National rock treasures Powderfinger have put smiles on almost 100,000 dials with an historic one-off reunion concert, filmed in isolation and streamed on the interwebs last night.
The Brisbane legends performed together (sort-of) for the first time since their now famed surprise appearance at Splendour In The Grass a few years ago, delivering a setlist of nostalgia-inducing hits for the One Night Lonely charity event, which raised money for mental health organisations Support Act and Beyond Blue.
All the band members filmed themselves from separate locations, with frontman Bernard Fanning stationed in northern New South Wales, guitarist Darren Middleton in Melbourne, drummer Jon Coghill on the Sunshine Coast, lead guitarist Ian Haug in Brisbane and bassist John Collins playing to an empty Fortitude Music Hall in Brisbane (which he part-owns).
Though the ‘Finger’s big reunion gig didn’t feel especially “live”, thanks to the high degree of editing and production that went into crafting the prerecorded product, it was still a joyous reminder of why Powderfinger are one of Australia’s most loved bands — if not the most.
There were plenty of highlights, including an impassioned plea from Collins for fans to support live music once venues reopen, and a gif-worthy moment from Middleton, performing in front of a household fan for that dramatic hair-blowing-in-the-wind effect:
i agree #OneNightLonely https://t.co/vO0fAGRmWC pic.twitter.com/cGJJ77hxjL
— jenny breadful ?♀️ she/her (@fordtippex) May 23, 2020
Their setlist included three tracks from their biggest album, Odyssey Number Five (‘My Happiness’, ‘These Days’ and, surprisingly, ‘Thrilloilogy’) which FYI turns 20 this year (brace for reissues).
We’ll be keeping our ~fingers~ crossed for a full celebratory tour once live music becomes safe & legal again! For now, you can re-watch Powderfinger’s One Night Lonely concert below.
