Jimmy Barnes to headline Geelong concert

AUSTRALIAN music icon Jimmy Barnes is celebrating the 40th anniversary of his second solo album, and will mark the occasion with a national tour of outdoor shows, including in Geelong later this year.

The Jimmy Barnes Working Class Man 40th Anniversary Tour, presented by MG Live and Face To Face Touring, will also feature Icehouse, Ian Moss and Kate Ceberano.

The sometimes Cold Chisel frontman better known as Barnesy will perform his album For the Working Class Man from start to finish, taking the crowd from I’d Die To Be With You Tonight to Paradise, plus classic cuts from his chart-topping catalogue.

Released in December 1985, For The Working Class Man went straight to number one on the Australian charts and helped define Barnes’ hugely successful solo career.

The album spent seven weeks at number one, becoming Barnes’ longest-running chart-topper and has sold more than 500,000 copies in Australia.

“For The Working Class Man was such a significant album in my life. I got to make the record with some amazing people, and it really set up the rest of my solo career,” Barnes said.

“I’m so excited to be celebrating For The Working Class Man with some of my dearest friends and favourite artists.

Icehouse frontman Iva Davies. Photo: TONY MOTT

“And I can think of no better way to mark this milestone than by performing these songs in some of the most beautiful and iconic outdoor venues across Australia.”

To coincide with the landmark tour, a special 40th anniversary release of the album via Mushroom Music will be released on November 14 on vinyl, CD and cassette.

Led by Iva Davies, Icehouse is responsible for one of the biggest Australian albums of all time: 1987’s Man of Colours.

Two singles from the album were smash hits in the US: Electric Blue (#7) and Crazy (#14).

Davies also wrote the enduring classic Great Southern Land.

Ian Moss, who plays with Barnes in Cold Chisel, will join him on the national tour, Photo: TANIA SMITH

Barnes’s Cold Chisel bandmate Ian Moss hit number one with his first solo album, Matchbook, featuring the classic Tucker’s Daughter.

After eight studio albums, he recently released the acclaimed live album Live At Anita’s.

Kate Ceberano was still a teenager when For The Working Class Man was released, but she was already a star, fronting the band I’m Talking.

She has recently been embracing the nation’s rich musical past with her Australian Made: Live show, and is treating audiences to an encore on Barnes’ tour.