When Powderfinger broke up in 2010, their farewell tour sold 220,000 tickets.
Sixteen years later, their reunion tour has become Australia's hottest ticket. All 300,000 tickets for the Brisbane band's initial 26 shows sold out in six days.
"The response was genuinely overwhelming," guitarist Darren Middleton tells the ABC's Zan Rowe.
"As soon as tickets went on sale, we were like: 'Holy shit!'
Today, they've added nine more dates, including stops in Hobart and Canberra, to supply the intense demand.
Ticket requests have come from some unlikely places.
"It was pretty nuts," frontman Bernard Fanning says. "Not just the public response but privately.
"Like, plumbers that fixed a drain 15 years ago and still have my phone number."
Among the most beloved and best-selling Australian acts of the 90s and 2000s, Powderfinger's return was kept under wraps over 18 months of "white lies" and clandestine meetings.
In May last year, Fanning, Middleton, guitarist Ian Haug, bassist John "JC" Collins, drummer Jon Coghill and long-time manager Paul Piticco conferred to "seriously" discuss the prospect fans had longed for since the group's 2010 split.
"We got together and said, 'Let's think about if we want to do it. Is this the right time for everyone?" Middleton says.
"One idea put around was: 'No-one in the band owes Powderfinger anything.' If someone doesn't want to be a part of it, we don't do it. That's OK."
After a month away to deliberate their reasons for reuniting, they reconvened. "We got on the Zoom [call] and went, let's do it!"
Why now? Family and falling in love with the band
One of Fanning's "main reasons" for getting back together was "for my kids".
"Because they haven't seen [us perform], they'd love to be part of it … and every one of us said exactly the same thing."
"We're never very cool in our kids' eyes," Middleton adds.
Each member has taken a different path over 16 years: from raising families to pursuing solo projects, politics and other careers.
"We've all gone through different experiences, learned to stand on our own two feet again and discover who we are," Middleton reflects.
"And actually fall in love with music and with the band again."
Fanning says time apart has deepened the bonds of their friendship.
"By the end of the band, there was tension, which is natural after 21 years [together].
"But now, all those petty differences have completely disappeared in a sea of nappies and teenage angst and whatever else.
"In the last 16 years, we've had time to think about how much fun and joy there was … try and bring that into the equation again."
It's a rare opportunity whose significance isn't lost on Middleton.
"We're still alive," he enthuses. "It sounds silly, but I've lost friends in the music industry … their bands no longer have the chance to do what they did. We're super lucky."
Cold Chisel, community and nostalgia
Powderfinger's choice to headline concerts outdoors under stadium-sized tents was inspired by attending Cold Chisel's "Big Five-O" anniversary shows.
"It feels like a festival but it's indoors, it's the best of both worlds," says Fanning, who never saw Chisel the first time round, but was thrilled when he got the chance to see them reunite.
That people feel the same way about Powderfinger "makes sense," he reasons.
The group's chart-topping, award-hoovering anthems were the soundtrack to people's lives in the pre-streaming era, ruled by CDs, TV and radio, not algorithms.
"There's a warmth of feeling for that time when Powderfinger was doing well [and] people want to recapture that a little bit," Fanning acknowledges.
"I think nostalgia gets a bad rap. Because it generates good feelings amongst people, which are seriously lacking in our society at the moment.
At a time of "so much difficulty and division in the world", harnessing live music's power to foster community was a driving force for the reunion.
A multi-generational moment
Powderfinger's cross-generational popularity was evidenced by last year's Hottest 100 of Australian Songs, where the majority of voters (aged 18–29) voted in three songs.
"It's crazy," Middleton remarks.
"My 25-year-old daughter, her friends are pumped about coming. It makes me feel young again.
"People coming to see us are parents with kids who are teenagers or above. What a great experience! 'Dad, take me to see that band that you used to love …'"
Since the band bowed out in 2010, "society has devalued music incredibly", Fanning says.
Particularly Australian music, with homegrown music accounting for just 8.4 per cent of local streaming, according to a recent APRA AMCOS report.
In response to increasing festival cancellations, venue closures and declining live attendance, the frontman says there needs to be a "concentration on the arts and how important it is for our stories to be told by us".
"And that comes from musicians, from artists, authors, journalists, from whoever. It's really important to encourage that Australian storytelling to continue."
To that end, Powderfinger are committing to an all-Australian line-up of support acts for their tour, including partnering with triple j Unearthed to give emerging acts a platform to perform for tens of thousands of people. Stay tuned for details.
