Jimmy Barnes calls out lack of state compensation schemes as he is forced to cancel family tour

Jimmy Barnes has slammed two states for their lack of compensation for live musicians as he has been forced to cancel his tour because of lockdowns.

The much-anticipated Jimmy Barnes and family tour for his No. 1 record Flesh and Blood is the latest casualty of the ongoing lockdowns and border closures with all of the September shows cancelled.

Barnes said the only way for the live music industry to get back on the road was vaccination.

After months of isolation and almost nightly songs sessions from the Barnes’ family home in the NSW southern highlands, the Working Class Man rocker was hoping the show could still go on to provide much-needed income for his band and crew, and entertainment for concert-starved fans.

Barnes was scheduled to take his family on the road in September. Picture: Supplied.

His daughter Eliza Jane, her musician partner Jimmy Metherell and their baby boy Teddy had been in isolation with her family preparing for the tour but have now returned home to New Zealand.

And son Jackie, who plays drums in his father’s band, is separated from the rest of the clan in Queensland.

“My band, my crew and music fans around the country are all doing it really tough right now so these latest round of cancelled gigs will be yet another kick in the guts for them at a really bad time,” Barnes said.

“Hopefully if we all do the right things and get vaccinated as soon as possible then we’ll be enjoying gigs together before too much longer.”

The family were isolating with Eliza Jane, her husband Jimmy and baby Teddy at back, in preparation for the Flesh and Blood tour. Picture: Ben Rodgers/Supplied.

Barnes hit out at the QLD and SA state governments who are yet to match the compensation schemes announced by NSW, WA and Victoria to offset some losses for concerts cancelled because of Covid.

“It’s a real pity that the QLD and SA governments haven’t bothered to match these other States by introducing similar schemes,” he said.

“I don’t know what they’re waiting for.

“The music community is really on its knees right now so I think QLD and SA should

seriously consider stepping up like the other states have already done.”

Where the River Bends is published by HarperCollins Australia in October. Picture: Alan Benson.

Ticketholders will be automatically refunded by the ticketing agencies booking the tour.

Barnes also has eight headlining shows lined up in October for the Red Hot Summer festivals through regional NSW, Victoria and ACT. The future of these dates remains uncertain.

It is expected the rocker will announce a new tour for 2022 when the current outbreaks have been brought under control and live events are allowed to resume.

While the Flesh and Blood tour is cancelled, all the merchandise for the shows had already been manufactured so fans can buy a souvenir T-shirt or tea towel via his online store or Frontier Touring.

The best-selling author will still be busy online with his nightly shows and the launch of his new children’s book Rosie The Rhinoceros in September and Where The River Bends, his eagerly awaited cookbook collaboration with wife Jane in October.