Community
9 January, 2026
Full house for Johno’s bash
IT was literally standing room only as hundreds of people packed out a Cairns venue to celebrate musician Ian ‘Johno’ Johnson’s 80th birthday.
Musician and old friend Ric Montgomery said the turnout exceeded expectations, with many unable to get inside due to capacity limits.
“Well, at any one time there were five or 600 people and the staff were saying they reckoned it was 1000 people turned up, and a lot came, and they couldn’t get in, or couldn’t fit, so they went again and tried to come back later,” he said.
Johno said he was overwhelmed by the turnout and the crowd’s response.
“Everybody walked up to me and they said, ‘Johno, you remember me’,” he said.
Asked about highlights from the day, Johno said the sing-along moments stood out.
“People yelling out to play, ‘Wild Thing’ or ‘Gloria’,” he said. “Sing-along songs from the old days, just songs people from those days all knew.”
Reflecting on his career, Johno said his early musical influences dated back to childhood.
“I used to copy Chuck Berry at school,” he said.
Johno said there were no significant plans to release new material or tour soon, but shared stories from his long music career, including recording the song “Don’t Knock the Croc” with Johno’s Blues Band and the big names that used to play at Johno’s Blues Bar.
Musicians from outside Cairns also took part, with Mr Montgomery’s son Ryo flying up from Melbourne to play lead guitar with Johno.
Journalist, long-time supporter and friend David Anthony said the crowd reflected generations of Cairns locals who grew up around the city’s live music scene.
“It was very crowded, several hundred people,” Mr Anthony said. “They were the kind of people I imagine used to hang out at the Barbary Coast back in their young days.”
Mr Anthony said many in attendance remembered the era of live music around the Barrier Reef Hotel precinct during the 1960s, 70s and early 80s.
He said the quality of musicianship on the day stood out, with Johno’s voice drawing strong reactions from the crowd.
“Johno’s voice is famous in Cairns,” Mr Anthony said. “Everyone was there for a good time.
“That sort of music, blues, rock and roll, rhythm and blues really get people bouncing along and enjoying themselves,” he said.
“Ryo got his start at Johno’s Blues Bar,” Mr Anthony said.
“He was a 15-year-old boy getting his first gigs playing.”
Mr Anthony said Ryo had since become an accomplished blues musician and returned for the celebration.
Fans of Johno and people online are calling for a Captain Cook-sized bronze statue in the centre of town, complete with a fountain and fireworks coming out the end of a guitar, a Johno fountain to celebrate and remember how Cairns used to rock ’n’ roll.
