"I'm so excited to be celebrating 'For The Working Class Man' at the Opera House with my dear friend Kate Ceberano. It's going to be a very special night."
Is the Working Class Man really turning 40?!
One of the most iconic voices in Australian rock & roll, Jimmy Barnes returns to the road to celebrate the 40th anniversary of his breakthrough solo album 'For The Working Class Man'. Fresh from performing a national run of concerts last month celebrating his newest record 'Defiant' (his 21st solo album overall that landed at #1), Barnesy shows no signs of slowing down, despite a couple of years littered with surgeries and health scares.
The mostly regional run of shows – from November to February – will take in vineyards and picturesque locations across the country, commencing in Geelong before travelling to Brisbane's Mount Cotton followed by dates in Hunter Valley, Hobart, Barossa Valley and Perth's Swan Valley.
Originally released in December 1985, and featuring a number of remastered tracks from his 1984 debut LP 'Bodyswerve', 'For The Working Class Man' went straight to #1 on the Australian album chart, spending 7 weeks in the top place. It has sold 500k copies in Australia since release.
Alongside the unofficial Aussie anthem 'Working Class Man', the record also features 'No Second Prize', 'I'd Die To Be With You Tonight', 'American Heartbeat' and 'Without Your Love' – the beautiful ballad he wrote for his wife Jane.
Barnesy will play the iconic album 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 back catalogue.
"'For The Working Class Man' was such a significant album in my life," admits Barnesy. "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 'For The Working Class Man' 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."
Jimmy will be joined by a trio of iconic Aussie artists: Icehouse, fellow Cold Chisel member Ian Moss and Kate Ceberano. The shows will also honour a dear friend who was instrumental in the making of the album.
The late-great Michael Gudinski once said: "I'm as proud of 'For The Working Class Man' as any album the Mushroom Group has released." Michael called the album Jimmy's gift to his fans – "a record for everyone who's believed in him. . . 'For The Working Class Man'."
To coincide with the landmark tour, a special 40th anniversary release of the album via Mushroom Music will be welcome news to collectors and music fans alike, released on 14 November (pre-order it).
Honouring the formats originally released in 1985 and newly remastered for the anniversary, 'For The Working Class Man' will be released as a 2LP 'flame' coloured, hand-poured vinyl in a gatefold jacket, the first time it's been on two records since it hit shelves.
Also for the first time since 1985, the singles will be available as an exclusive limited-edition boxset of coloured 7"s: 'Ride The Night Away', 'I'd Die To Be With You Tonight', 'Working Class Man', and a new fourth single that includes a stripped-back, re-worked version of 'Working Class Man' and a ten-minute reflection by Jimmy on the creation of the iconic music video.
Tickets on sale from 2pm (local time) on 7 August.
Jimmy Barnes 2025-2026 Tour Dates
Sat 22 Nov - Mount Duneed Estate (Geelong)Sat 29 Nov - Sirromet Wines (Brisbane)
Sat 6 Dec - Bimbadgen (Hunter Valley)
Wed 10 Dec - Sydney Opera House* new show
Sat 17 Jan - The Regatta Grounds (Hobart)
Sat 31 Jan - Peter Lehmann Wines (Barossa Valley)
Sat 7 Feb - Sandalford Wines (Swan Valley)
