I've pulled this out in more conversations than I care to remember, and it's appeared in a couple of presentations too. Clearly it has to live somewhere other than my Notes.app, so here we go.
Midnight Oil! One of Australia's proudest exports: instantly recognisable to an impressive chunk of the globe, one of many acts that put Australia's music scene on the global stage, thanks in no small part to their incredible live show.
How does a band like Midnight Oil become a force of nature live?
Here are some numbers I pulled out of setlist.fm
Midnight Oil's first 10 years of their career (# of shows per year)
1976 (5)
1977 (7)
1978 (165)
1979 (148)
1980 (147)
1981 (89)
1982 (51)
1983 (52)
1984 (52)
1985 (61)
The venues they cut their teeth on in 1976-1977 (and number of shows they played at each):
Avalon RSL, Avalon (1)
Bondi Lifesaver, Bondi (1)
Charles Hotel, Chatswood (1)
French's Tavern, Darlinghurst (4)
Regent Hotel, Kingsford (3)
Royal Antler Hotel, Narrabeen (1)
War & Peace Hotel, Parramatta (1)
And then in 1978 they played:
Bondi Lifesaver, Bondi (15)
Rex Hotel, Kings Cross (13)
Stagedoor Tavern, Sydney (13)
Royal Antler Hotel, Narrabeen (12)
Civic Hotel, Sydney (11)
French's Tavern, Darlinghurst (5)
Paddington Town Hall, Paddington (3)
Selina's Coogee Bay Hotel, Coogee (3)
Caringbah Inn, Caringbah (3)
Seals Club, Maroubra (3)
Flicks, Manly (3)
St Leonards Park, North Sydney (2)
The Refectory, University of Sydney, Sydney (2)
Comb and Cutter Hotel, Blacktown (2)
Balmain Town Hall, Balmain (2)
Riverwood Inn, Riverwood (1)
UNSW Roundhouse, Kensington (1)
Governor Bourke Hotel, Camperdown (1)
Oceanic Hotel, Coogee (1)
Sydney Cove Tavern, Circular Quay (1)
Shaun's Local Inn, West Ryde (1)
St John's College, University of Sydney, Sydney (1)
Sydney Town Hall, Sydney (1)
Blacktown RSL, Blacktown (1)
Lane Cove Town Hall, Lane Cove (1)
Dancers Club, Lidcombe (1)
Regent Theatre, Sydney (1)
* * *
Makes you think, huh?