Jimmy Barnes has expanded his Working Class Man 40th Anniversary Tour, adding three new dates as demand surges for the celebration of the album that sent him to No. 1 in 1985 and locked in his status as a solo powerhouse of Australian rock.
It’s been four decades since For the Working Class Man became an anthem for a generation, and Barnes is marking the milestone by performing the album in full on a national run beginning next week.
The new shows include Sandstone Point Hotel on Saturday March 21, Bowral’s Centennial Vineyards on March 28, and a major Melbourne stop at Rod Laver Arena on April 10. Tickets for these dates go on sale at 12pm local time on Friday November 21. Telstra members get first access from 10am Monday November 17, followed by MG Live, Face To Face Touring and artist presales from 11am Wednesday November 19.
The tour officially kicks off Saturday November 22 at Mount Duneed Estate in Geelong before heading to Sirromet Wines on November 29, Bimbadgen in the Hunter Valley on December 6, the Sydney Opera House Forecourt on December 18, Hobart’s Regatta Grounds on January 17, Peter Lehmann Wines in the Barossa on January 31 and Sandalford Wines in WA’s Swan Valley on February 7.
Joining Barnes on stage are iconic names tied to the era. ICEHOUSE, Ian Moss and Kate Ceberano will appear across the tour, with Barnes also adding John Rooney to the lineup. The pair share decades of history. On the night Barnes married, Cold Chisel were playing at the Comb and Cutter Hotel with Rooney’s band The Lonelyhearts as support. Rooney later stepped away from music and became one of Australia’s leading 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 his album Hoodwink in 2023, featuring Waddy Wachtel, Don Was, Benmont Tench and Jim Keltner.
To mark the anniversary, For the Working Class Man is receiving a remastered reissue on November 14 through Mushroom Music, including new deluxe vinyl, cassette, CD and a box set of coloured 7-inch singles.
Tour details are available at mg.live and facetofacetouring.com.au.
