Midnight Oil will play six shows in 2021 including two WOMADelaide shows presenting Makarrata Live.
Midnight Oil will perform Makarrata live in tribute to their bass player Bones Hillman who passed away on 7 November 2020. “Bonesy leaves giant shoes to fill but we’ll need to find a new bass player for this tour”, said drummer Rob Hirst. “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 were meant to headline Splendour In The Grass this year. They will also play a Makarrata Live show at WOMADelaide on 8 March as well as the run of Frontier dates. “We’re relieved and excited at the thought of finally playing music to live audiences again”, said Midnight Oil frontman Peter Garrett. “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.”
The Makaratta Project released this year was the first Midnight Oil album in 18 years. The album features collaborations with Indigenous artists including Dan Sultan, Jessica Mauboy, Kev Carmody, Alice Skye and Troy-Cassar-Daley. “The most fulfilling part of The Makarrata Project came through collaborating with so many First Nations artists during those recording sessions”, adds the band’s guitarist and keyboard player, Jim Moginie. “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.”
Midnight Oil dates:
28 February, Mount Cotton, Sirromet Wines
13 March, Hunter Valley, Hope Estate
17 March, Canberra, Stage 88
20 March, Geelong, Mt Duneed
Midnight Oil will also perform at WOMADelaide on 6 and 8 March 2021.
