It’s been four decades since For the Working Class Man shot to No. 1 and cemented Jimmy Barnes’ place as a solo force in Australian rock. Now, the hardest-working man in Australian music is hitting the road to celebrate the album that defined a generation, with a full national tour and a deluxe reissue to match.
The ‘Working Class Man 40th Anniversary Tour’, presented by MG Live and Face to Face Touring, will see Barnesy perform the seminal 1985 album in its entirety — from the anthemic opener “I’d Die to Be with You Tonight” to the raucous closer “Paradise”. Fans can also expect a stack of hits from across his chart-topping catalogue, performed under the stars at some of Australia’s most iconic outdoor venues.
Kicking off Saturday, November 22nd at Mount Duneed Estate in Geelong, the six-date run travels to Queensland’s Sirromet Wines (November 29th), Bimbadgen in the Hunter Valley (December 6th), Hobart’s Regatta Grounds (January 17th), Peter Lehmann Wines in the Barossa (January 31st), and wraps at Sandalford Wines in WA’s Swan Valley (February 7th).
He won’t be doing it alone. Joining Barnes 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.
“For the Working Class Man was such a significant album in my life,” Barnes said in a statement. “I got to make the record with some amazing people, and it really set up the rest of my solo career. I’m so excited to be celebrating it with some of my dearest friends and favourite artists. 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.”
Originally released in December 1985, the album featured seven reworked songs from his solo debut Bodyswerve and produced multiple classics like “No Second Prize”, “Without Your Love”, “Ride the Night Away”, and the title track, which has become something of an unofficial Australian anthem. Written by Journey’s Jonathan Cain, “Working Class Man” was inspired by Barnes’ devoted, blue-collar audience. It spent seven weeks at No. 1, has sold over half a million copies in Australia, and was even named one of triple j’s Hottest 100 Australian Songs.
To mark the milestone, For the Working Class Man is also getting a remastered 40th anniversary reissue via Mushroom Music, dropping November 14th. Available to pre-order now, 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.
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The tour is also a tribute to the late Mushroom founder Michael Gudinski, who championed the original album and once called it “a record for everyone who’s believed in him … for the working class man.”
Tickets go on sale Thursday, August 7th at 2:00pm local time via Ticketmaster, with a Telstra Plus member pre-sale kicking off Monday, August 4th and additional pre-sales for MG Live, Face to Face and Jimmy Barnes fan club members from Wednesday, August 6th.
Jimmy Barnes ‘Working Class Man 40th Anniversary Tour’
With special guests ICEHOUSE, Ian Moss & Kate Ceberano
Presented by MG Live and Face to Face Touring
All shows licensed all ages
More info and tickets: mg.live and jimmybarnes.com
Saturday, November 22nd
Mount Duneed Estate, Geelong VIC
Saturday, November 29th
Sirromet Wines, Mount Cotton QLD
Saturday, December 6th
Bimbadgen, Hunter Valley NSW
Saturday, January 17th
Regatta Grounds, Hobart TAS
Saturday, January 31st
Peter Lehmann Wines, Barossa Valley SA
Saturday, February 7th
Sandalford Wines, Swan Valley WA
