After ending the 10 week chart topping reign of mega-authors JK Rowling and Andy Griffiths, Jimmy Barnes’ acclaimed childhood memoir Working Class Boy has now notched up a third consecutive week at #1 on the national Bookscan charts.
Never one to stand still, Jimmy started rehearsals yesterday for next month’s Working Class Boy: An Evening of Stories & Songs tour which will see him bringing his acclaimed autobiography to life on theatre stages across Australasia through a combination of spoken word performance and some music that relates to his life story.
Shows in Warragul, Canberra and Thirroul have already sold out and tickets for all remaining dates are selling fast. Fans are reminded to follow the official ticket links here so as to avoid unofficial “reselling” sites which typically advertise heavily on Google and mislead people into paying much higher prices than they actually need to pay.
“I’ve spent the last few weeks traveling around Australia talking about the book in various ways so that’s given me a good starting point I will be building on with the live show”, Jimmy explains. “I’ll talking about the years that shaped me – the good stuff, the bad, stuff, the funny stuff. I’ll also be doing about half a dozen songs each night that help tell the story of how I ended up making music. It should be something really different so I’m really looking forward to doing that.”
Working Class Boy has certainly struck a chord with Australians and is already onto it’s 4th reprint with Harper Collins Australia confirming that it is the biggest Australian non-fiction debut the past five years, and the biggest in Harper Collins Australia’s history.
Jimmy has recently leant his voice to two worthy causes – the Luke Batty Foundation who work to raise awareness about all forms of domestic violence and a new, national television campaign for The Song Room, a national not for profit organisation, aimed at driving funds to buy musical instruments for underprivileged kids. Three out of four children in Australia do not have access to specialist music education at school and The Song Room provides face to face, long-term music and arts-based programs for children in disadvantaged and high need communities. The Song Room also provides innovative, curriculum-aligned online arts education to over 75% of Australian schools through the free ARTS:LIVE platform.
WORKING CLASS BOY: An Evening of Stories and Songs
Tuesday, 15 November 2016
The Wendouree Centre for Performing Arts, Ballarat, Vic Tickets available from the Venue | 03 5338 0980 and www.wcpa.com.au
Thursday, 17 November 2016 Lighthouse Theatre, Warrnambool, Vic Tickets available from the Venue | 03 5559 4999 and www.lighthousetheatre.com.au
Friday, 18 November 2016
Ulumbarra Theatre, Bendigo, Vic
Tickets available from the Venue | 03 5434 6100 | www.gotix.com.au
Saturday, 19 November 2016
Regent Theatre, Melbourne, Vic
Tickets available from Ticketmaster | 136 100 and www.ticketmaster.com.au
Sunday, 20 November 2016
West Gippsland Arts Centre, Warragul, Vic * SOLD OUT *
Friday, 25 November 2016
Her Majesty’s Theatre, Adelaide, SA
Tickets available from BASS | 131 246 and www.bass.net.au
Saturday, 26 November 2016
The Barossa Arts & Convention Centre, Barossa Valley, SA Tickets available from Ticketmaster | 136 100 and www.ticketmaster.com.au
Thursday, 1 December 2016
Brisbane City Hall, Brisbane, Qld
Tickets available from Ticketmaster | 136 100 and www.ticketmaster.com.au
Friday, 2 December 2016
Jupiter’s Hotel & Casino, Gold Coast, Qld
Tickets available from Ticketek | 13 28 49 and www.ticketek.com.au
Saturday, 3 December 2016
Saraton Theatre, Grafton, NSW
Tickets available from the Venue | 02 6642 1633 and www.saraton.com
Tuesday, 6 December 2016
Canberra Theatre Centre, Canberra, ACT Tickets available now from the Venue | 02 6275 2700 and www.canberratheatrecentre.com.au
Thursday, 8 December 2016 Shoalhaven Entertainment Centre, Nowra, NSW Tickets available from the Venue | 1300 788 503 and www.shoalhavenentertainment.com.au
Friday, 9 December 2016 Anita’s Theatre, Thirroul, NSW * SOLD OUT *
Saturday, 10 December 2016
Sydney Opera House, Sydney, NSW Tickets available from the Venue | 02 9250 7777 and www.sydneyoperahouse.com
Sunday, 11 December 2016 Canberra Theatre Centre, Canberra, ACT * SOLD OUT *
Wednesday, 14 December 2016 Albany Entertainment Centre, Albany, WA Tickets available from the Venue | 08 9844 5005 and Ticketek | 13 28 49 and www.ticketek.com.au
Thursday, 15 December 2016
Bunbury Regional Entertainment Centre, Bunbury, WA Tickets available from the Venue | 1300 661 272 and www.bunburyentertainment.com
Friday, 16 December 2016 PerthConcert Hall, Perth, WA
Tickets available from the Venue | 08 9231 9999 and www.perthconcerthall.com.au -and- Ticketmaster | 136 100 and www.ticketmaster.com.au
Saturday, 17 December 2016
Queens Park Theatre, Geraldton, WA Tickets available from the Venue | 08 9956 6662 and www.queensparktheatre.com.au
Friday, 3 February 2017
Wrest Point Entertainment Centre, Hobart, Tas Tickets available at 10.00am, Friday 7 October from
www.tixtas.com.au and 1300 795 257
Saturday, 4 February 2017
Country Club Showroom, Launceston, Tas Tickets available at 10.00am, Friday, 7 October from
www.tixtas.com.au and 1300 795 257
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
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