Aussie rock legend Jimmy Barnes announces three-date New Zealand tour

Aussie rock legend Jimmy Barnes is returning to New Zealand for three all-ages shows in July in support of his upcoming new album Flesh and Blood.

Flesh And Blood – Barnes’ 20th studio album – will be released on July 2, before he and his eight-piece band, made up mostly of his family, arrive to play at the newly refurbished Christchurch Town Hall on July 7, The Civic in Auckland on July 9, and Wellington’s TSB Arena on July 10. Tickets go on sale from midday on May 10.

These shows will be the first international dates Jimmy has played since the beginning of 2020.

While most of us spent 2020 binge-watching TV shows, Jimmy and his wife Jane entertained fans with daily ‘at home’ performances that attracted more than 100 million views on social media.

Barnes also used 2020’s Covid-19 lockdown’s to learn the bagpipes, release a non-fiction book, start work on a novel and help Jane create a forthcoming recipe collection. Plus he somehow found time to write and record a new album with his loved ones that’s aptly titled, Flesh And Blood.

“It was good to get some downtime at home for a change, but now we’re hungry to get back onstage together. If 2020 taught me anything it’s that Facebook and YouTube videos can be fun, but they’re no substitute for a real gig.”

The ten songs on Flesh And Blood feature multiple contributions from Jimmy’s extended family. His son Jackie plays drums, his daughters Mahalia, Eliza-Jane and Elly-May all contribute vocals, as does Jackie and granddaughter, Tyra Harrison. His son-in-law, Ben Rodgers, engineered the album, played bass and collaborated with Jimmy’s nephew, renowned photographer Jesse Lizotte, on the album cover, plus he and Jane also duet together on the American classic Love Hurts.

“I realise lots of people have struggled badly during the last year, but I’ve been able to stop and count my blessings”, Jimmy explains.

“Jane and I have been married for four decades, but I’ve basically always been on the road, so this was literally the first time we’ve ever spent so many months at home. It made me realise how lucky I am to be surrounded by our big musical family.

“As you can tell from all those songs we posted online we really like to sing with each other, so making an album with lots of the people I love felt like a natural way to help us pass this time together.”

The new album’s title track is dedicated to Barnes’ late friend, Australian music industry icon, Michael Gudinski, who passed away in Melbourne on March 1. Barnes debuted the song at the State Memorial Service for Gudinski.

“Michael’s loss really hit us hard. Everything he did was about family one way or another which is probably why he liked that song (Flesh and Blood) so much. I’m dedicating this record to his memory.”

In his homeland of Australia, Barnes has enjoyed 12 solo chart toppers plus five with Cold Chisel taking his career tally to a record setting total of 17 number one albums.