Jimmy Barnes fans are in luck — the Australian icon has added three new dates to his upcoming ‘Working Class Man 40th Anniversary Tour’.
It’s been four decades since 1985’s For the Working Class Man shot to No. 1 and cemented Jimmy Barnes’ place as a solo force in Australian rock. The hardest-working man in Australian music is hitting the road, starting next week, to celebrate the album that defined a generation, performing it in full, and has added new tour dates following overwhelming demand.
He’ll now play at Sandstone Point Hotel on Saturday, March 21st, as well as Bowral’s Centennial Vineyards on March 28th, and Melbourne’s Rod Laver Arena on April 10th.
Tickets to the new shows will go on sale at 12pm (local) on Friday, November 21st. Telstra members have access to a presale running from 10am (local) on Monday, November 17th, before MG Live, Face To Face Touring, and artist presales at 11am (local) on Wednesday, November 19th.
The tour is kicking off next Saturday, November 22nd at Mount Duneed Estate in Geelong, before travelling to Queensland’s Sirromet Wines on November 29th, Bimbadgen in the Hunter Valley on December 6th, the Sydney Opera House Forecourt on December 18th, Hobart’s Regatta Grounds on January 17th, Peter Lehmann Wines in the Barossa on January 31st, and Sandalford Wines in WA’s Swan Valley on February 7th.
Barnes will be joined on stage are some of the biggest names from the For the Working Class Man era who are still turning heads today: synth-rock legends ICEHOUSE, Cold Chisel bandmate and guitar virtuoso Ian Moss, and genre-blending powerhouse Kate Ceberano.
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He has also now added John Rooney to the lineup. The pair have a special connection — on the night that Jimmy got married, Cold Chisel were doing a gig at the Comb and Cutter Hotel in Blacktown. The support act was a band called The Lonelyhearts, fronted by Rooney. While Barnes’ career remained on stage, Rooney did a detour and he went on to become one of Australia’s best orthopaedic surgeons.
“This man got me up dancing again when he operated on my hips, not once, not twice but three times,” Barnes said. “John Rooney will get you up dancing too.
Rooney released a new solo album in 2023 called Hoodwink, featuring a stellar array of musicians, including Waddy Wachtel (Warren Zevon, Jackson Browne, Stevie Nicks) on guitar, Don Was (The Rolling Stones, Bob Dylan, Bonnie Raitt) on bass, Benmont Tench (Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers) on keyboards, and Jim Keltner (John Lennon, George Harrison, Ringo Starr, Traveling Wilburys) on drums.
To mark Barnes’ milestone, For the Working Class Man is also getting a remastered 40th anniversary reissue via Mushroom Music, dropping November 14th.
The deluxe editions span formats both nostalgic and collectible: a double ‘flame’ coloured vinyl (the first time it’s been pressed on two LPs), CD, cassette, and a limited-edition box set of coloured 7″ singles, including a newly stripped-back version of “Working Class Man” and a 10-minute spoken-word reflection by Barnes himself.
For ticket and tour information, visit mg.live and facetofacetouring.com.au.
JIMMY BARNES ‘WORKING CLASS MAN 40TH ANNIVERSARY TOUR’
With special guests ICEHOUSE, Ian Moss, Kate Ceberano, and John Rooney
Saturday, November 22nd
Mount Duneed Estate, Geelong VIC
Saturday, November 29th
Sirromet Wines, Mount Cotton QLD
Saturday, December 6th
Bimbadgen, Hunter Valley NSW
Wednesday, December 10th*
On The Steps at Sydney Opera House Forecourt, Sydney NSW
*special guest Kate Ceberano only
Saturday, January 17th
Regatta Grounds, Hobart TAS
Saturday, January 31st
Peter Lehmann Wines, Barossa Valley SA
Saturday, February 7th
Sandalford Wines, Swan Valley WA
Saturday, March 21st (18+) – NEW SHOW
Sandstone Point Hotel, Sandstone Point QLD
Saturday, March 28th – NEW SHOW
Centennial Vineyards, Bowral NSW
Friday, April 10th* – NEW SHOW
Rod Laver Arena, Melbourne VIC
*John Rooney not performing
