The Jimmy Barnes quip that had Brisbane screaming
Jimmy Barnes has entertained crowds for more than four decades and at Sirromet Winery he was able to show exactly why we keep coming back.
“I will play Working Class Man at the end otherwise I’ll be stuffed.”
Jimmy Barnes may have given away his worst-kept secret early in his playlist but there was not one complaint from the thousands worshipping the rock legend at Sirromet Winery on Saturday night.
It had been about 20 years since I had seen the one-time Cold Chisel frontman play live but that raspy sparkle still echoes in his voice.
Let’s not forget he is now 69. And has had health battles.
But Barnes can still hold his own on stage.
Some in the crowd for this Working Class Man 40th Anniversary Tour were perhaps listening for the first time, eager to discover what was the fuss was truly about.
Most, though, knew what it was about – for me, Barnes was the soundtrack to my 20s and 30s, each hit transporting me back to a specific time and place.
My hazy memories of watching him play in person for the first time at a beer festival in Brisbane in the early 2000s remains a bittersweet memory.
Seeing a musician live – particularly one you adore – should have been a moment to savour; instead it was somewhat lost on younger me.
Not this time.
Barnes had me – and thousands of my closest friends at Mt Cotton – bopping, swinging and rocking throughout his gig. And most of us had the merchandising T-shirts to prove it.
Those younger years of Chisel featured his grungier, rockier phase.
Then came his melodic transformation in the 1990s to a more soulful singer.
These days that eclectic mix is proudly put on display at each show, the evolution of Barnes’ music matching that of his fans’ lives.
At Sirromet we rocked initially to his 1985 album Working Class Man, with the aforementioned title song held back to last.
Then we went on a journey with hits like Flame Trees and – of course! – Khe Sanh.
However my personal favourite Barnes era is his solo career – his opening number I’d Die To Be With You Tonight set the scene for the next two hours.
Beyond the voice, Barnes’ singing has always been about connection, a deep feeling delivered in every note that hits fans right in the heart.
More than four decades into his career there remains no half measure – this Mt Cotton performance proved that.
“Those who have seen me before know I’m the rainmaker. I’m glad it didn’t follow me this time,” he joked.
Indeed, the earlier threat of showers had truly subsided by Barnes’ set.
The lead-in acts weren’t as fortunate with a different kind of weather event.
Kate Cabrano, 59, had the crowd in hysterics as she played up the stifling heat, even tipping water over her head during her setlist, which included her own hits like Bedroom Eyes as well as a string of covers of Aussie classics.
Next, one-time Chisel guitarist and writer Moss, 70, mixed his performance between his own iconic hits like Telephone Booth, and sophisticated modern ballads.
Moss later returned to the stage alongside Barnes in a moment that really got the crowd roaring.
Aussie rock greats Icehouse, fronted by Iva Davies, produced the perfect lead-up to the headline act, with their own belters like Electric Blue warming the crowd up for Barnes’ blast from the past.
Indeed, this concert was billed as an anniversary tour.
That is exactly what we got – a transportation to an earlier time in our lives, but one that was wonderfully played out today.
And unlike 20 years ago, this time Barnes’ musical offerings won’t be catalogued in the back of my mind – every power note remains tattooed in my mind.
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