Reviewed by Ian Phillips.
By Midnight Oil, Sony Music 2018.
Midnight Oil has released this extended live recording of their classic Armistice Day single just in time for the centenary of the signing of the Armistice to end the First World War.
The concert(s) were the last in their Great Circle World Tour of 2017 and the first performance was held on the 11th day of the 11th month, Armistice Day, to a sell-out audience.
The CD opens with their Armistice Day track and then the band charges through a flawless set of 26 classic Oils tracks to the rapturous applause of the audience who sing along at the top of their voices.
It is the perfect finale to a fantastic six-month-long tour that saw the band play in 16 countries across five continents.
After 77 gigs played to more than half a million fans the great circle finally came to an end in the city where it all began.
On the tour the band didn’t shirk making their viewpoint known concerning some of the most pressing issues facing humanity.
They spoke out against Adani and in favour of renewables. In favour of policies of inclusion rather than isolation and for compassion and community rather than the cult of the individual.
Their message was devoured by audiences that had similar world views.
These audiences transcended generational barriers.
The Oils proved once again that they had their fingers on the pulse of those amongst us eager for change and long term planning to deal with a planet under stress.
This album is great and showcases the band at its best, with righteous anger to the fore, leading the charge against the extreme conservative minority who are desperately hanging on to the last vestiges of their power and fondling lumps of coal.
There is a lot of good music around at the present time including young performers doing some excellent protest songs, but few can match the passion and energy displayed on this disc.
I highly commend the album to you.
