be ruffled in all the right places. See below for a small taste of what’s been happening as Midnight Oil now turn into the home stretch of an extraordinary year.
Photo: AK Photography
Adelaide Oval 26/10
Photo: Sam Paquette
Rob Hirst, Brisbane 17/10
Coffs Harbour 19/10
Coffs Harbour 19/10
Photo: Jim Moginie
“Fossil Fuels are so passé…” – JM 20/10
Photo: Jim Moginie
“The Pacific Highway near Laurieton NSW in the wet. Land of the Burpai people.” – JM 20/10
Photo: Simone De Peak
Hope Estate, Hunter Valley NSW 21/10
Photo: Simone De Peak
Hope Estate, Hunter Valley NSW 21/10
Hope Estate, Hunter Valley NSW 21/10
Photo: Jack Howard
Hope Estate, Hunter Valley NSW 21/10
Photo: Steve Douglass
Hope Estate, Hunter Valley NSW 21/10
Photo: Jack Howard
Canberra 24/10
Photo: Jim Moginie
“Good Halloween costumes, eh?” – JM 24/10
Photo: Daniel Bedford
Perth 28/10
Photo: Jack Howard
Perth 28/10
Photo: Jim Moginie
“The Perth Mint, Remember the Micklebergs.” – JM 28/10
Photo: Jim Moginie
“With John Royle in Perth. John introduced me to Rob Hirst in 1972. We all formed a band. That was the start of Midnight Oil. Thank you John.” – JM 28/10
“One for the Oceans” benefit gig, Fremantle Arts Centre 29/10
Photo: Jim Moginie
“Signwriting in WA a la Alan Bond. Posters for posterity. Always fun playing 10-1.” – JM 29/10
Photo: Simone De Peak
Hope Estate, Hunter Valley NSW 21/10
