The Red Hot Summer Tour, held on Saturday, January 6, 2024, at the Kiama Showground, truly lived up to its name, attracting thousands of locals and visitors on a stunning summers day.

Despite headliner Jimmy Barnes being unable to perform due to ongoing recovery from open-heart surgery, the event showcased an expanded lineup of talent. Jon Stevens, accompanied by his entourage, delivered a stellar set featuring Noiseworks and INXS hits, followed by a performance by The Living End before the grand finale. The stage saw outstanding acts from Birds of Tokyo, a crowd-favourite, Pete Murray, Kasey Chambers, and Sam + Sam.

The concert, which has faced challenges in the past, including six washouts in Kiama and COVID disruptions, finally enjoyed favourable weather. In March 2020 the event was postponed four times, to October 2020, then March 2022, then to 3 April 2022 and finally ran on 16 October 2022 successfully.

Fans remained loyal during this whole process of delay, many remembering the tremendous success of the 18 March 2017 sold-out Red Hot Summer Tour concert at the Showground with John Farnham, James Reyne, Daryl Braithwaite and Shannon Noll.

Damien Hatfield and Annabelle Chapman from Palm Beach with Sammy and Alex Coombes (Gerringong). Damien thought Pete Murray set was great and thought it was "unreal" that he would see Ian Moss playing later.

The tour returned in 2018 and 2019 before the long hiatus with Covid from 2020 to 2022 finally back last year in October at the Kiama Pavilion. 

With the intense heat, some attendees left early, even though there was a no-return policy. However, Kiama’s seaside location provided a refreshing sea breeze for those who sought relief. With attendees advised to bring camp chairs, the festival maintained a feel-good, relaxed atmosphere, complete with a lively mosh pit in front of the stage.

Sam and Jesse who opted to leave the show early due to the heat posing with Keisha and Dominic from Evolution traffic control

Paramedics reported running out of sunscreen, emphasising the need for festival-goers to “be prepared with essentials like sunscreen, water, hats and even tampons”. Red Hot Summer hats became a popular choice among the crowd, proving a boon for the merchandise stall.

Event organiser Duane McDonald, expressed his relief at the fantastic weather. After the series of washouts at Kiama it was a great bonus. Sally Kearney, managing the merchandise stall, praised Duane for running a fantastic operation, highlighting the close-knit team's years of collaboration. “We’re a family organisation with team members becoming family as well.”

Sally Kearney with Event organiser Duane McDonald and Sallyanne Robertson - a family run festival

The Red Hot Summer Tour caused the inevitable traffic grid in Kiama main streets. Listening to pre show advice, many visitors opted for train travel, with trains arriving packed to capacity prior to the event, and festival-goers walking down to the Showground from the Kiama Railway Station.

The Evolution Traffic Control team however reported smooth patron entry, though they acknowledged there is always traffic chaos post-event when party-goers leave the stadium.

Festival goers from Sydney - Darren and Sam with Ningbo Zhang at one of the myriad of food stalls - looking forward to The Living End

Festival-goers shared their standout moments, with mentions of Kasey Chambers' Eminem cover and Pete Murray's exceptional performance. Birds of Tokyo energised the crowd and the whole event rocked. The final act, hosted by Jimmy’s daughter Mahalia Barnes showcased iconic Barnes and Chisel songs sung by Australian artists Jon Stevens (though kiwi born), Chris Cheney, Ian Moss and previous performers, closing the day on a high note. Jimmy Barnes expressed gratitude for the support of his fellow musicians and the unique show they presented.

Ryan and Marilyn from Woonoona enjoying the coastal breeze. They loved the Kasey Chapman cover of Eminem's 'Lose Yourself'

Despite the challenges of putting on such a huge event, the Red Hot Summer Tour in Kiama proved to be a resounding success, delighting both the event organisers and the enthusiastic crowd in attendance.

Craig Mason and Vicki Poulton from Shellharbour were enjoying the concert and got swept away dancing with Birds of Tokyo

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