Eskimo Joe are gearing up for a national run that celebrates the album that took them from rising locals to chart-topping mainstays – Black Fingernails Red Wine. Released in 2026, the album became a cornerstone of Australian music history with its themes of identity, politics, and human connection that still feel as powerful and relevant as ever.
The multi-ARIA Award-winning trio will perform the entire record live, front to back, as part of a capital city tour in 2026. Each show will also include a second set stacked with the band’s biggest hits from across their catalogue.
The 20th Anniversary Tour kicks off May 1 in their hometown of Fremantle before heading to Brisbane, Melbourne, Sydney and Adelaide, with the group returning to some of the same venues that helped define their early years.
Their Melbourne shows will be at The Corner Hotel in Richmond on 14 and 15 May 2026.
Fans can expect a full run-through of Black Fingernails Red Wine followed by favourites such as From the Sea, Love is a Drug, Foreign Land and their newest single, Miracle Cure.
Joining them at every stop is singer-songwriter Alex Lloyd, whose breakout success with Black the Sun and the ARIA-winning hit Amazing unfolded at the same time Eskimo Joe were carving out their place in Australian rock.
“Looking back, we’d been working really hard leading up to that record, honing our songwriting and performance.” says frontman Kav Temperley.
“By the time we got into the studio, we were feeling pretty match fit. But I don’t think any of us realised at the time what a huge impact that album would have on us, or how much it would change our trajectory. I have nothing but gratitude for the fact that we can still go out and play Black Fingernails Red Wine and that it still means so much to so many people, it absolutely blows my mind and warms my heart.”
Guitarist Stu MacLeod says, “Playing the album from start to finish is such a special experience for us. It’s a chance for us to relive a pretty special moment in time for us, and to revisit those songs that never made it to the stage. Some of my favourite Eskimo Joe songs are incidental album tracks that we just never performed live.”
Joel Quartermain adds, “With this album, the band really arrived at a point of creative cohesion. We seemed to have that elusive balance of experience, youth and (blind) confidence to go after a pretty ambitions vision. It was a sweet spot and when we play these songs live, it’s fun to return to that place. The record works as a whole piece, so to perform it in its entirety only makes sense and feels great!”
Black Fingernails Red Wine debuted at number one on the ARIA Album Chart, went 4x Platinum and spawned hits from Comfort You to Sarah, New York and the title track. It won four ARIA Awards, including Single of the Year, and pushed the band into arena-selling territory with its darker tone and ambitious self-production.
Alongside the tour, the band is partnering with Howard Park Winery for a Black Fingernails Red Wine 20th Anniversary Edition Cabernet Sauvignon, with more details to come.
The run marks Eskimo Joe’s first tour since 2018, when they hit the stage with orchestras around the country.
Tickets are on sale at www.eskimojoe.net/tours.
