Anthony Callea and Tim Campbell need little introduction. Both are phenomenal performers in their own right, regularly performing around the country. During Melbourne’s never ending lockdowns, they welcomed us into their lounge room and entertained us with regular insights to their lives, and Australia fell even more in love with this larrikin couple.
For the first time in their married lives, Anthony and Tim are about to embark on a national tour together, where audiences will be treated to what life in the Callea/Campbell household is really like.
Anthony and Tim will be performing their Up Close and Unpredictable tour in Adelaide at the Regal Theatre over the weekend of May 19, 20, and 21, thanks to local promotor Markus Hamence.
Prior to the tour’s opening performances in Melbourne, I caught up with Anthony and Tim. I was keen to hear why, after being together for so long, they are for the first time joining forces and touring together.
Anthony:
“We needed to shake things up, who knows, this tour may just lead to a divorce! No, I’m kidding. I think for us, it’s something we haven’t done together before. As you move along in life, you want to challenge yourself and have different experiences. It came about after the eighty three thousand lockdowns we had in Melbourne and we spent so much time together. We were talking one night and discussed maybe doing a tour together and floated the idea for a while with our band, and it naturally just came about. Essentially, as I like to say, it’s a ticket into our lounge room — without me shaking the espresso martinis.”
You only need to spend a few moments with Anthony and Tim before you are in fits of laughter. The boys discussed how their hi-jinx and banter will be a big part of their tour.
Tim:
“It will be a big essence of the show, and I think as the tour continues it will only just grow. I know a few people who are coming to multiple shows, and I don’t think you will ever see the same show twice, to be honest.”
Anthony:
“I’m in a brace position if I have to be honest.”
Tim:
“There are several moments in the show where we don’t know what the other has planned or will be doing.”
Anthony:
“I’m a total control freak. This unknown of what Tim is doing is the thing that I’m really the most nervous about. I’m not in control for the full 2 hours or so that we are on stage because my husband is taking some of that control away from me…I’m not sure how I feel about that!”
For those of us who are familiar with their online lock-down antics, I did ask if the bathrobes will be making an appearance.
Tim:
“They will! Whilst this tour is mostly a concert, it really is a concert plus with some other bits and pieces thrown in, including the bathrobes. It will be interesting to see how some things translate from online to the stage, but we’ve had requests for bathrobes to make an appearance.”
What started out as 12 concerts across the country has quickly become 25. Anthony shared how this has made them feel.
Anthony:
“It’s really beautiful. Entertainment, for so many of us, was taken away for a good couple of years. It’s one of the few things we can all connect on, and it brings people together. We are really fortunate to call this our job — it is something we love to do. To be able to have 25 shows as part of a tour in one year is pretty exciting and we are very lucky.”
Anthony, has recently released his memoir, ‘Behind The Voice’. I asked Anthony what led him to turning his life so far into a book.
Anthony:
“I’ve been wanting to do this for the last couple of years. It came about rather organically. I said to my management that I was going to start writing a book and asked them to see who was interested in picking it up. Without even putting it out there Simon and Schuster publishing company contacted my manager and asked if I would be interested in sharing my story. So it fell into place. Once I started documenting my life I realised it was a little confronting. I cried a lot and drank a lot of vodka putting the book together, because it looked at parts of my past I didn’t think I would need to relive again. I knew it had to be truthful and I needed to be vulnerable and real. It’s not just the bells and whistles of show business, but the raw, honest truth of my life. I’m glad I did it, even though two weeks before the launch I wanted to pull the pin, I did have a little meltdown moment. I’m so glad I did it because no matter who we are, we all have a story. That’s how you connect with people — you let your guard down and be vulnerable.”
Tim has a very personal connection with Adelaide.
Tim:
“My parents live in Adelaide, as does my sister. She’s been there for twenty years or so now. We are in Adelaide a lot. We love coming across for the food and drinks and eating out a lot when we are there. Very much looking forward to coming across for the shows. Mum and Dad are coming to the show, so I may need to re-think a few stories I tell — and one costume before they see it.”
Tickets to Anthony and Tim’s Adelaide performances of Up Close and Unpredictable are flying out the door, with one show already sold out and the other two are not far off.
Anthony:
“The band, if I do say so myself, are sounding hot as at the moment. They are sitting right in the pocket at the moment. We cannot wait to do some different songs during the concert. Of course there are some numbers that we know the audience will want and love to hear, but there are a few duets in there that we’ve never done before. There’s also a duet where there is a different take on the number, and also one that sums up the first time we met before we were together.”
Tim:
“It’s a music concert with some wonderful extra moments in there too. It will be loosely biographical as well but a whole lot of fun…trust me!”
Anthony Callea and Tim Campbell will be performing their Up Close and Unpredictable concert at the Regal Theatre, Friday May 19 (8pm), Saturday May 20 (8pm – SOLD OUT) and a matinee on Sunday May 21 (2pm). With tickets selling fast, don’t miss out on seeing Anthony and Tim like you’ve never seen them before. Tickets on sale at https://markushamence.com/shows-and-events/ or https://www.trybooking.com/CEPDQ .
Interviewed by Ben Stefanoff
Photo credit: Andrew Raszevski
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