Saw Midnight Oil Last Night (spoliers)

[SteveSly]

I saw Midnight Oil at the Rivera Theater in Chicago last night on what they are saying will be their last tour. The main members of the band are all in their late sixty’s now, but you would never know it as these guys have as much energy today as when I saw them back in their heyday. Along with the four members of the classic lineup the band was augmented with two female backing vocalists Leah Flannigan (who was also the opening act) and Liz Stringer, Adam Ventoura on bass who replaced Bones Hillman who passed away a few years ago, and Andy Bickers on sax. I had not seen Midnight Oil since they played my hometown on in the early 90’s. Unfortunately, they never came back to my area. When I heard this was going to be the final tour I decided to make the trek to Chicago to see it. The band is also supporting their excellent new album “Resist” of which they played several selections. The setlist spanned the band’s entire career and was about as good as you could hope for with the hits and a bunch of deep cuts. Peter Garrett’s voice is as strong as ever and his quirky stage dancing is as wonderfully odd as ever. Rob Hirst was amazing on drums and percussion even being featured in a short solo that was just long enough to not wear out it’s welcome. You would never know Hirst is approaching seventy as his energy was off the charts. The Oil’s also pulled out an acoustic oriented set that was very cool. My only criticism was that from where were sitting the sound was not great. Sometimes when Garrett talked it was extremely hard to understand what he was saying. The overall mix was muddy as well. We were sitting pretty high up in the theater, so maybe it was better down low. Other than that, I can’t think of how this show could have been any better. The Oil’s put on a 2 hour tour de force with two encores. This band still has so much to offer that I hope that they do not call it quits, but if this is it, that is a hell of a way to go out. This tour is pretty limited, but if it is coming to your town, go see it.

Here is the setlist:

NOBODY’S CHILD
TRUGANINI
UNDERCOVER
THE BARKA-DARLING RIVER
PUT DOWN THAT WEAPON
DON’T WANNA BE THE ONE
REDNECK WONDERLAND
TONE POEM
FIRST NATION
GADIGAL LAND
THE DEAD HEART
TARKINE
U.S. FORCES
KOSCIUSKO
ONLY THE STRONG
WHOAH
BLUE SKY MINE
POWER AND THE PASSION
BEDS ARE BURNING
FORGOTTON YEARS

ENCORE:

KING OF THE MOUNTAIN
HERCULES

ENCORE II:

DREAMWORLD
BEST OF BOTH WORLDS

[dropforge]

Great review, Steve. Really cool band and a nice setlist ("Outside World" would be my choice for a surprise deep cut).

Too bad former bassist Peter Gifford didn't come back. His Fender Precision attack was an integral part of their sound on the '80s albums. I understand he sold his company, so maybe he's simply enjoying the good life.

[SteveSly]

Great review, Steve. Really cool band and a nice setlist ("Outside World" would be my choice for a surprise deep cut).

Too bad former bassist Peter Gifford didn't come back. His Fender Precision attack was an integral part of their sound on the '80s albums. I understand he sold his company, so maybe he's simply enjoying the good life.

They have been swapping out songs in the set list on different nights and I believe they have been doing "Outside World" at some shows, but not last night. I was kind of hoping for "One Country" which they didn't do, but overall I thought the set list was great.

Regarding Gifford, agree it would be great if they could lure him back to the band, but I also don't know exactly what his situation is now that he sold his company.

[interbellum]

If everything goes as planned I'll be seeing the band on July 2nd. It will be the second time I'll visit a show of Midnight Oil. 1985 was the first time (so before the breakthru-album Diesel And Dust), when they played 5 tracks at The Hague's Parkpop: https://midnight-oil.info/discography/bootleg/28 At that time I had two albums (10, 9, 8 ... and Red Sails In The Sunset). Great show, especially because you could see them from very close as hardly anybody knew the band at that time.

[SteveSly]

If everything goes as planned I'll be seeing the band on July 2nd. It will be the second time I'll visit a show of Midnight Oil. 1985 was the first time (so before the breakthru-album Diesel And Dust), when they played 5 tracks at The Hague's Parkpop: https://midnight-oil.info/discography/bootleg/28 At that time I had two albums (10, 9, 8 ... and Red Sails In The Sunset). Great show, especially because you could see them from very close as hardly anybody knew the band at that time.

