Old school: David Campbell will perform the hits of Broadway in Geelong next month.
ERIN PEARSON
OLD-school variety entertainment is on its way back, according to Broadway performer David Campbell.
The son of legendary Aussie musician Jimmy Barnes told the Independent that an audience was increasingly developing for the bright lights of Broadway over the blood, sweat and tears of rock concerts.
Campbell said the return of hit musicals such as Xanadu and Rock of Ages was helping bring back what he labelled “classic entertainment”.
On the eve of his performance in Geelong next month, Campbell attributed his success in cabaret to the influence of his grandmother.
“My grandmother brought me up and we listened to Johnny Mathieson and watched movie musicals that had old-world style before I even knew about my dad,” he said.
“All that stuff is coming back”
Campbell left school in Adelaide to seek work in Sydney’s entertainment industry as a teenager with limited singing and acting ability.
The move was a step up from his previous Sunday afternoon garage jams with friends over takeaway hamburgers, he said.
“We weren’t nearly as savvy as some kids these days.
“I never thought I could make a career out of it.”
Since then Campbell has starred in many Broadway musicals in New York, had a hit role in Australian musical Shout! and appeared in classic musicals like Carousel, Company and Opera Australia’s production of Pirates of Penzance.
Campbell said he was “looking forward” to getting back to “smaller communities” after years of organising an Adelaide cabaret festival with wife Sally.
“I never really get the time to do it properly but I found a block of time free. I could have done the sensible thing and taken some time off but wanted to get out there,” he said.
“I’ll be bringing something different to Geelong than ever before. People can expect some Broadway stuff and a lot of swing.”
Campbell said he would perform tracks from his collection of top 10 albums, such as Bring Him Home, You’ll Never Walk Alone, Shout, Good Lovin, She’s My Baby, Keep On Runnin and Just A Gigolo.
David Campbell will perform his Broadway and Beyond show at Geelong Performing Arts Centre on May 1.
