Jimmy Barnes on stage in Hawke's Bay

Australian singer Jimmy Barnes

Australian rock legend Jimmy Barnes will be in Hawke's Bay next Sunday telling his life story for the first time on stage.

This unique live theatrical production is a companion piece to the eagerly anticipated first volume of his memoirs - Working Class Boy, released by Harper Collins in September.

The book was written entirely by Jimmy Barnes. It tells the raw and confronting story of fleeing the poverty of Scotland only to endure violence and abuse as an immigrant in the suburbs of Adelaide. The book explains what drove Jimmy to ultimately escape everything via rock'n'roll and its associated lifestyle.

Fittingly, the childhood memoir ends with an 18-year-old Jimmy and the fellow members of his new band, Cold Chisel, fleeing South Australia in the back of a truck full of musical equipment.

Working Class Boy An Evening of Stories and Songs is at Pettigrew Green Arena, Napier.

"Just like the book, this live show will tell the story of an imperfect childhood that has led to me becoming an imperfect adult," Jimmy said.

"I spent most of my life running from my childhood and now it seems like my time to face it. So this is the story of a lifetime spent running away. Running from fear. Running from shame but at the same time running from hope. I'm not running anymore."

This special live event will see Jimmy sharing stories from his troubled childhood and delinquent adolescence. It will also see him accompanied by his musical companions, delivering intimate performances of some key songs drawn from his earliest years. This tour will be a treat with lots of storytelling providing a real insight into the events that shaped Jimmy's life and his music.

Tickets from ticketek.co.nz |or phone 0800 842 538.

■ Win Win Win
We have two double passes to giveway to Working Class Boy An Evening of Stories and Songs at Pettigrew Green Arena, Napier on February 12.
To be into win email competitions@hbtoday.co.nz by 9am Tuesday, February 7. Please include a daytime phone number.