Jimmy Barnes was in fine form at his Auckland show on Thursday 25 July, 2024. Photo: Tom Grut
By Liam Swiggs
Review: Was I at the NRL grand final already? No. I was in Auckland watching 68-year-old Jimmy Barnes belt out Aussie rock classics to a sold-out Civic Theatre. You wouldn't be able to tell he's just recovered from open heart surgery in December.
Opening with 'Working Class Man,' fans couldn't stay in their seats. I was caught off guard with such a powerful banger and shed a tear knowing I was in for something special. Plenty of parents had dragged their teenagers along to check out the rock legend, reminding me of how my own father forced Cold Chisel upon us - pretty much the reason I was here.
Every time I hear Barnes it's reminded of Rugby League in the late 80s and early 90s, so it was good to see plenty of Warriors gear being worn at what otherwise felt like a pretty formal affair at The Civic.
Barnes sounded immaculate backed by the original 'Jimmy Barnes Band' - including three other members of the Barnes family; his wife of 43 years, Jane, and two daughters Mahalia and EJ. The whole whānau featured heavily through the show, singing just like Jimmy - belting it at the top of their lungs. Barnes' Auckland-based grandson even made a special appearance on stage for one song.
Jimmy Barnes' Auckland show marked the 30th anniversary of his Flesh and Wood album. Photo: Tom Grut
But the night wasn't all guts and glory. The show provided many heartfelt moments as the banter flowed between Jimmy and Jane. She corrected him throughout the entire show as he shared stories between nearly every song. He admitted he "never let truth get in the way of a good story".
Barnes talked about travelling to America to recorded his albums and having a few too many beers with the late Joe Cocker. He told tales of being young and foolish on the road and shared touching stories about crying in the living room watching his daughters performing some of his favourite songs. His kids then sung those songs on stage as Barnes' stood to the side with his wife Jane, the couple embracing in tears. Jane event busted out the bagpipes in the encore as the show clocked over two hours.
The gig also marked the 30th anniversary celebration of Barnes' 1993 Flesh and Wood album - so fitting that the show was closed with the classic in 'Flame Trees'.
Surrounded by family and close friends, playing a few rare songs that don't usually feature in his sets and sharing heartfelt, emotional and hilarious stories - Barnes' let us in on a very special night.