Jimmy Barnes has revealed the real reason people were booing at the Bluesfest which was attended by Opposition Leader Anthony Albanese.

Mr Albanese was invited to the Byron Bay festival on Saturday April 16 as a guest by Barnes and received a mixed reaction to him taking the stage.

Barnes explained that before Mr Albanese had even walked up on stage, the crowd was booing after the MC brought up the federal election.

“He came along. He is a big fan. Anthony’s come to see Cold Chisel shows from years back. We have been friends for a long time,” Barnes told Sunrise co-host Natalie Barr.  

​​“So he came and they said ‘why don’t we get him to introduce the band?’ and he went up there.

“And of course my band was all on stage and there was a drum kit with Jimmy Barnes written there, and they said ‘would you welcome the working class man’ and they went ‘here’s Anthony Albanese’ and (the crowd) all went ‘aye, hang on a minute’.

“But they were quite receptive. He said look, we’re here to tell you we support the arts and rattled off a few things. He didn’t muck about.”

Mr Albanese was given a few minutes on stage where he addressed his support for the crippling arts industry and Indigenous affairs.  

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