News

The European leg of The Great Circle came to a close this week with a string of epic festival appearances across the continent plus encore plays at London’s Hammersmith Apollo and L’Olympia in Paris.

In addition to the shows, the band got out and about visiting galleries, historic sites and catching up with U2’s Joshua Tree tour on a night off.

Thanks to everyone who came to a show for helping make recent weeks an all time highlight for the band.

Now it’s on to South Africa for a special outdoor show in Johannesburg.

Photo: Lesley Holland

RH on the tour bus, July 9

 

Les Deferlantes setlist, July 9

 

Photo: Jim Moginie

“Paying respects to James Joyce and Nora Barnacle, Zurich” – Jim, July 11

 

Photo: Jack Howard

Musilac Festival, July 14

 

“Welcome to our new digs in the South of France. Kenno (monitors), Ben (guitar and keys tech), moi.” – Jim, July 14

 

Jack in the gear truck! July 14

 

Photo: Dave Robertson

Carhaix Festival poster, July 16

 

Photo: Jack Howard

Paleo Festival – Nyon, Switzerland, July 19

 

Photo: Jim Moginie

“Pixies at Paleo, INvading spaceship cloud approaching” – Jim, July 19

 

 
Photo: Jim Moginie

“Blokes and their busses. Paleo Festival, Switzerland” – Jim, July 19

 

Photo: Ben Lyons

Colours of Ostrava, Czech Republic, July 21

 

Photo: Matyas Theuer

Colours of Ostrava, Czech Republic, July 21

 

Photo: Matyas Theuer

Colours of Ostrava, Czech Republic, July 21

 

Photo: Jim Moginie

“Bohemian Rhapsodizing. Goodbye Czech, you were amazing.” – Jim, July 22

 

London, Round 2… July 23

 

London, Round 2… July 23

 

“We need more pianos in here…” – Jim, July 24

 

Paris, Round 2… July 25

 

Meeting fans outside L’Olympia, July 25

 

“What does it mean? Contemplating Geroge Baselitz (1938-)” – Jim, July 26

After a two week break The Great Circle 2017 has resumed with 10 headline gigs so far across Europe. Sets have been getting longer – pushing out to nearly two and a half hours on some nights. The band continues to deliver nightly surprises including their first ever live performance of the entire “Diesel & Dust” album in the middle of their Berlin set, and then the whole “Species Deceases” EP in Copenhagen.

In Sweden the 10pm sunset made for an unusually late twilight gig while their return to Amsterdam’s legendary Paradiso even included the same support band who joined them at their previous show there back in 1988. Other highlights of recent weeks included their first ever performances at London’s iconic Hammersmith Apollo and The Olympia in Paris to which the band will return for two special encore appearances later this month.

 
Photo: Lesley Holland

Rob writing during downtime in Cologne 6/21

Photo: Lesley Holland

Bones has MAC, will travel 6/22

Photo: Lesley Holland

Jim and his bier 6/22

Photo: Bones

Paradiso, Amsterdam 6/23

Berlin 6/25

Photo: David Robertson

Street Poster, Oslo 6/29

Photo: Alex Grant

Gävle, Sweden 7/1

Photo: Ollie Clark

Hammersmith Eventim Apollo, London 7/4

Photo: Jim Moginie

“Hammersmith Apollo soundcheck time.” – Jim 7/4

Photo: Jim Moginie

“Jack plays Royal AlPert Hall.” – Jim 7/4

Photo: Jack Howard

View from the Tank, London 7/4

Photo: Jack Howard

Soundcheck, London 7/4

Hammersmith Eventim Apollo crowd, London 7/4

Hammersmith Eventim Apollo, London 7/4

Photo: Jim Moginie

“Pete doing the set.” – Jim 7/4

Photo: Jim Moginie

“Goldhaek Road, Shepherd’s Bush where we recorded 10-1. The studio has been demolished, everything’s different but not much has changed.” – Jim 7/5

“Folk Rock alert!” – Jim 7/5

Photo: Jack Howard

Blue Sky Paris 7/6

Photo: Annette Rotsey

L’Olympia, side of stage 7/6

#StopAdani 7/6

Paris Poster 7/6

Signs 7/6

Photo: Jim Moginie

“Dedication in ink.” – Jim 7/6

Photo: Lesley Holland

Festival Beauregard’s backstage Chateau 7/7

Photo: Lesley Holland

Beauregard Dressing room 7/7

Photo: Lesley Holland

Almost time… 7/7

Photo: Alex Grant

Festival Beauregard 7/7

Following sell-out shows across Brazil and North America Midnight Oil now ready themselves their first European shows in over 15 years.

Live reviews for the first dates on their Great Circle 2017 Tour make it clear that the band has lost none of its musical and political potency. Here’s just a small taste of what the critics said:

“Proselytizers place the Australian band in the pantheon of great live acts, and justifiably so.” (Chicago Tribune)

“Midnight Oil brought the power and the passion, full force, as if they hadn’t been gone for the last 15 years. A fantastic show.” (BrooklynVegan)

“The Verdict? Something special just happened” (The Sydney Morning Herald)

“It’s no small thing to revive one of the biggest, most beloved and simultaneously most polarizing bands Australia has ever produced … sadly, in a sense, much of the material is more relevant than ever … audiences are in for one heck of a treat.” (The Guardian)

“Collectively, the Oils proved more than ready to take on all comers for the title of world’s most exhilarating live rock band.” (Illinois Entertainer)

The next leg of the tour includes 18 shows in Europe plus one in South Africa. Most of the band’s own dates are already sold out but limited tickets remain for Oslo, Stockholm and Johannesburg as well as for the encore plays in London and Paris on July 23 and 25. For full tour details see www.midnightoil.com/tour-dates

In the meantime Midnight Oil has announced a slew of very special guests to join them around the globe over coming months.

In Europe, rabble rousing post-punk icons The Selecter have been added to the Sun 23 July Hammersmith Apollo date and Amsterdam will see Senior Citizens reprise their opening slot from the band’s unforgettable 1988 show. In Norway Midnight Oil will be joined by local classic rockers Mercury Motors while at the other end of the age spectrum Paris special guests will be teenagers The G (both shows).

Beloved Australian rockers The Living End will then feature on all four U.S. summer shows (ie: Los Angeles, New York, Cleveland and Minneapolis). The dynamic trio will also join Matthew Good in Toronto – Matthew has already been announced as part of the entire Canadian tour through August/September.

Triple J buzz band The Smith Street Band will open The Greek Theatre date in Los Angeles on August 19 making it a triple bill containing three generations of Australian bands.

Last but not least New Zealand’s The Nudge will open the proceedings in Auckland and Christchurch. The genre warping three piece will fuse infectious tribal rhythms and blues vocals with some psychedelic overtones to get these Kiwi shows off to a memorable start. Tickets remain on sale for both NZ gigs. Follow the links atwww.midnightoil.com/tour-dates

Midnight Oil is still more than just a rock’n’roll band and in 2017 they will bring things back to where they all began. The circle remains unbroken.

Photo: Dana (distortion) Yavin Photography