Jimmy Barnes to rock Gold Coast again — with a free all-ages show on Surfers Paradise beach

AFTER thrilling fans at new outdoor festival Under the Southern Stars in Southport earlier this month, Jimmy Barnes will head back to the Gold Coast to headline a free all-ages LIVE rock show on Surfers Paradise beach.

YOU could be forgiven for thinking rock hero Jimmy Barnes has run away from home to join the Gold Coast.

Days after thrilling fans at new outdoor festival Under the Southern Stars in Southport earlier this month, Aussie rock’s hardest-working grandfather has signed on to headline another music festival on the Gold Coast.

Barnes will join musical mates Daryl Braithwaite, Kate Ceberano and Jon Stevens on the bill for the Surfers Paradise LIVE music festival from May 3-6.

Crowds at the 2017 Surfers Paradise LIVE festival. Supplied.

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Barnes and Braithwaite will play free shows on the festival’s main stage overlooking Surfers Paradise Beach on Saturday, May 5 before Ceberano and Stevens headline the main stage on Sunday, May 6.

Barnes will also be back on the Coast during the Commonwealth Games when he brings his Spoken Word theatre tour to The Star Gold Coast on April 14 (it sold out weeks ago).

Jimmy Barnes loves playing the Gold Coast. His next big gig will be a free show in Surfers Paradise as part of the LIVE festival in May. Photo: Zak Kaczmarek/Getty Images

Barnes’ addition to the LIVE line-up is a coup for festival organisers Surfers Paradise Alliance (SPA) as they seek to capitalise on the event’s success at last year’s Queensland Tourism Awards, where it won bronze in the Major Festivals and Events category.

The 2017 LIVE festival drew its biggest audience yet, with more than 200,000 people pouring into the tourist precinct to enjoy free live performances on indoor and outdoor stages in the holiday hotspot’s streets and venues.

Jimmy Barnes and Diesel performing High Voltage at Under the Southern Stars, at Southport's Broadwater Parklands. Picture: Jane Barnes Twitter.

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The 2018 festival will also feature main stage shows by dance meets music favourites Justice Crew and fellow X-Factor discovery and 2013 series winner Reece Mastin on Friday, May 4.

Presented by Surfers Paradise Alliance, the festival opens on May 3 when it rolls out the red carpet for the Gold Coast Music Awards (GCMAs) VIP event on Surfers Paradise beach and a free live show by Gold Coast musician on a mission, Bobby Alu on LIVE’s main stage.

Fans can visit the event website to nominate their favourite acts or buy tickets to the VIP event.

Visit surfersparadise.com to view the full LIVE festival program.