Powderfinger's comeback breaks records

When Powderfinger broke up in two thousand ten, their farewell tour sold two hundred twenty thousand tickets.

The response was overwhelming

Guitarist Darren Middleton tells the ABC's Zan Rowe the band was shocked by demand. As soon as tickets went on sale, he says, the band reacted with disbelief at the scale of interest.

“As soon as tickets went on sale, we were like: 'Holy shit!'”

Nine more dates added

Powderfinger has added nine more dates to their reunion tour, including stops in Hobart and Canberra, to meet the intense demand from fans across Australia.

Requests from unexpected places

Frontman Bernard Fanning says ticket requests came from unlikely sources. He recalls plumbers who fixed a drain fifteen years ago and still have his phone number asking for seats.

“Like, plumbers that fixed a drain 15 years ago and still have my phone number.”

Reunion kept secret for eighteen months

Powderfinger's return was kept under wraps over eighteen months of white lies and clandestine meetings. In May last year, the five members and their long-time manager Paul Piticco seriously discussed reuniting.

Democracy in the band

The band decided that if any member did not want to reunite, they would not do it. After a month away to deliberate, all five reconvened on a Zoom call and agreed to move forward.

“One idea put around was: 'No-one in the band owes Powderfinger anything.'”

Kids were a main reason

Bernard Fanning says one of his main reasons for reuniting was for his kids, who have never seen the band perform. Every member of Powderfinger said exactly the same thing about their own children.

“Because they haven't seen [us perform], they'd love to be part of it.”

Time apart healed tensions

Over sixteen years, each member raised families, pursued solo projects, and discovered who they were.

“By the end of the band, there was tension, which is natural after 21 years [together].”

Cold Chisel inspired the format

Powderfinger chose to headline concerts outdoors under stadium-sized tents, inspired by Cold Chisel's Big Five-O anniversary shows. Fanning says it feels like a festival but indoors, the best of both worlds.

“It feels like a festival but it's indoors, it's the best of both worlds.”

Nostalgia and community matter

Fanning acknowledges there is warmth of feeling for the time when Powderfinger was doing well and people want to recapture that.

“I think nostalgia gets a bad rap. Because it generates good feelings amongst people.”

Cross-generational appeal

In last year's Hottest one hundred of Australian Songs, the majority of voters aged eighteen to twenty nine voted in three Powderfinger songs.

“My 25-year-old daughter, her friends are pumped about coming. It makes me feel young again.”

Australian music needs support

Since two thousand ten, society has devalued music incredibly, Fanning says. Australian music accounts for just eight point four percent of local streaming, according to a recent APRA AMCOS report, amid increasing festival cancellations and…

All Australian support acts

Powderfinger is committing to an all Australian line up of support acts for their tour.They are partnering with triple j Unearthed to give emerging acts a platform to perform for tens of thousands of people.

No new album planned

Fanning says the band will not make a record.Jimmy Barnes told him if the band ever got back together, do not make a record.

“The one thing Jimmy Barnes said to me: 'If you ever get the band back together do not make a record.'”

Rehearsals begin in December

Powderfinger begins rehearsals for their thirty six date reunion tour in December.Fanning experimented with a set list of twenty two songs, which he says is too long.

“There were 22 songs, which is too long.”

Amazing end to twenty twenty seven

Middleton says all five members are approaching the reunion with so much excitement. He does not want to anticipate how it will feel, but knows it is going to be an amazing end to twenty…

“All I know is it's going to be an amazing end to 2027.”