Ukraine crisis is history repeating itself for Goanna frontman Shane Howard

It was almost 40 years ago the iconic Australian band played a gig protesting the wartime tactics of Russia.

The famed 1983 concert Stop The Drop was held at the Myer Music Bowl in Melbourne featuring Goanna, Midnight Oil, Redgum and INXS.

It was put together to bring awareness to the growing dissent amongst Australians at the prospect of a nuclear war between major players on the world scene, namely Russia and the United States.

In a rare reunion, Midnight Oil and Goanna will play in Geelong this Saturday, March 5.

39 long years later, it's as relevant now as it was back then, said Goanna frontman Shane Howard from his Killarney home in south-west Victoria.

"Ironically our fear then was Russia would initiate a nuclear war," Howard said.

"It's bizarre that we find ourselves back here 40 years later, and playing a show with Midnight Oil."

The concert was attended by 8000 people with all funds raised to the People for Nuclear Disarmament.

The 2022 concert in Geelong marks the last national tour for Midnight Oil and the first performance for Goanna in over two decades.

"That was 1983; 40 years later and we are getting somewhere in terms of of land rights for Aboriginal people but deaths in custody still remains a major issue, the incarceration of Aboriginal people still remains a major issue and climate change is banging at our door," Howard said.

"We now have this crazy situation where Russia are invading a sovereign country and it's hard to be too optimistic.

"But from a band point of view, it's just bringing a little bit of light to the sum of life; to get people up and dancing and thinking at the same time. You just do your little bit."

This year marks 40 years since the release of Goanna's trailblazing album Spirit of Place.

"We were young and bold when we set out in the 80s," Howard said. "There were real issues that needed addressing, they're still there. We've come some of the way but we have so much further to go.

"We didn't write those songs for nothing and it's really important that we pay attention.

"We're not just here to go shopping - as a society and as citizens. Democracy is a fragile thing, it's easily taken for granted and we're here to be good citizens.

"It's a miracle that any of us is alive in the world.

"We're in a pretty hostile place, it's a miracle to be here and we shouldn't take it for granted.

"Those things are important and that's the role of the artist. Our job is to hold the mirror back at society and say, look at yourselves, look at ourselves and what we're doing.

"That is our job, it's not our job to be liked really."

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