Rock icon and bestselling author, Jimmy Barnes, has today been appointed as an Officer of the General Division of the Order of Australia for ‘distinguished service to the performing arts as a musician, singer and songwriter, and through support for not-for-profit organisations, particularly to children with a disability’.
James Dixon Barnes, AO, said today:
Well, as you might have heard, I just got a letter from the government. The letter said that I was one of the people getting an Australia Day honour. I just wanted to say thank you to whoever decides these things of course, but more importantly, those who have worked so hard and sweated with me at all the shows that I have done over the last forty odd years. That means not only my fellow musicians and road crews, but also the public who have come along to share and celebrate live Australian music with me. And thank you to all those people out there doing great community work, helping those in need. We all need help sometime, so thank you.
I came to this country as a young Scottish immigrant with dreams and hopes. This country and the people who live here have allowed and helped me to realize those dreams. Thanks to everyone who I have met along that road.
There are new children arriving and trying to reach our lucky country every day and I hope that we can all work together to help them find their dream too.
I never take for granted how great Australia is and how well I have been treated here so thank you for this chance at making a good life.
No matter what day we celebrate Australia Day, let’s celebrate it together and give thanks to the original inhabitants of this vast country. We are lucky to be sharing it with them.
I am humbled by this.
This week also saw Jimmy receive his first theatrical award winning Best Cabaret Production in the Sydney Theatre Awards for Working Class Boy: An Evening of Stories + Songs at the Sydney Opera House last month.
Also confirmed today is another new show on the Working Class Boy: An Evening of Stories & Songs tour at the Regent Theatre in Yarram, Vic. This new show, and the new shows announced in Mackay, Cairns, Darwin, Newcastle, Penrith and Geelong, and encore shows in Sydney (Enmore Theatre) and Melbourne, means Jimmy definitely won’t be resting on his laurels anytime soon.
The Working Class Boy tour has been drawing attention to the great work of the Luke Batty Foundation (www.lukebattyfoundation.org.au). In addition to providing relevant information online and at all of his shows Jimmy also encourages everyone to support former Australian of the Year Rosie Batty’s campaign to end family violence by signing up at www.neveralone.com.au
Tickets to all new shows go on general sale at 10.00am local times on Tuesday, 31 January 2017.
Jimmy Barnes WORKING CLASS BOY: An Evening of Stories & Songs
NEW SHOWS
Tuesday, 14 March 2017
Mackay Entertainment Centre, Mackay, Qld
Tickets on sale from 2.00pm local time, Tuesday 31 January from
the venue – www.mecc.com.au | 07 4961 9777
Wednesday, 15 March 2017
Tanks Arts Centre, Cairns, Qld
Tickets on sale from 2.00pm local time, Tuesday 31 January from
Ticketlink – 1300 855 835 or www.ticketlink.com.au
Thursday, 16 March 2017
Tanks Arts Centre, Cairns, Qld
Tickets on sale from 2.00pm local time, Tuesday 31 January
from Ticketlink – 1300 855 835 or www.ticketlink.com.au
Saturday, 18 March 2017
Darwin Entertainment Centre, Darwin, NT
Tickets on sale from 2.00pm local time, Tuesday 31 January from
the venue – 08 8980 3333 or www.yourcentre.com.au
Thursday, 23 March 2017
Civic Theatre, Newcastle, NSW
Tickets on sale from 2.00pm local time, Tuesday 31 January
from the venue – 02 4929 1977 or www.civictheatrenewcastle.com.au
and Ticketek – 132 849 or www.ticketek.com.au
Friday, 24 March 2017
Joan Sutherland Performing Arts Centre, Penrith, NSW
Tickets on sale from 2.00pm local time, Tuesday 31 January
from the venue – 02 4723 7600 or www.thejoan.com.au
Saturday, 25 March 2017
Enmore Theatre, Sydney, NSW
Tickets on sale from 2.00pm local time, Tuesday 31 January from
Ticketek – 132 849 or www.ticketek.com.au
Friday, 7 April 2017
Geelong Performance Arts Centre Playhouse, Geelong, Vic
Tickets on sale from 2.00pm local time, Tuesday 31 January
from the venue – 03 5225 1200 or www.gpac.org.au
Saturday, 8 April 2017
Regent Theatre, Melbourne, Vic
Tickets on sale from 2.00pm local time, Tuesday 31 January
from Ticketmaster – 136 100 or www.ticketmaster.com.au
Sunday, 9 April 2017
Regent Theatre, Yarram, Vic
Tickets on sale from 10.00am local time, Tuesday 31 January
from Oztix – www.oztix.com.au or 03 5182 5083
PREVIOUSLY ANNOUNCED SHOWS
Thursday, 2 February 2017
Country Club Showroom, Launceston, Tas
* SOLD OUT *
Friday, 3 February 2017
Wrest Point Entertainment Centre, Hobart, Tas
Tickets available now from www.tixtas.com.au and 1300 795 257
Saturday, 4 February 2017
Country Club Showroom, Launceston, Tas
* SOLD OUT *
NEW ZEALAND DATES
Monday, 6 February 2017 – Civic Theatre | Invercargill
Tuesday, 7 February 2017 – Regent Theatre | Dunedin
Wednesday, 8 February 2017 – Isaac Theatre Royal | Christchurch – SOLD OUT
Thursday, 9 February 2017 – The Aurora Centre | Christchurch
Saturday, 11 February 2017 – St James Theatre | Wellington
Sunday, 12 February 2017 – Pettigrew Green Arena | Napier
Tuesday, 14 February 2017 – TSB Showplace | New Plymouth
Thursday, 16 February 2017 – ASB Baypark Arena | Tauranga
Friday, 17 February 2017 – Claudelands Arena | Hamilton
Saturday, 18 February 2017 – Civic Theatre | Auckland
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.