Rick Astley To Rick-Roll Australia

18 June 2012 | 9:36 am | Scott Fitzsimons

The '80s star will tour for the first time in 23 years.

Rick Astley, '80s star and internet phenomenon, will be touring Australia for the first time in 23 years, it has been announced this morning.

The artist behind tracks like Whenever You Need SomebodyWhen I Fall In Love and - of course - Never Gonna Give You Up - he enjoyed his most popular years throughout the late '80s and early '90s, before hanging up his music career.

What no-one saw coming was the internet fame that he's enjoyed since 2008, as the 'Rick-Roll' grew to prominence. That is, the act of promising one thing but linking to Astley'sNever Gonna Give You Upmusic video. One of the first internet memes to make mainstream news

Tour dates are as follows:

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Friday 16 November - Twin Towns, Tweed Heads
Saturday 17 November - Civic Hall, Ipswich
Sunday 18 November - Tivoli, Brisbane
Wednesday 21 November - Canberra Theatre, Canberra
Saturday 23 November - Evan Theatre, Penrith
Saturday 24 November - Waves Nightclub, Wollongong
Sunday 25 November - Enmore Theatre, Sydney
Thursday 29 November - Kinross Woolshed, Albury
Friday 30 November - The Palace, Melbourne
Saturday 1 December - Chelsea Heights Hotel, Melbourne

Tickets on sale Monday 9 July.

Otherwise, you can go into the ballot for free tickets here.