Our big-ticket items

TWO of Australia’s most iconic musical acts are headed to Hobart to play sold-out shows over the coming week.

One of the country’s most respected musicians, acclaimed songwriter Paul Kelly, will kick things off with an outdoor performance at Mona at Berriedale on Saturday night.

The ARIA Hall of Fame inductee has recorded more than 20 albums over the past three decades, featuring a number of songs that are now embedded in the Australian psyche, including classics such as To Her Door, Before Too Long, Dumb Things and How To Make Gravy.

Touring to promote his latest solo album Life Is Fine, Kelly and his band perform on Mona’s main stage from 5pm on Saturday, supported by US singersongwriter Steve Earle and Sydney trio Middle Kids.

Next week, Hobart welcomes legendary Australian rockers Cold Chisel for a special one-off show on the Wrest Point Lawns on Wednesday evening — the band’s first Tasmanian show in more than six years.

Chisel churned out a string of muchloved hits between 1975 and their breakup in 1983. After a number of one-off performances, the band reunited in 2010 and visited Tasmania in 2011 as part of their massive Light The Nitro tour.

Jimmy Barnes (vocals), Ian Moss (guitar, vocals), Don Walker (keyboards), Phil Small (bass) and Charley Drayton (drums) will belt out all the band’s biggest hits such as Flame Trees, Khe Sanh, Cheap Wine and Bow River next week, along with songs from more recent albums such as No Plans (2012) and The Perfect Crime (2015).

The show will also celebrate the release of The Last Stand of the Sydney Entertainment Centre: The Live Tapes — Vol 4, which came out last week.

Joined by Melbourne rock band Dallas Crane, Cold Chisel play on the Wrest Point Lawns from 7pm on Wednesday.

Like the Paul Kelly gig, tickets have sold out.