Midnight Oil performs to a sold out crowd at the Enmore Theatre.Credit:Edwina Pickles
Then factor in the rustiness from an extended break,the bedding-down of a new bass player (their fourth in 45 years),in Adam Ventoura and the fact these are mostly men in their mid ’60s.
All of these might be responsible for what was a measured start. A start that confirmed their quality – the mix clarity meant we could revel in the guitar interplay of the always superb Martin Rotsey and Jim Moginie,for example – but felt contained,controlled. Polite,even.
However,I suspect it was a deliberate decision to ease into the show,program the first section thematically rather than dynamically,and meld with theMakarrata material. But for me it didn’t work:Lucky CountryandIf Ned Kelly Was King felt thick around the middle;Dreamworld andBullroarer were slightly sluggish;andJimmy Sharman’s Boxers was fine but not inspiring.
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After this,the best elements of theMakarrata material shone and justified their place:especially a delicate-with-biteTerror Australia,with Alice Skye;an attractiveDesert Man,Desert Woman,with Troy Cassar-Daley standing in for Frank Yamma and having the time of his life;the heat haze ofWind In My Headand sea shanty-isms ofChange The Date (which leaned into gospel when Dan Sultan took over);and the first real push of the night inGadigal Land.
However,when the older material appeared,withGunbarrel Highwayfollowing the crunch ofRedneck Wonderland,andWarakurna sandwiched betweenKosciusko andBeds Are Burning,it became clear that what that first half hour lacked wasn’t force but that Oils “special sauce”.