Will there be new music?
All five members always voted on every major career and creative decision.
Is Powderfinger still a democracy in 2026?
"Yes, unfortunately," Fanning deadpans to hearty laughter.
"It has to be. We wouldn't be able to function any other way.
"It's part of [our] DNA … sometimes there's some late-night lobbying" with JC serving as "the whip", he continues.
Beginning rehearsals in December, each member will have a say on figuring out which tunes will make the cut.
Fanning experimented with writing a set list "of what I thought were essentials".
"There were 22 songs, which is too long."
Don't expect epic four-hour long shows.
"No way. I want the quality to be really high the whole way through," Fanning says.
Middleton counters: "We'll craft a few different set lists [that] we'll revolve."
And the burning question: Will These Days and My Happiness find new company?
"I'll happily accept criticism that it's a nostalgia tour, because we're not making new music," Fanning says.
"The one thing Jimmy Barnes said to me: 'If you ever get the band back together do not make a record.'"
That said, "the chemistry of the five of us being together is very unique … [we're] never closed off to the idea of a new song, from anybody," Fanning says.
"That's what I'm excited about again. That chemistry you cannot manufacture."
But the reunion marks a new adventure.
"All of us are approaching it with so much excitement," Fanning says.
"We know it's different now, the way that we relate to each other is different.
"We obviously have to step up to a really high level or else we will disappoint a lot of people."
But Powderfinger are intent on putting in the hard work. For them, it's about proving some chemistry, between band members, between artists and audiences, between generations, is irreplaceable. And sharing that with 300,000 people and counting.
"I don't want to anticipate how it's going to feel," Middleton says.
"All I know is it's going to be an amazing end to 2027."
Powderfinger will play the following "encore run" shows next year:
- Friday, November 5 — Melbourne Park Oval with Something For Kate and The Belair Lip Bombs
- Saturday, November 6 — Melbourne Park Oval with Something For Kate and The Belair Lip Bombs
- Saturday, November 13 — Cornelian Bay, Hobart with DMA'S, Thelma Plum, Full Flower Moon Band
- Sunday, November 14 — Cornelian Bay, Hobart with John Butler Trio, The Preatures, Luca Brasi
- Saturday, November 20 — Sandalford Estate, Perth with Ocean Alley, Teen Jesus & The Jean Teasers, Carla Geneve
- Sunday, November 21 — Sandalford Estate, Perth with Ocean Alley, South Summit, Banjo Lucia
- Saturday, December 4 — Stage 88, Canberra with Violent Soho, Something For Kate, Tean Jesus & The Jean Teasers
- Friday, December 10 — Brisbane Showgrounds with The Living End, You Am I, Special Features
- Saturday, December 11 — Brisbane Showgrounds with Violent Soho, Ball Park Music, Thelma Plum, Full Flower Moon Band
Additonally, Powderfinger will play the following sold-out 2027 shows:
- Friday, September 3 — Brisbane Showgrounds
- Saturday, September 4 — Brisbane Showgrounds
- Monday, September 6 — Brisbane Showgrounds
- Wednesday, September 8 — Brisbane Showgrounds
- Friday, September 10 — Brisbane Showgrounds
- Saturday, September 11 — Brisbane Showgrounds
- Friday, September 17 — Cazalys Stadium, Cairns
- Saturday, September 18 — Cazalys Stadium, Cairns
- Friday, September 24 — Wellington Square, Perth
- Saturday, September 25 — Wellington Square, Perth
- Monday, September 27 — Wellington Square, Perth
- Friday, October 1 — The Domain, Sydney
- Saturday, October 2 — The Domain, Sydney
- Monday, October 4 — The Domain, Sydney
- Wednesday, October 6 — The Domain, Sydney
- Friday, October 8 — The Domain, Sydney
- Saturday, October 9 — The Domain, Sydney
- Friday, October 15 — Ellis Park, Adelaide
- Saturday, October 16 — Ellis Park, Adelaide
- Friday, October 22 — Melbourne Park Oval
- Saturday, October 23 — Melbourne Park Oval
- Monday, October 25 — Melbourne Park Oval
- Wednesday, October 27 — Melbourne Park Oval
- Friday, October 29 — Melbourne Park Oval
- Saturday, October 30 — Melbourne Park Oval
- Monday, November 1 — Melbourne Park Oval
