Cold Chisel rocks secret gig before massive anniversary tour

There was no sign of Jimmy Barnes’ recent health struggles as the Cold Chisel frontman stormed the stage ahead of the legendary Aussie band’s 50th anniversary tour. See the video.

Cold Chisel were in blistering form with frontman Jimmy Barnes at his peak rock powers as the band played a secret show to “warm-up” for their historic 50th anniversary tour.

Ahead of their sold out victory lap of the country, Chisel played their first show in more than four years under their alias the Barking Spiders.

In the time-honoured tradition among rock bands to warm up for a tour with a “secret show” for their biggest fans, Chisel played last night at the stunning art deco Anita’s Theatre in Thirroul, an hour south of Sydney.

Cold Chisel’s Jimmy Barnes and Ian Moss on stage at the band’s warm-up gig. Picture: Bill Donohoe/Facebook

The 1200 lucky fans, who snapped up the coveted tickets in mere minutes, represented just a tiny percentage of the 180,000 seats sold to the 23 shows on the Big Five-O tour which opens in Armidale on Saturday.

The set list from Cold Chisel's warm up show. Picture: Kathy McCabe

The support act for the secret show was Julian Moss, an emerging R&B singer songwriter whose music DNA is strong; his father is Chisel’s award-winning guitarist and solo artist Ian Moss.

“Thanks for coming out and supporting live music, and an unknown band … like Barking Spiders,” Moss joked during his well-received set.

The band surprised many with the unexpected opening track Mr Crown Prosecutor from their 1998 reunion record The Last Wave of Summer.

Then order in the Chisel universe was restored with their time-honoured opener Standing on the Outside before they powered into a dream set list of fan favourites.

After his battle with a life-threatening staph infection last year which returned to his hip and required surgery in early August, Barnes has made a miraculous recovery over six weeks to return to the stage.

Cold Chisel have played a warm up gig in Thirroul ahead of their 50th anniversary tour. Picture: Kathy McCabe

Cold Chisel were on fire at the legendary band's warm-up show ahead of their tour. Picture: Kathy McCabe

His black shirt unbuttoned at the top of his chest to give a glimpse of his heart surgery war wound, Barnes delivered into a signature performance which seemed determined to prove that rock’n’roll may possess life-sustaining powers.

The frontman prowled the stage, stopping his relentless pace to drape his arm around Mossy’s shoulder, sing Don Walker’s lyrics back to the frantic piano man or engage with the driving rhythm section of Phil Small and Charley Drayton.

“Welcome to our 50th birthday party,” Barnes said after they got the first few songs out of the way.

Jimmy Barnes takes a seat at the drums as Phil Small takes vocals at sound check before the band’s warm up show. Picture: Kathy McCabe

This live beast of a band locked in sync quickly, the rock’n’roll embodiment of a muscle car pushing the pedal to the metal beyond the speed limit on a darkened highway.

There was swing and groove as they played the classics including Cheap Wine, Rising Sun and Saturday Night.

The crowd swelled in voice as they rounded out the first set with the triple punch of Flame Tree, Khe Sanh and Bow River.

There might was given added heft by the soulful backing vocal trio of Mahalia and EJ Barnes and Juanita Tippins.

Two encores of eight songs closed out their “warm-up” with those in the toilet queues after the show citing Taipan as one of their favourites of the night.

Among those rocking out at the show were Jane Barnes, Arts Minster and rock dog Tony Burke, artist Ben Quilty and ABC radio and Frenzal Rhomb’s Lindsay McDougall.

Very limited final tickets to the Big Five-O shows remain via coldchisel.com