Two decades after the release of one of Australia’s most defining rock records, Eskimo Joe are hitting the road once again to celebrate Black Fingernails Red Wine, the album that shaped a generation, topped charts, and 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 album live, in full, alongside a career-spanning set of their biggest hits, as part of a capital city tour across Australia in 2026.
Kicking off on May 1 in their home town of Fremantle, the 20th Anniversary Tour will head to Brisbane, Melbourne, Sydney, and Adelaide, revisiting some of the iconic venues that shaped Eskimo Joe’s early years.
Tickets are on sale today at 9am AEDT from www.eskimojoe.net/tours
The shows will feature Black Fingernails Red Wine performed in its entirety, followed by a second set packed with fan favourites from across the band’s acclaimed catalogue, including hits like From the Sea, Love is a Drug, Foreign Land, and their latest single, Miracle Cure.
Joining Eskimo Joe as special guest at each show is singer-songwriter Alex Llloyd, whose own success with debut album Black the Sun and the ARIA-Award-winning hit song Amazing shared the spotlight around the same time as Eskimo Joe began carving out one of the most enduring careers 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.”
“Playing the album from start to finish is such a special experience for us,” says guitarist Stu MacLeod. “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.”
Guitarist and drummer 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!”
When Black Fingernails Red Wine was released in June 2006, it was an instant success. The record debuted at #1 on the ARIA Album Chart, achieved 4x Platinum sales, and spawned a string of hit singles from the unmistakable opening sounds of Comfort You, through hits such as Sarah, New York and the album’s juggernaut title track, to the epic closing track How Does It Feel.
It also earned Eskimo Joe four ARIA Awards, including “Single of the Year”, and saw them sell out arenas across the country. The album’s brooding tone, ambitious self-production, and emotionally charged songwriting marked a bold evolution from the band’s earlier records Girl and A Song Is a City.
In addition to the live shows, in collaboration with Howard Park Winery, Eskimo Joe will release a special Black Fingernails Red Wine 20th Anniversary Edition Cabernet Sauvignon. With more details to come, this exclusive wine and commemorative merchandise will be available throughout the tour.
Eskimo Joe last toured in in 2018 with an ambitious national orchestral tour featuring symphony orchestras from around Australia.
ESKIMO JOE
BLACK FINGERNAILS RED WINE
20th Anniversary Tour
Tickets on sale today at 9am AEDT from www.eskimojoe.net/tours
FREO SOCIAL, FREMANTLE, WA
FRIDAY 1 MAY
SATURDAY 2 MAY
TRIFFID, BRISBANE, QLD
SATURDAY 9 MAY
CORNER HOTEL, RICHMOND, VIC
FRIDAY 15 MAY
SATURDAY 16 MAY
THE FACTORY THEATRE, SYDNEY, NSW
SATURDAY 23 MAY
THE GOV, ADELAIDE, SA
FRIDAY 5 JUNE
