What started as a last moment rushed together event at the end of 2023 has become an incredible tribute to Jimmy Barnes, and we have his daughter Mahalia to thank for it.
When Jimmy had emergency heart surgery just before Christmas, it was just days away from his next headline performance for the By The C music festival in Torquay. Instead of cancelling the event, Mahalia, (who is now also Jimmy’s manager), called on a few of Jimmy’s mates and the show went ahead in honour of Jimmy.
With Jimmy still recovering, the Barnes All-Stars, as they are called, have been headlining the first three Red Hot Summer shows for 2024.
The stars of the All-Stars including Jon Stevens, who has also been added to the line-up for his own set, Ian Kenny of Birds of Tokyo, Chris Cheney of The Living End and Jimmy Cold Chisel co-founder Ian Moss.
The setlist was curated by Jimmy but his mates got to slide into the set where best they fitted. Jon Stevens grabbed ‘You Got Nothing I Want’ quick smart. Jon said it is a song he loved and took full advantage of the opportunity to perform it. It was appropriate that the one time INXS singer also performed ‘Good Times’ with Mahalia as well as the “Farnsy” duet of the Sam & Dave cover ‘When Something Is Wrong With My Baby’.
Mossy’s guitar on ‘Bow River’, Merry-Go-Round’, ‘When The War Is Over and ‘Goodbye (Astrid Goodbye)’ gave the crowd that authentic Chisel lift with Ian and Mahalia recreating what is one of the greatest duets of all-time, the seamless ‘When The War Is Over’, which originally is a co-lead vocal with Ian and Jimmy.
Ian Kenny of Birds of Tokyo took on ‘Choir Girl’ and The Living End’s Chris Cheney has no trouble driving ‘Rising Sun’ as he has jumped up with Jimmy many times to do that song.
However, with all the “names” performing Jimmy’s songs, it was the unknown name who won the hearts of the crowd. Ruby Rogers, the granddaughter of Jimmy and daughter of Mahalia and Ben Rogers, was undeniably the showstopper of the evening. Ruby sang the Chisel classic ‘Flame Trees’. There were no vocal gymnastics, it was soulful, it came from straight from the heart and the performance was perfect. The audience loved it, they loved her and it was a group singalong with the 8000+ crowd and the Barnes/Rogers family.
In case you didn’t get to see this fantastic performance, this is granddaughter Ruby filling in for me on the weekend. I love her so much. Thanks everyone.
Full video on my FB page pic.twitter.com/DgOApqBwnZ
— Jimmy Barnes (@JimmyBarnes) January 15, 2024
And a very happy birthday to Jane Barnes as well. The crowd missed you Jane.
It’s @jane13barnes here, I’d like to say thank you to everyone for my birthday wishes. I’m a bit emotional and very grateful for the gift of Jimmy’s sound recovery and I did get a bit teary when I was sent this clip last night. How wonderful! Thank you good people 🙏♥️😂 pic.twitter.com/DjRsfFPBtD
— Jimmy Barnes (@JimmyBarnes) January 14, 2024
Barnes All-Stars Red Hot Summer setlist, Mornington, 13 January
Do or Die (from Freight Train Heart, 1987)
Lay Down Your Guns (from Two Fires, 1990)
I’d Die to Be With You Tonight (from For The Working Class Man, 1985)
Daylight (from Bodyswerve, 1984)
Choir Girl (from Cold Chisel, East, 1980) (with Ian Kenny)
Rising Sun (from Cold Chisel, East, 1980) (with Chris Cheney)
Cheap Wine (from Cold Chisel, East, 1980) (with Jon Stevens)
When Something Is Wrong With My Baby (from Soul Deep, 1991) (with Jon Stevens)
You Got Nothing I Want (from Cold Chisel, Circus Animals, 1982) (with Jon Stevens)
Resurrection Shuffle (Ashton, Gardner & Dyke cover)
When the War Is Over (from Cold Chisel, Circus Animals, 1982) (with Ian Moss)
Merry-Go-Round (from Cold Chisel, Breakfast At Sweethearts, 1979) (with Ian Moss)
No Second Prize (from Bodyswerve, 1984)
Flame Trees (from Cold Chisel, Twentieth Century, 1884) (With Ruby Rodgers)
Khe Sanh (from Cold Chisel, Cold Chisel, 1978)
Working Class Man (from For The Working Class Man, 1985)
Encore:
Good Times (from The Lost Boys soundtrack, 1986) (with Jon Stevens)
Bow River (from Cold Chisel, Circus Animals, 1982) (with Ian Moss)
Goodbye (Astrid Goodbye) (from Cold Chisel, Breakfast At Sweethearts, 1979) (with Ian Moss)
The first Red Hot Summer date was January 6 in Kiama, NSW. The third and final show for the supergroup will be January 20 2024 Mannum, SA (and for that one, Jimmy’s eldest son David Campbell will join in).
Jimmy will return for the last three shows in Hunter Valley, Launceston and Bendigo now rescheduled for April 2024.
Get tickets here https://facetofacetouring.com.au/current-tours/red-hot-summer-2024
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- Jon Stevens and Mahalia Barnes at Red Hot Summer 2024 photo by Winston Robinson
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- Ian Moss at Red Hot Summer 2024 photo by Winston Robinson
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- Ian Moss at Red Hot Summer 2024 photo by Winston Robinson
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- Jon Stevens and Mahalia Barnes at Red Hot Summer 2024 photo by Winston Robinson
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- Ian Kenny and Mahalia Barnes at Red Hot Summer 2024 photo by Winston Robinson
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- Chris Cheney and Mahalia Barnes at Red Hot Summer 2024 photo by Winston Robinson
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