# Back Tour

The BACK Tour (subtitled Old Songs, New Songs, F*** You Songs) was a concert tour by Australian musician Tim Minchin. The tour began on 5 March 2019 at the Thebarton Theatre in Adelaide before touring Australia, New Zealand, and the United Kingdom before concluding on 22 January 2022 at the Enmore Theatre, Sydney.

## Background

On 29 August 2018, it was announced that Tim Minchin would be making his first tour following his orchestra arena tour in 2010 and 2011 (with the exception of a micro tour of Los Angeles in 2017 called Leaving LA) promoted by Live Nation Entertainment in Australian and New Zealand in March and April 2019 and Phil McIntyre in the UK in October and November 2019.
The 2019 tour featured old songs from his previous musical comedy shows and songs from his stage musicals Matilda, Groundhog Day and his TV series Upright. It also featured new songs reflecting Minchin's past experiences, relationships, social and political views such as "If This Plane Goes Down", "Leaving LA", "I'll Take Lonely Tonight", "Carry You" and "Talked Too Much, Stayed Too Long" which also feature on Minchin's studio album Apart Together released in 2020.
Due to the popularity of the sold-out Australian and New Zealand tour, it was announced that Minchin would be touring again as an Encore tour in March 2020, however due to the COVID-19 pandemic dates had to be rescheduled to January and February 2021, then again to June and July 2021, with a couple of dates announced as part of the Adelaide Cabaret Festival. Also dates were announced for an Encore tour of the UK in October and November 2021. The 2021 dates feature most of the songs from the 2019/20 tour with more songs replaced with songs from the Apart Together album including "Airport Piano" and "The Absence of You".
During the tour, VIP tickets were sold raising the money to various charities in which $1.25million was raised.

## Tour band

* Tim Minchin; lead vocals, piano, guitar
* Jak Housden; guitar, BV's
* Sarah Belkner; keys, BV's, guiro, tambourine, melodica, keytar, guitar, piano, assistant MD
* Pete Clements; bass guitar (2019 UK tour)
* Brad Webb; drums (2019 UK tour)
* Tom Richards; alto saxophone, baritone saxophone, flute, dancer (2019 UK tour)
* Rory Simmons; trumpet, flugelhorn, piccolo trumpet, dancer (2019 UK tour)
* Emma Bassett; trombone (2019 UK tour)

## Set list

* "If This Plane Goes Down"
* "F Sharp"
* "Mitsubishi Colt"
* "Thank You God"
* "Airport Piano"
* "15 Minutes"
* "The Absence of You"
* "If I Didn't Have You"

### Interval

* "Leaving LA"
* "Cheese"
* "I'll Take Lonely Tonight"
* "Talked Too Much, Stayed Too Long"

### Encore

* "Carry You"
* Minchin performs "If This Plane Goes Down", "F Sharp", "Mitsubishi Colt" and "Thank You God" solo (piano and vocals) before performing with the full band in "Airport Piano" onwards.
* Songs previously used in the 2019/20 tour included "Rock N Roll Nerd", "Woody Allen Jesus" (with a segment of "Heaven on their Minds" from Jesus Christ Superstar), "Prejudice", "Pope Song", "Fuck This", "When I Grow Up" (from Matilda), "Seeing You" (from Groundhog Day) and "White Wine in the Sun"
* Songs added for the 2021 tour include "Airport Piano", "The Absence of You" and "Talked Too Much, Stayed Too Long". On the final UK tour date at Shepherd's Bush Empire, an impromptu rendition of the song "White Wine in the Sun" was also performed after the encore.

