Powderfinger announces farewell tour

Australia's biggest band, Powderfinger, announced details of their most extensive Australian tour to date at a press conference today together with the news that they will be disbanding following the tour.

This will be Powderfinger’s first major national tour since the hugely successful Across the Great Divide tour with Silverchair almost 3 years ago.

MC, James Mathison, welcomed the media to The Annandale Hotel in Sydney’s inner west, where Powderfinger sat on a same stage they first played on almost twenty years ago, and announced the details of their upcoming Sunsets tour before Bernard Fanning read a Statement on behalf of his fellow band members - Jon Coghill, John Collins, Ian Haug and Darren Middleton. 

In that Statement, the band advised details of their most extensive tour of Australia ever - The Sunsets tour will include shows in 21 different cities across every state and territory and be stretched over a seven week period from early September through to late October.

The band’s final announcement today was that they would be disbanding following the completion of the Sunsets tour.  In the prepared statement, the band advised that “the “Sunsets” tour will be Powderfinger's last ever run of shows. We have decided, after much deliberation and agonising, that after this final tour we will call it a day as a recording and touring band.  With the completion of our last album, Golden Rule, we feel that we have said all that we want to say as a musical group.  We firmly believe that it is our most complete and satisfying album and can't think of a better way to farewell our fans than with music that we all believe in and also with, hopefully, our best tour to date” (See over for the full Statement)

Joining Powderfinger for all but the first three shows on Sunsets will be old friends, JET. 

With millions of albums sold worldwide and four Top 10 Modern Rock hits, JET recently returned to form with Shaka Rock, an album that parallels their smash, Get Born, which produced hits like Are You Gonna Be My Girl and Cold Hard Bitch. The new album closes the gap between the raw roots of Get Born and the grace and melody of Shine On (recorded just after the passing of Nic and Chris Cester's father), which together went on to make JET an international band of style and substance. Shaka Rock captures the charisma and energy of classic rock and roll with just enough punk swagger and contemporary flair to create something uniquely JET. The first single from Shaka Rock, She's a Genius, has recently reached Gold sales as has the album itself. This will also be the first time JET have had the opportunity of performing in many regional areas throughout Australia.

Taking on the support slot on the first three shows (Newcastle, Gold Coast and Brisbane) will be THE VINES in a rare live performance. THE VINES have had an intriguing and brilliant career since they first appeared from nowhere to grace the cover of the UK's prestigious New Music Express back in 2002. A combination of brutal power and melodic genius, the band are truly one of the countries greats. In 2010, THE VINES continue with a new album release planned and a series of exclusive performances including these dates with Powderfinger.

The band also announced today that they would be partnering with an organisation called Yalari on the tour.  Yalari sponsors Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children from regional, rural and remote areas to attend boarding schools all around the country so they can receive the a first class education through full boarding scholarships at the highest achieving secondary schools. Yalari is an organisation that looks to the improvement of the standard of living of Aboriginal people all around Australia by lifting education standards and creating inspirational incentives to children that would not ordinarily be afforded these types of opportunities. 

‘I’m really excited and humbled by the support Powderfinger, such a great Australian band, is giving Yalari. The credibility of Powderfinger, and their awareness of Indigenous issues in this country, goes a long way with their fans so I’m really looking forward to sharing more about Yalari with a whole new bunch of people. Through this partnership I feel we are all further along the road towards a better future for Indigenous people in Australia. And I know the children on Yalari scholarships are going to have a great time at the concerts and meeting the band backstage” said Waverley Stanley, Founding Director, Yalari Limited.

Powderfinger’s extensive career spans nearly two decades with sales in excess of 2.5 million albums in Australia alone. Winner of 16 ARIA Awards, the band holds an unprecedented three successive ARIA Awards for Album of the Year. Powderfinger has achieved 6 No. 1 ARIA Album Chart debuts and recently scored 2 entries in the Triple J Hottest 100 of all time (2009) – These Days (#21) and My Happiness (#27). Powderfinger’s 7th studio album, Golden Rule, was released to critical acclaim in November, 2009, debuting at No. 1 and spawning the radio and chart hits, All of the Dreamers and Burn Your Name.  The 3rd single from the album, Sail the Widest Stretch, will be serviced to Australian radio today, Friday 9 April.

