In preparation for this show, I listened to almost the entire Silverchair discography and I was reminded just what an incredible collection of albums it is. Hearing the detail and intricacy in those songs, it’s easy to understand how the band once captured the Australian public’s imagination with music that was quirky yet full of substance and inventive yet accessible. But it has been a long time since Silverchair disbanded and Daniel Johns has since carved his own, often turbulent path as a solo artist.

In the years following the band’s end, Johns released an acclaimed solo album and endured a few less-than-ideal public struggles. To gloss over those moments would be to thoroughly misrepresent the story of Johns. If ever there were an artist who embodied the archetype of the tortured genius, it is Johns, someone who is supremely gifted yet marked by a journey as tragic as it is fascinating.

For his first public appearance in more than three years, Johns chose a hosted conversation to promote his new film What If the Future Never Happened? The semi-autobiographical piece blends elements of his childhood in Newcastle with a surreal, angelic version of himself guiding his younger self. The Sydney event was hosted by Double J’s Dylan Lewis, familiar to many in the audience as the host of Recovery. Johns was joined on stage by photographer and videographer Luke Eblen, his roommate and longtime collaborator and musician Paul Mac, his key creative partner throughout his solo career.

The two-hour conversation was fascinating, if occasionally a little awkward. Some audience members seemed apparently unaware that Johns would not be performing live music at the beginning. When he first stepped on stage, visibly nervous, Johns stated that he was “nervous as f**k,” which was somewhat in keeping with the flow of the conversation. As the night went on, he relaxed somewhat, with Lewis guiding the discussion through a series of gentle questions. Johns avoided controversy, choosing instead to focus on his creative process and the evolution of his music, which was understandable but did make the event feel quite sanitised.

Throughout the night, Johns presented a selection of rare demos and archival videos. The first was footage of him performing “Freak” at Laneway Festival. While he didn’t sing live, he interacted playfully with the video, encouraging the audience to stand and sing along. It was an unusual but endearing moment that delighted his diehard fans.

He then shared an unreleased Silverchair demo titled “All the Time in the World”, a hauntingly beautiful track that showcased the raw power of his vocals at the 90s peak of their powers and the early glimpses of his genius. It is remarkable that this song never saw an official release. If Johns truly is working on new material as he hinted it would not be surprising to see this rediscovered gem reworked for a future project.

Another highlight was “Machina Collecta”, a metal-tinged song originally intended for Silverchair’s unreleased final album. Its heavier tone stood apart from the rest of the evening’s selections, offering a rare glimpse into what that album might have been. Johns also played demos of “Luv Your Life” and “Across the Night”, with the latter being especially well done. 

The panellists suggested that Johns had picked out the tracks painstakingly over the last few weeks whereas it seemed like much more of a team effort on the stage. How much of the creative control was from Johns the audience will never know, but it was definitely a well-curated night.

The evening concluded with a new, unreleased track called “Melody”, which seemed to be a nod to a future Johns album. His fellow panellists seemed to hint that new music was indeed coming, though Johns quickly changed the subject, preferring to keep his plans vague.

The film itself, which began screening around 10:30 pm, after some of the crowd had departed, was an intriguing work. Its mix of autobiography and fantasy recalled elements of Elton John’s biopic Rocketman, with Johns presenting a version of his own story that was both dreamlike and personal.

Overall, this was a compelling, if somewhat sanitised, evening. The audience clearly relished the rare opportunity to see Daniel Johns in person after so many years away from the public eye. While the conversation occasionally rambled and could have benefited from more structure, it did not matter much to the fans, who hung on every word. At times, the event felt less like a celebration and more like somewhat of a memorial, a reflection on a once-in-a-generation artist revisiting the brilliance of his past. Yet it was also poignant and hopeful, suggesting that there might be another chapter in Johns’ story. Whether that proves to be the case remains to be seen but it was clear everyone in the room, and likely across Australia, is rooting for Daniel Johns as he steps out once again into the limelight.

Daniel Johns – State Theatre – 1 November 2025

All photo credits: Jordan Munns