It is great to have Peter Garrett active on stage. His comments about Trumpinstan and Turbullstan carry far greater weight at a rock concert than from a political party room.
Peter Garrett wound up his solo career with his Melbourne Zoo Twilights show at the iconic Melbourne Zoo. After playing Twilight At Taronga the previous evening, it was obvious Garrett still (and will) have a lot of say politically.
“There is a fine line between Trumpinstan and Turnbullstan” he announced, warning that the philosophy of the Australian Liberal Party is very much aligned with Trump’s demagogue rule in the USA.
A national day of reconciliation is also still very much of Garrett’s radar. “The Australian aboriginal people were here a long time ago and maybe January 26 is not the best day to celebrate,” he pointed out.
While the Melbourne show may have been the last of Garrett’s solo shows, what is coming next with the reformation of Midnight Oil is much anticipated. He alluded to new music from The Oils. “There will be another bunch of music later in the year with another bunch of fine musicians”.
“This is our last show before my next show with someone else,” he said later in the show.
One of those “someone else’s” was with him at this show. Midnight Oil guitarist Martin Rotsey was also part of Peter’s solo band. Rotsey added a familiar layer of sound to the show, especially with the Oils highlights ‘Section 5’, ‘Common Ground’ and the classic ‘The Dead Heart’.
Abby May was on guitar, Pete Luscombe on drums, Jet’s Mark Wilson on bass, Rosa Morgan on keyboards and Peter’s daughters Grace and May on backing vocals.
Peter paid tribute to the great Australian bands Divinyls and Skyhooks during the show performing ‘Back To The Wall’ in honour of Chrissie Amphlett and ‘Ego Is Not A Dirty Word’ for the ‘hooks”.
Kev Carmody performs at the Zoo Twilights Melbourne. Photo by Ros O’Gorman
Legendary Australian folk singer Kev Carmody opened for Garrett and was welcomed back on stage for the encore. 70-year old Kev said he was through touring but wanted to do the Sydney and Melbourne shows with Peter. He said he’ll still do the occasional show but won’t tour again.
Carmody opened with his gem ‘Cannot Buy My Soul’ and ended with his classic ‘From Little Things Big Things Grow’, co-written with Paul Kelly.
Melbourne: Buy tickets to Melbourne Zoo Twilights
Sydney: Buy tickets to Twilight At Taronga
Peter Garrett setlist
Kangaroo Tail (from A Version of Now, 2016)
No Placebo (from A Version of Now, 2016)
Only One (from A Version of Now, 2016)
Back To The Wall (Divinyls cover)
Section 5 (Bus To Bondi) (from Midnight Oil, Head Injuries, 1979)
Common Ground (from Midnight Oil, Breathe, 1996)
Dots On The Shell (Yothu Yindi cover)
Coolangatta (unreleased)
Homecoming (from A Version of Now, 2016)
Ego Is Not A Dirty Word (Skyhook cover)
Great White Shark (from A Version of Now, 2016)
I’ll Do It Again (from A Version of Now, 2016)
It Still Matters (from A Version of Now, 2016)
Tall Trees (from A Version of Now, 2016)
Thou Shall Not Steal(with Kev Carmody)
The Dead Heart (from Midnight Oil, Diesel and Dust, 1987)