A full video version of the press conference will be online at www.powderfinger.com later today.

Tickets for Sunsets – The Farewell Tour go on sale 9.00am, Friday, 30 April, 2010.

Featuring JET & THE VINES

Wednesday, 1 September, 2010
Newcastle Entertainment Centre, Newcastle
* Note: Support will be The Vines *
Tickets available from www.ticketek.com.au or 132 849

Friday, 3 September, 2010
Gold Coast Convention Centre, Gold Coast
* Note: Support will be The Vines *
Tickets available from www.ticketek.com.au or 132 849

Saturday, 4 September, 2010
Riverstage, Brisbane
* Note: Support will be The Vines *
Tickets available from www.ticketmaster.com.au or 136 100

Tuesday, 7 September, 2010
Tamworth Regional Entertainment Centre, Tamworth
Tickets available from Tourism Tamworth: www.visittamworth.com, 02 6767 5300
or in person at Cnr. Peel and Murray Streets, Tamworth

Thursday, 9 September, 2010
Win Entertainment Centre, Wollongong
Tickets available from www.ticketek.com.au or 132 849

Friday, 10 September, 2010
Rod Laver Arena, Melbourne
Tickets available from www.ticketek.com.au or 132 849

Tuesday, 14 September, 2010
Derwent Entertainment Centre, Hobart
Tickets available from www.ticketmaster.com.au or 136 100

Thursday, 16 September, 2010
Memorial Drive, Adelaide
Tickets available from www.venuetix.com.au or (08) 8225 8888

Saturday, 18 September, 2010
Sydney Entertainment Centre, Sydney
Tickets available from www.ticketmaster.com.au or 136 100

Friday, 24 September, 2010
Supreme Court Gardens, Perth
Tickets available from www.ticketek.com.au or 132 849,
www.heatseeker.com.au + usual outlets

Sunday, 26 September, 2010
Gardens Amphitheatre, Darwin
Tickets available from www.ticketek.com.au or 132 849,
www.darwinentertainment.com.au or 08 8980 3333 or in person at D.E.C box office & outlets

Tuesday, 28 September, 2010
Convention Centre, Cairns
Tickets available from www.ticketlink.com.au or 07 4031 9555

Friday, 1 October, 2010
Entertainment Centre, Townsville
Tickets available from the venue, www.tecc.net.au or 07 4771 4000

Sunday, 3 October, 2010
Showgrounds, Mackay
Tickets available from www.ticketek.com.au or 132 849, Mackay Entertainment &
Convention Centre: www.mackaytix.com.au or 07 4961 9777
or in person at M.E.C.C & Anarchy Clothing, Mackay (07 4957 3803)

Thursday, 7 October, 2010
Showgrounds, Rockhampton
Tickets available from www.pilbeamtheatre.com.au or 07 4927 4111

Friday, 8 October, 2010
Caloundra Music Festival, Kings Beach
Tickets available from  www.caloundramusicfestival.com (Day + Full Event Tickets) or www.ticketek.com.au or 132 849 (Powderfinger show day only)

Saturday, 9 October, 2010
University of Southern Qld, Toowoomba
Tickets available from www.ticketek.com.au or 132 849 or in person at
Bon Amici Café, Toowoomba (07 4632 4533)

Tuesday, 12 October, 2010
University of Canberra
Tickets available from www.ticketek.com.au or 132 849 or in person at
Landspeed Records (02 6248 9220)

Wednesday, 13 October, 2010
Sports Ground, Albury
Tickets available from www.ticketek.com.au or 132 849 or in person at Leading Edge,
Albury (02 6021 4471), Mega’s Music, Wodonga (02 6056 1044) or
Indigo Central, Beechworth (03 5728 1002)

Friday, 15 October, 2010
Showgrounds, Bendigo
Tickets available from www.ticketek.com.au or 132 849 or in person at New Generation, Bendigo (03 5442 6512)

Saturday, 16 October, 2010
North Gardens, Ballarat
Tickets available from www.ticketek.com.au or 132 849 or in person at New Generation,
Ballarat (03 5333 2444)