The show in Chicago was at a 2500 seat theater and it appeared to be full. You are going to love it!

[Sturgeon's Lawyer]

They sound great, but, boy Peter Garrett looks like he's days -- no, minutes! -- away from death. I can see why they're not going to tour anymore.

Of course, many bands have said this and then changed their minds...

[SteveSly]

They sound great, but, boy Peter Garrett looks like he's days -- no, minutes! -- away from death. I can see why they're not going to tour anymore.

Of course, many bands have said this and then changed their minds...

I get that he is very thin, but I don't think he looks all that much different than he ever has. He looks older for sure, and I don't think the dude has an ounce of fat on his body so is skinny as a rail, but he was all over the stage the whole night. I hope I am in that good of shape when I am 69.

[Sturgeon's Lawyer]

TBH, my opinion on that was largely formed before I even played the clip -- based on the still image it displays to invite playing. It's probably partly the lighting, but he looks half-past haggard.

[moecurlythanu]

TBH, my opinion on that was largely formed before I even played the clip -- based on the still image it displays to invite playing. It's probably partly the lighting, but he looks half-past haggard.

Merle?

[Geoff O'Donoghue]

Here's the full vid from Chicago's recent show (dunno how long it will be up). Garrett looks well - much as when I saw them In Brisbane a little while back.

[SteveSly]

Here's the full vid from Chicago's recent show (dunno how long it will be up). Garrett looks well - much as when I saw them In Brisbane a little while back.

Wow, very cool. Thanks for posting!

[Digital_Man]

This is a band that I never really explored as much as I should have. I had their red sails on cassette and knew diesel and dust because my brother had it and I also later had the earth and sun and moon album but other than those(which were all a really long time ago) they are a band I never returned to which has more to do with the amount of music out there than anything else. Anyway, a great band that I wouldn't mind seeing live but too short notice this time around. I hope you had fun though.

As a sidenote, my first recollection of them had to do with a rock magazine that my dad bought for me when I was about 12 or 13. I don't remember if it was Creem or what magazine it was but the cover had a picture of this weird looking bald guy (or at least weird is what I thought of at the time because most men didn't shave their heads at that time) with the caption "they're not punk, their not pop and they're not kidding." I knew nothing of them and never even heard them. It wasn't until about five years later or so that I first heard their music when "beds are burning" became a big hit.

[SteveSly]

This is a band that I never really explored as much as I should have. I had their red sails on cassette and knew diesel and dust because my brother had it and I also later had the earth and sun and moon album but other than those(which were all a really long time ago) they are a band I never returned to which has more to do with the amount of music out there than anything else. Anyway, a great band that I wouldn't mind seeing live but too short notice this time around. I hope you had fun though.

As a sidenote my first recollection of them had to do with a rock magazine that my dad bought for me when I was about 12 or 13. I don't remember if it was Creem or what magazine it was but the cover had a picture of this weird looking bald guy (or at least weird is what I thought of at the time because most men didn't shave their heads at that time) with the caption "they're not punk, their not pop and they're not kidding." I knew nothing of them and never even heard them. It wasn't until about five years later or so that I first heard their music when "beds are burning" became a big hit.

I had never heard of them until "Beds Are Burning", but eventually explored most of their catalogue. My person favorite album is "Blue Sky Mining", but opinions will differ. That description of them not punk and not pop is right on the money. They were always kind of their own special thing.

[3LockBox]

I had never heard of them until "Beds Are Burning", but eventually explored most of their catalogue. My person favorite album is "Blue Sky Mining", but opinions will differ. That description of them not punk and not pop is right on the money. They were always kind of their own special thing.

Same here. Although there was some confusion at first as the Beds Are Burning video hit MTV right around the same time The Hills Have Eyes movie came out. "They're not the same guy, right?"

[SteveSly]

Same here. Although there was some confusion at first as the Beds Are Burning video hit MTV right around the same time The Hills Have Eyes movie came out. "They're not the same guy, right?"

Ha, yes I remember that!

[Sturgeon's Lawyer]

I don't know the Oils by albums but by individual songs. My favorites would include "Read About It", "Dead Heart", "Forgotten Years", and "Blue Sky Mine". They are probably the best oldschool punk band still playing (though even they broke up for a while....)

