The legendary Midnight Oil has announced a trip to the Hunter in early 2021 as part of their Makarrata Live tour.
The band will play Hope Estate on Saturday 13 March and will be joined on stage by an incredible lineup of First Nations collaborators.
Based around the band’s 2020 mini-album The Makarrata Project, this set promises to transcend mere rock and roll spectacle, seeing to elevate The Uluru Statement From The Heart which calls for a Makarrata or “truth-telling” – to account for the theft of lands and displacement of First Nations peoples.
“We’re relieved and excited at the thought of finally playing music to live audiences again”, frontman Peter Garrett said.
“Lots of the songs which have struck the deepest chords with our audiences over the years, like Beds Are Burning, Jimmy Sharman’s Boxers, The Dead Heart and Truganini, revolve around Indigenous issues so we’re definitely inspired to be playing a set that combines older songs like those with newer songs that share similar lyrical themes.”
Guitarist and keyboard player Jim Moginie echoed the sentiment adding that it was the collaborative aspect of the Makarrata Project was the most rewarding.
“The most fulfilling part of The Makarrata Project came through collaborating with so many First Nations artists during those recording sessions,” he said.
“I think everyone’s looking forward to seeing what shape all the music from different eras takes as those gifted singers add their voices to it live. We’ve never done anything like this so it feels good to still be pushing the envelope a bit despite everything that’s happened in 2020.”
The announcement comes one month after the tragic death of long-time bass player Bones Hillman after a battle with cancer.
Ever adamant that his bandmates should push on with live shows to draw focus to the Makarrata Project, in the hours before his passing, Bones learned that the album had debuted at the top of the ARIA album charts – marking the band’s first new music number one since Bones’ debut Blue Sky Mining , back in 1990.
“Bonesy leaves giant shoes to fill but we’ll need to find a new bass player for this tour”, drummer Rob Hirst said.
“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, we’ll also be dedicating the tour to Bones.”
Midnight Oil and First Nations collaborators present Makarrata Live at Hope Estate on Saturday 13 March 2021.
MIDNIGHT OIL PRE-SALE
via midnightoil.com
Runs 24 hours from: Monday 14 December (11am)
or until pre-sale allocation exhausted
FRONTIER MEMBERS PRE-SALE
via frontiertouring.com/midnightoil
Runs 24 hours from: Monday 14 December (12pm)
or until pre-sale allocation exhausted
A DAY ON THE GREEN MEMBERS PRE-SALE
via adayonthegreen.com.au
Runs 24 hours from: Monday 14 December (12pm)
or until pre-sale allocation exhausted
GENERAL PUBLIC ON SALE
Begins: Wednesday 16 December (2pm local time)
via: ticketmaster.com.au
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