Frontier Touring is thrilled to announce Daniel Johns In Conversation: What If The Future Never Happened? – four nights of storytelling, film and music with one of the most decorated Australian artists and songwriters of his generation, live in Sydney, Brisbane, Melbourne and Newcastle this November. 

Johns is taking to the stage in celebration of the worldwide premiere of his highly anticipated short film, What If The Future Never Happened? – with each screening framed by an hour-long onstage conversation. In these rare live talk appearances, Daniel will discuss his early life and creative process, sharing never-before-seen photos, moving archival footage, and unreleased recordings straight from his personal collection. He’ll reveal previously unheard demos – from 4 track embryonic Neon Ballroom bedroom demos to the original songwriting session of ‘Straight Lines’ from Silverchair’s final album Young Modern, to ideas for songs he had written that would never make it onto a sixth Silverchair album – Johns will also play new music from his solo career and collaborative projects, each evening promising a distinct experience shaped by the moment, no two nights the same.  

In these four shows – his first time appearing on stage in over five years – Johns will get up close and personal with fans, who’ll also be invited to submit questions pre-event in each city.    

Directed by James Medlam, What If The Future Never Happened? is a genre-bending, semi autobiographical featurette that puts reality and fantasy in a hyper-speed spin cycle. Shot in 2022, Johns made the executive decision to hold it back while he completed it and to mark the 30th anniversary of frogstomp.  

Fans first caught wind of the trailer back in 2022 with the release of Johns’ chart-topping second solo album, the #1 FutureNever – an album that broke ARIA records by reaching #1 twice and spending a record seven weeks in the Top Ten, a feat that is yet to be matched in the three years that have passed. Produced by Clockwork Films in association with Daniel Johns, BMG and Winarch, the sci-fi inspired film is a cinematic portal back to the ‘90s, a postcard from the past written to the future. The Featurette features a stunning orchestral soundtrack intertwining modern interpretations of Daniel’s Silverchair classics with sound design by Adam Alexander from Bamm Bamm Wolfgang. 

It’s 1994, mere months before a teenage rockstar called Daniel (actor Rasmus King) would conquer the global music world in ways never-before-seen. On this ordinary day in regional Australia, while escaping the routine torment of three local bullies (led by newcomer Lockie Ranson), a chance interaction with a mysterious figure from the future will change Daniel’s Tomorrow forever…  

Tickets for Daniel Johns In Conversation: What If The Future Never Happened? go on sale Thursday 25 September (1pm local) via frontiertouring.com/danieljohns. Sign up to become a Frontier Member and get early access to the Presale, starting Wednesday 24 September (11am local) – see website for further details.  

These are the nights fans have been waiting for. Don’t miss Daniel Johns In Conversation: What If The Future Never Happened?  

About Daniel Johns 

With six #1 albums and a career marked by reinvention, Daniel Johns stands as the most decorated Australian songwriter of his generation. As the frontman of Silverchair, he led the band to an unprecedented run: five studio albums between 1995 and 2007, each debuting at #1 on the ARIA Albums Chart and collectively selling more than 10 million copies worldwide. Along the way, Johns became the first artist in history to claim APRA’s Songwriter of the Year award three times, cementing his reputation as one our most innovative musicians. 

Johns’ career has been defined by constant reinvention. In 2003 he joined forces with Paul Mac to create The Dissociatives, a Gold-certified project that picked up ARIA and MTV Awards. His debut solo album Talk (2015) reached #2 on the ARIA Albums Chart, while his collaboration with Empire of the Sun’s Luke Steele, DREAMS, launched in 2018 and took them from Vivid Sydney to the stage at Coachella. Johns’ songwriting has also reached far beyond his own projects: he co-wrote Flume’s Grammy-winning ‘Say It’ featuring Tove Lo, and has worked with Zhu, What So Not, and Slumberjack. As Musical Director for the Emmy-winning series Beat Bugs (2017), he reimagined Beatles songs for a new generation. 

In 2021, Johns turned the lens inward with the Spotify Original podcast Who Is Daniel Johns?. Narrated by actor Guy Pearce, the series charted at #1 in Australia for five consecutive weeks and peaking at #3 in Canada, #11 in the UK, #23 in US, #47 in Ireland and #58 in Brazil. Featuring contributions from figures as diverse as Billy Corgan, Tom DeLonge, Kevin Parker, Van Dyke Parks, and Natalie Imbruglia, the podcast mapped the personal and creative forces that shaped one of Australia’s most enigmatic artists. 

FutureNever – Johns’ 2022 second album – continued his singular path, breaking ARIA chart history by going to #1 twice before becoming the longest reigning Australian top 10 album of the year, and the highest selling new Australian album of 2022. Released without singles, it was one of Johns’ most arresting full-length statements to date. The same year, Johns staged ground-breaking exhibition ‘Past, Present & FutureNever’, which showcased personal memorabilia from the artist and experimental exhibits, across four months at Rialto Melbourne. $5 from every ticket sold went towards the FutureNeverFund – a charitable fund Johns created to raise money to create better futures for people and animals in need across the globe. 

What If The Future Never Happened? was shot proudly in Newcastle on Awabakal Land with a local cast and crew, the Featurette is a love letter to the creative evolution of Silverchair’s hometown of Newcastle. The film was backed by the generosity of Winarch Group – a Newcastle owned and operated entertainment company built around the human experience. Winarch founder and one of the film’s executive producers, Paul Lambess – is a proud supporter of local stories including Daniel’s and is committed to taking these Newcastle stories to the world.