Powderfinger: Iconic Australian band announce first tour in 17 years

Powderfinger, one of Australia’s best loved rock bands, has unveiled details of a comeback tour – to take place 17 years after they broke up.

The Brisbane-based group, who confirmed their reunion last week, will kick off with four nights in their home city next September.

They will then play another 14 shows across Cairns, Sydney, Adelaide, Perth and Melbourne, with all gigs to be staged in a “stadium sized big-top” tent.

In a statement on Monday the band said they were “absolutely ecstatic” to be getting together and playing again.

“Over the years there have been tons of suggestions for us to go back on the road but, until now, it never felt quite right or lined up for all of us,” they said.

“We have always been so grateful for the continued support from our long-term fans and over the years we’ve picked up a lot of new ones who have never seen us play.”

“People often tell us that our music is connected to their most treasured and joyous memories,” they added. “We hope to spread a little more of that joy when we make our way around the country with some of Australia’s best established and upcoming talent, and to make some new memories for us all.”

The tour schedule of only playing on Friday and Saturday nights is similar to that adopted by Oasis in their world tour last year. No gigs outside of Australia have yet been announced.

Powderfinger released seven studio albums during their career including 2000’s Odyssey Number Five which was voted best Australian album of all time by listeners of Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC) music station Triple J in 2011.

That included the single My Happiness, which was voted sixth best Australian song of all time by the same station in 2025. The group’s other hits include On My Mind and These Days and Sunsets.

Since the band split, frontman Bernard Fanning has maintained a solo career while bassist John Collins has gone on to open two of Brisbane’s largest live music venues.