## Tour dates

| Date | City | Country | Venue |
| Australia and New Zealand tour ||||
| 5 March 2019 | Adelaide | Australia | Thebarton Theatre |
| 6 March 2019 | Adelaide | Australia | Thebarton Theatre |
| 7 March 2019 | Adelaide | Australia | Thebarton Theatre |
| 8 March 2019 | Adelaide | Australia | Thebarton Theatre |
| 9 March 2019 | Adelaide | Australia | Thebarton Theatre |
| 12 March 2019 | Canberra | Australia | Canberra Theatre |
| 13 March 2019 | Canberra | Australia | Canberra Theatre |
| 14 March 2019 | Canberra | Australia | Canberra Theatre |
| 15 March 2019 | Canberra | Australia | Canberra Theatre |
| 16 March 2019 | Canberra | Australia | Canberra Theatre |
| 19 March 2019 | Perth | Australia | Crown Theatre |
| 20 March 2019 | Perth | Australia | Crown Theatre |
| 21 March 2019 | Perth | Australia | Crown Theatre |
| 22 March 2019 | Perth | Australia | Crown Theatre |
| 23 March 2019 | Perth | Australia | Crown Theatre |
| 26 March 2019 | Sydney | Australia | State Theatre |
| 27 March 2019 | Sydney | Australia | State Theatre |
| 28 March 2019 | Sydney | Australia | State Theatre |
| 29 March 2019 | Sydney | Australia | State Theatre |
| 3 April 2019 | Melbourne | Australia | Palais Theatre |
| 4 April 2019 | Melbourne | Australia | Palais Theatre |
| 5 April 2019 | Melbourne | Australia | Palais Theatre |
| 6 April 2019 | Melbourne | Australia | Palais Theatre |
| 7 April 2019 | Melbourne | Australia | Palais Theatre |
| 9 April 2019 | Brisbane | Australia | Queensland Performing Arts Centre |
| 10 April 2019 | Brisbane | Australia | Queensland Performing Arts Centre |
| 11 April 2019 | Brisbane | Australia | Queensland Performing Arts Centre |
| 12 April 2019 | Brisbane | Australia | Queensland Performing Arts Centre |
| 14 April 2019 | Auckland | New Zealand | ASB Theatre |
| 15 April 2019 | Auckland | New Zealand | ASB Theatre |
| 16 April 2019 | Auckland | New Zealand | ASB Theatre |
| 18 April 2019 | Wellington | New Zealand | Michael Fowler Centre |
| 19 April 2019 | Wellington | New Zealand | Michael Fowler Centre |
| 23 April 2019 | Melbourne | Australia | Palais Theatre |
| 24 April 2019 | Melbourne | Australia | Palais Theatre |
| 28 April 2019 | Sydney | Australia | State Theatre |
| 29 April 2019 | Sydney | Australia | State Theatre |
| 30 April 2019 | Sydney | Australia | State Theatre |
| 3 May 2019 | Gold Coast | Australia | The Star |
| 4 May 2019 | Gold Coast | Australia | The Star |
| United Kingdom tour ||||
| 15 October 2019 | Ipswich | England | Regent Theatre |
| 16 October 2019 | Ipswich | England | Regent Theatre |
| 17 October 2019 | Oxford | England | New Theatre |
| 18 October 2019 | Oxford | England | New Theatre |
| 19 October 2019 | Oxford | England | New Theatre |
| 22 October 2019 | Sheffield | England | City Hall |
| 23 October 2019 | Nottingham | England | Royal Concert Hall |
| 24 October 2019 | Nottingham | England | Royal Concert Hall |
| 25 October 2019 | Manchester | England | O2 Apollo |
| 26 October 2019 | Manchester | England | O2 Apollo |
| 29 October 2019 | Cardiff | Wales | St David's Hall |
| 30 October 2019 | Cardiff | Wales | St David's Hall |
| 31 October 2019 | Liverpool | England | Empire Theatre |
| 1 November 2019 | Liverpool | England | Empire Theatre |
| 2 November 2019 | Portsmouth | England | Guildhall |
| 5 November 2019 | Plymouth | England | Pavilions |
| 6 November 2019 | Plymouth | England | Pavilions |
| 7 November 2019 | London | England | Eventim Apollo |
| 8 November 2019 | London | England | Eventim Apollo |
| 9 November 2019 | London | England | Palladium |
| 12 November 2019 | London | England | Eventim Apollo |
| 13 November 2019 | London | England | Eventim Apollo |
| 14 November 2019 | London | England | Eventim Apollo |
| 15 November 2019 | Birmingham | England | Hippodrome |
| 16 November 2019 | Birmingham | England | Hippodrome |
| 19 November 2019 | Edinburgh | Scotland | Playhouse |
| 20 November 2019 | Edinburgh | Scotland | Playhouse |
| 21 November 2019 | Gateshead | England | Sage |
| 22 November 2019 | Glasgow | Scotland | SEC Armadillo |
| 23 November 2019 | Edinburgh | Scotland | Playhouse |
| 26 November 2019 | Brighton | England | Dome |
| 27 November 2019 | Brighton | England | Dome |
| 28 November 2019 | Southend-on-Sea | England | Cliffs Pavilion |
