Oils for Waves

Midnight Oil 9/29/03
DNA Lounge, San Francisco

benefit for the Surfrider Foundation

Surfing With A Spoon
Feeding Frenzy
Brave Faces
Wharf Rat
Wedding Cake Island
Back On The Borderline
Burnie

Sound quality kinda sucks -- definitely below average, unfortunately. Vocals are often lost in the mix but it's still listenable. My highlight, besides hearing songs from way back in the earliest days of the Midnight Oil (there's like nothing between 80 and 93!), is the UBER-rare performance of Wharf Rat. The Oils recorded this for inclusion on the 1991 Grateful Dead tribute album: Deadicated. Even though they made that recording, the tune has been incredibly absent from their lives shows I guess here in San Francisco, home of the Good Ol' Grateful Dead, Peter Garrett wanted to pay tribute to the city's most famous band and they break it out for the fans. Of course I have no idea how many in attendance may have been a Deadhead and gave a crap about Wharf Rat, but this Deadhead typing this loves that it was played. I wonder if Garrett even listens to the GD but even if not I'm sure he appreciated what they've done as a band in their career. He makes a half-joke about the Grateful Dead saying, "They're all kind of overweight now but they're still very decent people," and goes on to say about the Deadicated album, "If you haven't got it in your collection, you should pick it up 'cause it's pretty neat."

Have a listen to the live version of Wharf Rat from this show...

At around 8 minutes in length, the Oils' version here almost approaches Grateful Dead-like territory as the band gets into a bit a dreamy jam through the last few minutes. Very cool and it's a shame they didn't keep it going for another awhile longer. Oh well.

Overall, a cool little show from this amazing Aussie band. I may have hopped on the bandwagon when they got popular here in the U.S. with Beds Are Burning but exploring all their albums and shows is a music treat and being a Deadhead, this one's gotta be the tastiest of all!

9-29-93 a.k.a. 09-29-93 a.k.a. 9/29/93 a.k.a. 09/29/93 a.k.a. 93-09-29

Download The Show Here unknown audience recording @ 320 kbps Midnight Oil - DNA Lounge, SF - 9/29/93

The Surfrider Foundation is a non-profit environmental organization dedicated to the protection and enjoyment of the world's oceans, waves and beaches for all people, through conservation, activism, research and education.

Donate and/or check out their website at:

www.surfrider.org