Exile's Canberra correspondent sees Labor's Minister for Environment, Heritage & the Arts rock Canberra but not take drugs*

Last Friday night I saw the mighty Oils in Canberra who were performing two full shows as a rehearsal for the charity concerts yesterday at Melbourne and Sydney. They were incredible. Astonishing really given they had not played in many years. It was like they had never stopped. There was the odd wrong chord or incorrect/ mistimed lyric but for the most part it was flawless. Peter Garrett was in fine voice and was as energetic as ever with his trademark dance moves on full display.

It was a great setlist containing many of there classic live songs. In fact if I was to choose the setlist it would have contained about 90% of what they played. Unlike the Thursday show, this one included many of there old classics - Lucky Country, Armistice Day, No Time for Games and Don’t Wanna Be the One. So I think I chose the right night. The encore also included US Forces which was not played the previous night. There had been a lot of debate leading up to the concerts whether he would play it given his position. But in the final encore he basically said bugger it, it might not please some of those in my party, but lets just play it.

It was a pretty subdued Peter Garrett on stage. There was a bit of friendly banter between songs but none of the rage or lengthy political statements we are used to. I guess that is to be expected. He certainly didn’t compromise himself.

The atmosphere was the best I have ever seen at a concert. I’ve never seen a crowd so hyped. They were at fever pitch. Audience participation was fantastic.

I have seen the Oils a few times and this was as good as any of those performances. They have still got it. Lets just hope this is not the last time they ever play together.

From memory, here are some of the songs they played in no particular order. There are quite a few songs missing so it is not complete.

Lucky Country

No Times for Games

Short Memory

Progress

Armistice Day

Dreamworld

Redneck Wonderland
Dreamworld
Blue Sky Mine
Read About It
Power And The Passion
One Country
Stars of Warbuton
King Of The Mountain
The Dead Heart
Beds Are Burning
Best Of Both Worlds
Truganini
Forgotten Years

Luritja Way
Sometimes

US Forces

Don’t Wanna Be the One

Regards

David - J)
15/03/09

*
Thanx to David from 'OPH' for that first hand review.
Fair play to everyone involved.
The Australian Red Cross Bushfire Appeal has now raised 250 million dollars!
Having said that I was not brought up in Australia and a lot if not most of the bands that played really did not interest me in the slightest.
(As for the 'international' bands Coldplay & Kings of Leon...sorry my Mum said if you have nothing nice to say then say ...)
So kudos to Midnight Oil (& especially Peter Garrett) for playing 'US Forces'!
(Even if I think it is a really bad song with plodding, leaden & uninspired lyrics!)
You can hear for yourself what they sounded like in Melbourne last Saturday here.

'U.S. Forces' (1983)