In 2005, Bernard Fanning released his solo debut album ‘Tea & Sympathy’, providing an opportune outlet to release more emotive, personal and reflective songwriting material outside of his band, Powderfinger. This beloved chart-topping album is now celebrating its 20th anniversary with a 2026 national tour, following a one-night-only sold-out Brisbane show back in October 2025.
Taking to the iconic Forum Melbourne stage, it was a full circle moment for Bernard Fanning, as he was reminded by some dedicated fans in the front row, that twenty years ago he did an album tour for this album and played in this very venue. I hadn’t seen Fanning live until Powderfinger’s Across the Great Divide Tour that they did together with Silverchair (and apparently I’m floating around with my piano scarf in the documentary on the DVD), but I had been actively listening to Bernard Fanning’s solo work and I was just as much a fan of his solo music, as well as his other music ventures.
The Forum Melbourne concert had Fanning accompanied by four other musicians on the guitar, bass, drums, and keys, with multi-instrumentalist John Bedggood also showcasing his talents on the violin, which was especially exquisite during the fan favourite, ‘Songbird’.
Bernard Fanning, a seasoned veteran in the Australian music industry, was completely at home on the Melbourne stage, although citing with self-depreciating humour about himself, whenever something would take a while to set up, teasing his Melbourne audience to not get their hopes up. He also took a moment to shout out and roast his dear friend and fellow band mate, Paul Dempsey, from Something For Kate, and from their duo Fanning Dempsey National Park. Some patrons in the audience even shouted for a Fanning Dempsey National Park reunion which unfortunately never sufficed. Although, seeing Paul Dempsey’s very tall head happily bopping along to Bernard Fanning’s songs in my peripheral vision from where I stood for the duration of the concert, was quite endearing to witness.
What Bernard Fanning presented to the Forum Melbourne crowd was not so much polished. Instead, the singer-songwriter chose to lean into the more heartfelt, mellow, raw and intimate vibes, in the spirit of the album, for Melbourne fans. Some patrons were even seeing him live for the very first time!
Melbourne patrons were surprised when Bernard summoned Melbourne singer and author Clare Bowditch to the stage, alongside earlier support act Georgia Mooney to perform together ‘Watch Over Me’ before bringing other support act, Ball Park Music’s Sam Cromack to join in for ‘Yesterday’s Gone’. Because he felt like it, Bernard Fanning decided to abolish the encore. His band then performed a cover of George Harrison’s ‘Beware of Darkness’ on an old stunning red Maton electric guitar that his mum bought for him as a kid for $15 dollars, before kicking into ‘Hey, Hey, What Can I Do’ originally by Led Zeppelin.
Highlights of the evening consisted of a gorgeous performance of new song ‘Steady Job’ which is on the 20th anniversary repackaging of Tea & Sympathy. Typically, when some patrons don’t recognise a song, they tend to yap, but with this song, the more that Bernard sung, the more silent the room became, until all you could were the occasional clinking of glasses at the bar, and the delicate strums of Bernard Fanning’s acoustic guitar. A magical moment that displayed the power of music.
For half of the show, a projector came out, to show a backdrop that fit the song Bernard and the band were playing. However, all the imagery projected behind them appeared to be created with generative AI, obvious by one song which had an empty ocean and a constant wave the whole time. While I do believe AI can be very helpful and powerful tool with research, technology, analytics and coding, I don’t agree with the use of generative AI in a creative aspect. You wouldn’t be okay with a song written with generative AI, right? I understand the creative depth, time, heart, passion and human emotion involved with songwriting. The same respect should go for visual media and any other art. I was disheartened discovering this, especially from a creative of such calibre and one of my favourite songwriters.
To conclude an entertaining and intimate Melbourne evening, Fanning sung his signature solo hit, ‘Wish You Well’, which had everyone gleefully bopping heads, clapping and even dancing whilst shamelessly singing at the top of their lungs. Admittedly, at the time when the song was initially released, I had thought the song was lovely, but being much younger, I never really understood the depth of its lyrics until now. The song is a bitter-sweet but respectable send off to someone you once deeply loved, and I listen, feel and see the song in a different light, especially now that I’m an adult and happily married, with many love stories of my own to reminisce upon.
Overall, Bernard Fanning and his band provided such a lovely nostalgia-filled concert in celebration of his Tea & Sympathy album for his dedicated Melbourne fans, many of which had grown up listening to his music, this specific album, and remain just as passionate and supportive to this day. The Forum Melbourne show is the first of two sold-out Melbourne concerts, the second at the Palais Theatre, before Fanning concludes his 15-date on the Gold Coast.
Proudly presented by Cornershop Agency and Dew Process, Bernard Fanning‘s Tea & Sympathy 20th Anniversary Tour, had its first Melbourne show at Forum Melbourne on Thursday the 26th of March, 2026.
For more information and ticketing, visit:
https://bernardfanning.com/tour
https://www.instagram.com/bernardfanning
Photography by Grant Alexander.
