Powderfinger’s rhythm section dusts off for YouTube fundraiser

Ahead of rehearsing for a one-off concert, the drummer and bassist of Powderfinger had to locate their instruments.

Powderfinger are back … for one night only. Clockwise from left: Jon Coghill, Darren Middleton, Ian Haug, John Collins, Bernard Fanning (foreground). Picture: Ian Jennings, 2004.

Before limbering up to start ­rehearsing for Powderfinger’s first performance in almost a decade­, the band’s rhythm section­ had a more pressing task: first, they had to locate their instrumen­ts.

“I had played twice in 10 years, so I had to find a drum kit,” says Jon Coghill. “It was in storage, so that was hard work: there was a lot of cockroaches.”

It wasn’t quite that long between plugging in for John Collins. “My basses were in storage­, so I had to get them out,” he says. “I play acoustic (guitar) at home, but playing bass on stage with a big amp? At least two years ago.”

What has prompted the sudden­ activity after the Brisbane band’s last tour in 2010 is a one-off concert to be broadcast on YouTube from 7pm on Saturday, May 23. Named One Night Lonely, the free performance is a fundraiser for two charities, Beyond Blue and Support Act.

The event will reunite the drummer and bassist with singer Bernard Fanning and guitarists Ian Haug and Darren Middleton.

Rather than attempting to live-stream the set over potentially dodgy internet connections, though, the band has taken the approach of professionally filming and recording each of their parts in advance from five different locations, with acclaimed producer Nick DiDia overseeing the final mix.

Coghill recorded his drum parts at a studio near his home on the Sunshine Coast, having spent a few weeks getting back up to speed behind the kit. At first, his three young daughters thrilled at their father’s hidden talent, but the novelty soon wore off. “About a week in, they started coming in and saying, ‘Shut up! It’s too loud!’” he says with a laugh.

Collins elected to record his bass parts alone on stage at the Fortitude Music Hall, one of the two Brisbane music venues he co-owns.

“The music industry has been devastated by this virus,” he says, “So having it in a completely empty venue was a point to say: this is where we are at the moment, unfortunately. It was pretty spooky: three months ago, who would have thought that this was where we would be?”

Earlier this week, Collins was toying with the idea of opening the venue for a tiny guestlist of family members to watch the concert, while the drummer was anticipating a viewing on the couch with his young noise complainants.

“I think I’ll sit down with my family and we’ll watch it,” says Coghill. “Then we’ll have baths at about 7.35, and they’ll be in bed by 8 o’clock – let’s hope!”