Tom Morello Says Some Of His 'All-Time Rock Highlights' Happened In Melbourne

Tom Morello is heading to Australia for the first time in over a decade next month, playing at Bluesfest in Byron Bay and two sideshows in Sydney and Melbourne.

In a new interview with The Music, which will be published in the coming weeks, Morello discussed some of his all-time favourite (and most memorable) Australian tour memories, many of which happened in Melbourne.

“Let me just say this: I’ve had some of my favourite shows ever in Melbourne,” Morello said while sporting a Cherry Bar t-shirt by pure coincidence.

“I remember there was an Audioslave show in 2003, the [Bruce] Springsteen, Eddie Vedder, Highway To Hell opening – whatever year that was – 2014, Rage Against The Machine [at] the Big Day Out the second time… some of my all-time rock highlights have been in Melbourne. We’re going to try to make another one.”

Elaborating on Rage Against The Machine’s 2008 headlining set at Big Day Out, Morello recalled an incredible yet “exhausting” day on which he also performed under his solo project, The Nightwatchman.

“There was one Big Day Out in 2007 or 2008, whatever year Rage was headlining. I did a Nightwatchman set in one of the tents with Billy Bragg earlier in the day; it was an exhausting day. But that music was just as important to me as anything else I had ever done, and it was important to me to play it for Australian fans.”

As for what Australian fans can expect on his upcoming outings under his own name, Morello says you can expect the classics from across Rage Against The Machine, Prophets Of Rage, and Audioslave catalogues, as well as solo material from his Nightwatchmen, Atlas Underground Fire and Flood projects, and new solo music.

Tom Morello will perform at Bluesfest on Thursday, 17, and Friday, 18 April, Melbourne’s Forum on Sunday, 13 April, and Sydney’s Enmore Theatre on Wednesday, 16 April.

Tickets are available via the Bluesfest Tours and Bluesfest website.