Midnight Oil has announced plans to play a short run of outdoor concerts in the reunited band’s native Australia in February and March of next year centered around its new mini-LP The Makarrata Project, a collaboration with First Nation musicians.
Most of the six shows, from Feb. 28 to March 20, will find the band performing with the musicians who appeared on the new record, the band’s first new music in 17 years. The announcement also comes as the Oils search for a new bassist in the wake of longtime bandmate Bones Hillman’s death last month.
Drummer Rob Hirt says:
“Bonesy leaves giant shoes to fill but we’ll need to find a new bass player for this tour. On this issue Bones was clear: ‘the show must go on!’, he said, ‘as soon as it’s safe to play gigs again’. We’re hoping that these Makarrata Live shows will increase awareness of The Uluru Statement From The Heart and further the reconciliation between First Nations and non-Indigenous Australians and we’ll also be dedicating the tour to Bones.”
The Makarrata Live shows “will take place in strict accordance with each state’s COVID-19 protocols,” the band says. Noting the limited dates, the Oils say they plan to “tour in their own right” later in 2021, at which point they hope large indoor shows can safely be staged throughout Australia and New Zealand.
Midnight Oil recorded a second, full-length album with Hillman alongside The Makarrata Project and the band is expected to release that at some point next year.
Here are the band’s tour dates.
Midnight Oil tour dates:
Feb. 28: Sirromet Wines, Mount Cotton QLD, Australia *
March 6: Womadelaide, Adelaide SA, Australia **
March 8: Womadelaide, Adelaide SA, Australia *
March 13: Hope Estate, Hunter Valley NSW, Australia *
March 17: Stage 88, Canberra ACT, Australia *
March 20: Mt. Duneed Estate, Geelong VIC, Australia *
* Makarrata Live performance
** Midnight Oil headline performance
PREVIOUSLY ON SLICING UP EYEBALLS:
- Listen: Midnight Oil returns with ‘Gadigal Land’ — first new song in 17 years
- Midnight Oil to release ‘Gadigal Land’ — first new song in 17 years — this week
- Midnight Oil to release 2 new albums this year, tour internationally into 2021
- Midnight Oil details huge new 12-disc box set: Demos, rarities, B-sides, hours of live video
- Midnight Oil announces massive 2017 reunion tour, 3 huge box sets with unreleased music
Can’t wait for that next album. Keep ’em coming, fellas!