They came in ponchos, even swimming caps and lifeguard uniforms. But for the most part, two hours of politically charged, dancing-compulsory Aussie rock seemed to keep the weather at bay after 15 years almost entirely missing from live venues across the country.

Looking more comfortable than he ever did with the letters MP after his name, Australia's favourite praying mantis Peter Garrett was moving like a misfiring jackhammer within seconds of taking the stage.

The former member for Kingsford Smith set the agenda early.

"This is a musical adventure, a cultural visitation, a little bit of entertainment, a few comments from the stage and plenty of music for you," Garrett announced after opening the show with Dreamworld, Feeding Frenzy and Too Much Sunshine.

It could only have been ironic given the weather dished up on the Queensland leg of Midnight Oil's The Great Circle tour so far.

This was what 9000-odd ready-to-be-drenched punters had come to see.

Comments from the stage: you could probably guess who was on the receiving end of those.

Indian miner Adani, or more accurately the people trying to stop its Carmichael mine in central Queensland, was never going to escape a song dedication for Blue Sky Mine.

"To the Premier, Ms Palaszczuk, and the Prime Minister, Mr Turnbull," Garrett declared later in the evening.

"Having served in one of these buildings, I know what it is like.

"I also know that governments can do things if people really want them to and so, making sure that this water-swallowing robotised mega-mine doesn't destroy the planet or the Great Barrier Reef is our number one task and we will not give in."

And of course, One Nation leader Pauline Hanson earned a barb, not to be "rude to the person in question" but just for "what comes out of her mouth and her ideas and philosophies".

"Amongst many of which are totally objectionable, morally repugnant and dumb," Garrett said, to loud cheers.

And music? The Oils had that in spades.

About an hour-and-a-half in, the 42-year-old band chained together Beds are Burning, The Dead Heart, Blue Sky Mine, Power and the Passion and Forgotten Years.

Having already pulled out Short Memory, US Forces, When the Generals Talk, Yothu Yindi's Treaty and a host of others, you could have been forgiven for wondering what they'd left up their sleeves for an encore.

Twenty minutes later, after King of the Mountain, Best of Both Worlds, One Country and a rollicking version of the Saints' Know Your Product, they still weren't quite done.

At 64, Garrett was indomitable, winding his way across the stage like an oversized stork lost to the rhythm.

Rob Hirst behind the kit was in lockstep with Bones Hillman's bass all night, only faltering slightly on vocals for Kosciusko. But the man played a drum solo on a rainwater tank and sounded great the rest of the night so who the hell cares.

Martin Rotsey's guitar was alternately searing and crunching at the appropriate times while Jim Moginie brought to life the keys and everything else he touched.

The five-piece, assisted by a brass trio for much of the night, sounded enormous, particularly as Jimmy Sharman's Boxers built from a darkly lit, red-soaked throb to a crescendo.

Garrett apologised for not playing all night like at "Alex Hills about 15 years ago" but nonetheless broke through the Riverstage's notoriously expensive 10pm curfew to end with Sometimes.

If Nick Cave's claim that the council "fine you by the minute" is true, Brisbane's ratepayers could be in for a little windfall.

Setlist

Dreamworld

Too Much Sunshine

Feeding Frenzy

Truganini

Don't Wanna be the One

Put Down That Weapon

Brave Faces

When the Generals Talk

Short Memory

Treaty

US Forces

Kosciusko

Read About It

Jimmy Sharman's Boxers

Beds Are Burning

The Dead Heart

Blue Sky Mine

Power and the Passion

Forgotten Years

Encore

Know Your Product (The Saints cover)

King of the Mountain

Best of Both Worlds

Second Encore

One Country

Sometimes

Midnight Oil plays the Riverstage again on Tuesday night as part of The Great Circle tour.