ANTHONY CALLEA AND TIM CAMPBELL REUNITE FOR A BILLY JOEL AND PHIL COLLINS SPECIAL
Anthony Callea and his husband Tim Campbell are teaming up again, and this time they are bringing the hits of Billy Joel and Phil Collins to two of the country's grandest stages.
The much-loved duo has announced The Songs of Billy Joel and Phil Collins, a symphonic celebration with John Foreman and the Australian Pops Orchestra.
The new show was revealed on November 10, with tickets already on sale.
Where to see Anthony Callea and Tim Campbell
There are just two cities on the schedule, so you will want to be quick.
Sydney fans can catch the show at the Sydney Opera House Concert Hall on Saturday April 17, 2027, with performances at 2pm and 7pm.
Melbourne gets its turn at Hamer Hall, Arts Centre Melbourne, on Saturday May 22, 2027, with shows at 2pm and 7.30pm, according to the official show website.
Tickets are available through the Sydney Opera House and Arts Centre Melbourne.
Which songs to expect
If you grew up singing into a hairbrush, this setlist is for you.
Music site Noise11 reports the Billy Joel favourites will include Uptown Girl, Piano Man and Just the Way You Are.
On the Phil Collins side, fans can look forward to Against All Odds, In the Air Tonight and You Can't Hurry Love.
More favourites from both artists are promised too, all with brand new arrangements written especially for these concerts.
Backed by a 40-piece orchestra, that famous drum fill in In the Air Tonight is bound to be something special.
Anthony Callea's road from Idol to the Opera House
Many of us first met Anthony Callea in 2004, when he finished runner-up on Australian Idol.
His debut single, a cover of The Prayer, became the fastest-selling single by an Australian artist at the time and spent five weeks at number one on the ARIA singles chart.
He has since released albums including Backbone and ARIA Number 1 Hits in Symphony, so orchestral pop is very much his happy place.
Tim Campbell, meanwhile, is a familiar face to anyone who watched Home and Away in the mid-2000s, when he played Dan Baker from 2004 to 2007.
He went on to appear in House Husbands and Dancing with the Stars, starred in stage musicals including Rent, Wicked and Hairspray, and released two albums of his own, High School Disco and Electrifying 80s.
The couple married in New Zealand in 2014 and have become one of Australian entertainment's best-loved partnerships, on stage and off.
Following a sell-out success
This isn't their first orchestral adventure together.
In 2024, Anthony Callea and Tim Campbell joined John Foreman and the Australian Pops Orchestra for The Songs of Elton and George, a tribute to Elton John and George Michael.
Those concerts sold out at the very same venues, which is a good hint that the new show may go quickly as well.
The pair said there is "nothing quite like the energy of a room filled with people" celebrating music they love.
Tips for planning a special night out
A show like this makes a lovely gift, whether it is for a mum who still knows every word of Piano Man or a friend who played Phil Collins on repeat in the eighties.
With Christmas just around the corner, tickets could be a thoughtful present that gives someone something to look forward to in the new year.
If you are travelling to Sydney or Melbourne for the show, the matinee sessions are handy for getting home the same day.
It is worth booking dinner nearby in advance, as both venues sit in busy arts precincts with plenty of restaurants close by.
And if you are heading to the evening show, allow time to arrive early, enjoy a drink and soak up the atmosphere before the orchestra strikes up.
Whether you are a Billy Joel devotee, a Phil Collins tragic or simply a long-time fan of Anthony Callea and Tim Campbell, this looks set to be a joyful night of singalong favourites.
Just don't be surprised if the whole room is on its feet by the time Uptown Girl kicks in.
