WORKING CLASS BOY: An Evening of Stories and Songs sees Jimmy Barnes leaving behind the arenas and rock gigs where he’s blazed a trail for decades.
Instead Barnesy is telling his life story for the first time on theatre stages across Australia, including special venues like the Sydney Opera House (Concert Hall), Brisbane City Hall, the Regent Theatre Melbourne and tonight at Wrest Point in Hobart
In this unique live event Jimmy shares stories from his troubled childhood and delinquent adolescence. He delivers intimate musical performances of some key songs drawn from his earliest years. For those who have previously enjoyed his Flesh & Wood acoustic gigs, this tour will be a treat with lots more storytelling providing a real insight into the events that shaped Jimmy’s life and his music.
“Just like the book, this live show will tell the story of an imperfect childhood that has led to me becoming an imperfect adult”, explains Jimmy. “I spent most of my life running from my childhood and now it seems like my time to face it. So this is the story of a lifetime spent running away. Running from fear. Running from shame but at the same time running from hope. I’m not running anymore”
This unique live theatrical production is a companion piece to the eagerly anticipated first volume of his memoirs – Working Class Boy. The book was written entirely by Jimmy Barnes. It tells the raw and confronting story of fleeing the poverty of Scotland only to endure violence and abuse as an immigrant in the suburbs of Adelaide. The book explains what drove Jimmy to ultimately escape everything via rock’n’roll and its associated lifestyle. Fittingly, the childhood memoir ends with an 18 year old Jimmy and the fellow members of his new band, Cold Chisel, fleeing South Australia in the back of a truck full of musical equipment.
The hardcover first edition of Working Class Boy was released nationally by Harper Collins in September last year.
WORKING CLASS BOY: An Evening of Stories and Songs
Fri 3 Feb – Wrest Point Entertainment Centre, Hobart TAS
Sat 4 Feb – Country Club Showroom, Launceston TAS
Tue 14 Mar – Entertainment Centre, Mackay QLD
Wed 15 Mar – Tanks Arts Centre, Cairns QLD
Thu 16 Mar – Tanks Arts Centre, Cairns QLD
Sat 18 Mar – Entertainment Centre, Darwin NT
Thu 23 Mar – Civic Theatre, Newcastle NSW
Fri 24 Mar – The Joan Sutherland Performing Arts Centre, Penrith
Sat 25 Mar – Enmore Theatre, Sydney NSW
Fri 7 Apr – Playhouse GPAC, Geelong VIC
Sat 8 Apr – Regent Theatre, Melbourne VIC
Please note that in keeping with the nature of this production, the show will be staged over two acts with a short interval.
There will be no support band so Jimmy will be onstage from the advertised starting time at all shows.
Listen to the unedited chat of Jimmy talking with Triple M's Marls