After their first week in the U.S. in 15 years, Midnight Oil rolled into New York City last weekend for two unforgettable shows at Webster Hall. Back in the ’80s this iconic space in East Village was a postpunk venue called The Ritz and it hosted one of the band’s very first major U.S. plays so it was a kind of homecoming.

In keeping with their promise to play as much of their catalog as possible over the course of this tour, the two NY gigs each opened with 10 completely different songs.

Gigs in Atlanta and Memphis had launched the tour with a bang on the weekend prior and were followed by a strongly themed set in the Washington D.C. area just a few hours after the FBI Director had been fired. Boston saw the band playing literally in the shadow of Fenway Park (legendary home of the Red Sox baseball team).

Over just its first month, ‘The Great Circle 2017’ World Tour has already seen the band rotate 79 songs though their sets. That hasn’t stopped some fans bringing signs to shows containing requests though and in Boston they even let the crowd pick the encore.

Here are some photos from the road:

Photo: Lesley Holland

Bones on-stage for his Birthday at Beale Street Music Festival, Memphis TN 5/7

Boston gig at the House of Blues, opposite Fenway Park 5/11

A fan outside House of Blues in Boston 5/11

Soundcheck in Boston 5/11

Boston setlist 5/11

Backstage in New York 5/13

New York night #1 setlist 5/13

Backstage with Bones

Rob and Peter catching up with a fan

New York night #2 5/14

Photo: Adam Block

Fans have started bringing signs to request songs for encore. 2nd New York show was closed with ‘Hercules’ 5/14

Thank you, New York 5/14

As “The Great Circle 2017” World Tour continues in the US, today marks the Australasian release of the Midnight Oil boxsets, including “The Vinyl Collection” (all their studio LP’s and EP’s), “The Full Tank” (all their CD’s and music videos) and “The Overflow Tank” (featuring over 14 hours of previously unreleased and rare material).

As a preview, here is a video from “The Overflow Tank” – footage of ‘Don’t Wanna Be The One’ Live At Wanda Beach in 1982 (“Moments In Space” DVD).

Head to www.midnightoil.com/store to get your copy. For international fans, Europe will release all three boxes on May 26th while the US & Canada will release the Tank sets on Friday May 26th with Vinyl following on Friday June 9th. Other territories should check with local retailers for local release dates.

A new short film about Midnight Oil titled ‘Backburning’ will screen as part of Sydney Film Festival 2017.

‘Backburning’ captures the calm before the storm, as Midnight Oil reunite in the red centre of Australia to make plans. Their conviction and drive made them a singular force in music until their singer chose to become a Member of Parliament: a decision that ultimately caused the band to fall silent for 15 years. ‘Backburning’ provides a unique insight into the moment when Midnight Oil first regroup in this place which has always been special to them.

‘Backburning’ also recaps Midnight Oil’s history, through archive footage, band interviews and Aaron Pedersen’s narration. We meet them at the very beginning (when Peter Garrett still had hair) as they form on Sydney’s Northern Beaches during a tumultuous time in Australian history. We revisit how they forged their fierce and uncompromising reputation: with power and passion. Then we rejoin them around an outback campfire to discover why they have come together again here and now. The film is written and directed by Paul Clarke.

Midnight Oil ‘Backburning’ is scheduled to screen on the following dates and locations:

Tue 13 Jun, 6:00pm Events George Street Cinema 4
Thu 15 Jun, 8:15pm Events George Street Cinema 9
Sun 18 Jun, 6:05pm Dendy Cinemas Newtown

For more info and tickets head to www.sff.org.au