| 29 November 2019 | Southend-on-Sea | England | Cliffs Pavilion |
| 30 November 2019 | Southend-on-Sea | England | Cliffs Pavilion |
| Australia – Encore tour ||||
| 6 March 2020 | Perth | Australia | Crown |
| 7 March 2020 | Perth | Australia | Crown |
| 12 March 2020 | Hobart | Australia | Wrest Point Entertainment Centre |
| 13 March 2020 | Hobart | Australia | Wrest Point Entertainment Centre |
| 14 March 2020 | Hobart | Australia | Wrest Point Entertainment Centre |
| Australia and New Zealand – Encore tour (rescheduled due to COVID-19 pandemic) ||||
| 12 June 2021 | Adelaide | Australia | Adelaide Festival Theatre (as part of the Adelaide Cabaret Festival) |
| 13 June 2021 | Adelaide | Australia | Adelaide Festival Theatre (as part of the Adelaide Cabaret Festival) |
| 17 June 2021 | Wellington | New Zealand | Michael Fowler Centre |
| 19 June 2021 | Auckland | New Zealand | Civic Theatre |
| 20 June 2021 | Auckland | New Zealand | Civic Theatre |
| 25 June 2021 | Christchurch | New Zealand | Christchurch Town Hall |
| 2 July 2021 | Melbourne | Australia | Hamer Hall |
| 3 July 2021 | Melbourne | Australia | Hamer Hall |
| 4 July 2021 | Melbourne | Australia | Hamer Hall |
| 5 July 2021 | Melbourne | Australia | Hamer Hall |
| 6 July 2021 | Melbourne | Australia | Hamer Hall |
| 7 July 2021 | Melbourne | Australia | Hamer Hall |
| 12 July 2021 | Brisbane | Australia | Fortitude Music Hall |
| 13 July 2021 | Brisbane | Australia | Fortitude Music Hall |
| 14 July 2021 | Brisbane | Australia | Fortitude Music Hall |
| 15 July 2021 | Brisbane | Australia | Fortitude Music Hall |
| United Kingdom – Encore tour ||||
| 16 October 2021 | Aberdeen | Scotland | P&J Live |
| 17 October 2021 | Edinburgh | Scotland | Festival Theatre |
| 19 October 2021 | York | England | Barbican |
| 20 October 2021 | Dundee | Scotland | Caird Hall |
| 23 October 2021 | Birmingham | England | Hippodrome |
| 24 October 2021 | Birmingham | England | Hippodrome |
| 25 October 2021 | Brighton | England | Brighton Centre |
| 26 October 2021 | Brighton | England | Brighton Centre |
| 28 October 2021 | Portsmouth | England | Portsmouth Guildhall |
| 31 October 2021 | Newcastle upon Tyne | England | O2 City Hall |
| 1 November 2021 | Newcastle upon Tyne | England | O2 City Hall |
| 2 November 2021 | Leeds | England | First Direct Arena |
| 3 November 2021 | Hull | England | Bonus Arena |
| 6 November 2021 | Manchester | England | O2 Apollo |
| 7 November 2021 | Manchester | England | O2 Apollo |
| 8 November 2021 | London | England | Eventim Apollo |
| 9 November 2021 | London | England | Eventim Apollo |
| 10 November 2021 | Portsmouth | England | Portsmouth Guildhall |
| 11 November 2021 | London | England | Eventim Apollo |
| 14 November 2021 | Nottingham | England | Motorpoint Arena |
| 15 November 2021 | Manchester | England | O2 Apollo |
| 17 November 2021 | Leicester | England | De Montfort Hall |
| 18 November 2021 | Ipswich | England | Regent Theatre |
| 20 November 2021 | Blackpool | England | Opera House |
| 21 November 2021 | Stockton-on-Tees | England | Globe Theatre |
| 22 November 2021 | Stockton-on-Tees | England | Globe Theatre |
| 24 November 2021 | Cardiff | Wales | Motorpoint Arena |
| 25 November 2021 | Oxford | England | New Theatre |
| 27 November 2021 | Plymouth | England | Plymouth Pavilion |
| 28 November 2021 | Bournemouth | England | International Centre |
| 30 November 2021 | London | England | Shepherd's Bush Empire |
| 1 December 2021 | London | England | Shepherd's Bush Empire |
| Australia – Encore tour (rescheduled due to COVID-19 pandemic) ||||
| 11 January 2022 | Newcastle | Australia | Civic Theatre |
| 12 January 2022 | Newcastle | Australia | Civic Theatre |
| 18 January 2022 | Sydney | Australia | Enmore Theatre |
| 19 January 2022 | Sydney | Australia | Enmore Theatre |
| 20 January 2022 | Sydney | Australia | Enmore Theatre |
| 21 January 2022 | Sydney | Australia | Enmore Theatre |
| 22 January 2022 | Sydney | Australia | Enmore Theatre |

## Filmed recording

On 17 February 2022, Minchin revealed that the final UK shows at the Shepherd's Bush Empire, London were filmed and due to be released at a later date. On 11 October 2022, it was revealed that the recording would be shown in cinemas in the UK and Ireland on 23 November 2022.