[arturs]

I had never heard of them until "Beds Are Burning", but eventually explored most of their catalogue. My person favorite album is "Blue Sky Mining", but opinions will differ. That description of them not punk and not pop is right on the money. They were always kind of their own special thing.

Same. For me Blue Sky was the one that really clicked with me. D&D was good but a little uneven. I checked out after ESM and probably have not listened since. Though I did buy a best-of CD in the 1990s. Need to try and find that.

Great band for what they were. IIRC I first read about them in Musician magazine. "Not pop. Not punk. NOT kidding!" was the title.

[3LockBox]

Great band for what they were. IIRC I first read about them in Musician magazine. "Not pop. Not punk. NOT kidding!" was the title.

Kinda like Midnight Oil is Australia's answer to The Tragically Hip

[SteveSly]

Same. For me Blue Sky was the one that really clicked with me. D&D was good but a little uneven. I checked out after ESM and probably have not listened since. Though I did buy a best-of CD in the 1990s. Need to try and find that.

Great band for what they were. IIRC I first read about them in Musician magazine. "Not pop. Not punk. NOT kidding!" was the title.

They kind of fell off the radar after ESM and like you I did not get any of their later stuff until the new one came out which is an outstanding album.

[SteveSly]

Kinda like Midnight Oil is Australia's answer to The Tragically Hip

I never really thought of that, but yes it is an apt comparison.

[SteveSly]

I don't know the Oils by albums but by individual songs. My favorites would include "Read About It", "Dead Heart", "Forgotten Years", and "Blue Sky Mine". They are probably the best oldschool punk band still playing (though even they broke up for a while....)

Peter Garret served as a member of the Aussi version of congress for several years and then served as Minister of The Environment and Minister Of Education which put a dent in his musical career for a long time. The guy has certainly lived a full life.

[Mythos]

Yeah, I saw them back around 1982 in Hollywood, fun band, sorry to see it's their last go round...

still love BEDS ARE BURNING

[Jerjo]

Fantastic. I wish I could have seen them. I've got several studio albums and a couple great live boots.

Years ago, a friend was going to a festival in the Twin Cities and he was debating which end of the festival to grab a seat at. One had Soul Asylum as the headliner, with Midnight Oil coming on right before them. That was the one he was going to skip, because he had seen Soul Asylum (forget "Runaway Train", they were a full force punk/hard rock band live) a few times and thought the Oils were just a pop band with a couple of hits. I said, you want to see the Oils and SA, get as close to the stage as possible. The Oils will absolutely tear the place apart and SA, being this is their hometown, will put on the wildest show possible to match it. So he grudgingly went. And a couple days later grudgingly reported back. Garret stalked the stage like a giant possessed, the band just blistered, and then Soul Asylum fought like hell to win their home town back. It was glorious. Damn, I wish I could have gone.

[SteveSly]

Fantastic. I wish I could have seen them. I've got several studio albums and a couple great live boots.

Years ago, a friend was going to a festival in the Twin Cities and he was debating which end of the festival to grab a seat at. One had Soul Asylum as the headliner, with Midnight Oil coming on right before them. That was the one he was going to skip, because he had seen Soul Asylum (forget "Runaway Train", they were a full force punk/hard rock band live) a few times and thought the Oils were just a pop band with a couple of hits. I said, you want to see the Oils and SA, get as close to the stage as possible. The Oils will absolutely tear the place apart and SA, being this is their hometown, will put on the wildest show possible to match it. So he grudgingly went. And a couple days later grudgingly reported back. Garret stalked the stage like a giant possessed, the band just blistered, and then Soul Asylum fought like hell to win their home town back. It was glorious. Damn, I wish I could have gone.

Great story!

[Digital_Man]

Same. For me Blue Sky was the one that really clicked with me. D&D was good but a little uneven. I checked out after ESM and probably have not listened since. Though I did buy a best-of CD in the 1990s. Need to try and find that.

Great band for what they were. IIRC I first read about them in Musician magazine. "Not pop. Not punk. NOT kidding!" was the title.

Yeah, that's what I said too. I'm not sure if it was the same magazine my dad gave me but it might have been. The one I saw was a worded a bit differently though but very similar. See my above post (#12).