Welcome to the wettest night in possibly the last 100 years in Sydney which sees an entirely drenched crowd filling the Hordern Pavilion in Sydney with definite plans to see the legendary Cold Chisel tonight. Trust me, not even the flame trees can dry these dripping punters… (I know, bad pun, but they get better.)
Lanie Lane was our support for the night and here to warm up us, are you seeing the theme I have going here already, but with her quirky style she tried her best to get the crowd going, even attempting to start a quite unsuccessful ‘Chisel , Chisel’ chant, but at no time was she deterred by the almost non responsive crowd. Good effort for an act not really suited to a traditional Aussie rock crowd. Kudos Lanie Lane! I enjoyed what you did.
As the remainder of the crowd make their way in to the venue now filling the previously half empty space, we are ready to be entertained by Cold Chisel. Within seconds, in fact as soon as the house lights went down the band instantly they have the crowd in the palms of their hands. ‘Standing On The Outside’ starts us off with a murmur of a crowd sing along the sign of things to come. Oh and it only took the next song to get that in to full swing with ‘Cheap Wine’ I can already tell we’re in for a night of absolutely classic Aussie rock. Bring it on! OI!
Mossy’s third guitar change in three songs leads into the title track of their new album ‘No Plans’ which is better than well received proving that Chisel can still release music today that suits their sound and image. Fourth guitar change in four songs sees Ian Moss back in fine form off the back of his cat attack (is that still funny to anyone else?) ‘HQ454 Monroe’ from the new album is this one, easily fitting in to the set. ‘Saturday Night’ and I’m still so intrigued as it’s the fifth guitar we’ve seen tonight. I love this but I can’t keep it up so I’ll stop, let’s just say there were a number of guitars used tonight. The extended intro leading into Mossy’s first lead vocals of the evening and I have to say, they get better with age. His voice is pristine and balances with the raspy vocals of Jimmy Barnes perfectly. New single ‘Everybody’ sounds remarkably like Chisel of old. ‘All I want to be is idiot free and out of here with you’ I love it. A catchy little ditty and so well received by the adorning crowd.
New drummer Charlie is introduced to cheers, and the familiar guitar riff of ‘Forever Now’ which has received the biggest crowd sing along of the night so far, hang on, I’m up… ‘loneliness’ yeah so as I was saying ‘tenderness’ stop it, I’m trying to write ’emptiness’… Loving this… Sitting here with a big smile remembering growing up hearing this and these songs, it just brings it all back. Back to another guitar, I just can’t keep up…
‘Yakuza Girls’ seemed to be the ‘oh man I need to go to the bathroom’ song for many people. ‘My Baby’ sounded as good as ever of course with Mossy up front again and in sighting a crowd sing along. Barnsey thanked the doctors that allowed Mossy to be here to a smattering of laughs from everyone but Mossy. The rockabilly-esque ‘Rising Sun’ got the crowd shakin’ and pumped up and just as quickly ‘Summer Moon’ from the new album brought the crowd straight back down and to the drink lines. But as I say that ‘Choir Girl’ was the perfect song to get them back and close to the loudest crowd vocal tonight. ‘All For You’ the first single taken from ‘No Plans’ is well received and I actually love this song and judging by some of the crowd as I look around, they do too… ‘You Got Nothing I Want’ blasts out at us with the same power it did back when it hit the airwaves back in 1981.The band is really tight and this as I think about it isn’t the most technical night of music, it’s just a kick ass night of Aussie rock and roll. ‘Merry Go Round’ kept that rockin vibe up.
A double shot of awesomeness has just happened and far earlier in the set than I expected. ‘Flame Trees’ which is pretty much my favourite Aussie song of all time followed by the beyond classic status ‘Khe Sanh’ Wow. Just wow. Two of the most iconic Australian songs of the last 50 years in a row, it doesn’t get much better. The last plane out if Sydney wasn’t going anywhere tonight (mostly due to the rain) as the Hordern turned into a giant karaoke room and those that have screamed it aloud many times on a Friday night at a pub with people you don’t know was magnified by thousands tonight and it was amazing to witness. Oh but then the first thing I knew I was back in ‘Bow River’ again… My god this band has some amazing songs. I think they’ll go pretty far, check them out… I’m not going to comment on Bow River, we all know how good that song it. As the band leaves the stage, will there be an encore? Will there?
Oh there they are…
A shout out to the late Steve Prestwich leads us in to ‘When The War Is Over’ which I believe is no joke one of the best songs I think ever written. It’s delivered tonight with so much passion and feeling from all the guys and in a way the perfect dedication to their late drummer who wrote the song. ‘Ain’t nobody gonna steal this heart away…’ Another newie this late in the set is a big call as I see the crowd start to thin after hearing the ‘hits’ but ‘Too Late’ works and those still wanting more are enjoying it. I’m loving Chisel’s new material and ‘No Plans’ is really a great album. Here’s hoping it’ll get this legendary band back in the spotlight once again. What’s left? Oh cool ‘Four Walls’ I didn’t expect this one. Then we head straight into ‘Goodbye (Astrid Goodbye)’ of course. Makes sense when you think about it. A perfect send off for an awesome night.
The band actually look like they are having fun on stage and is a testament to a great band and great Australian rock songs. Here’s to many more shows like this and more new songs for as long as they can. Oh and the rain had stopped, the last plane out of Sydney can leave now… off to Melbourne you go Cold Chisel.
Check out the photos from Cold Chisel’s Melbourne show here…
Check out our ‘No Plans’ feature on Cold Chisel here…
Essential Information
Venue: The Hordern Pavilion – Sydney
Date: April 18 2012
Supports: Lanie Lane
Website: www.coldchisel.com
Setlist:
Standing on the outside
Cheap Wine
No Plans
HQ454 Monroe
Saturday Night
Everybody
Forever Now
Yakuza girls
My Baby
Rising Sun
Summer Moon
Choir Girl
All For You
You Got Nothing I Want
Merry-Go-Round
Flame Trees
Khe Sanh
Bow River
When The War Is Over
Too Late
Four Walls
Goodbye (Astrid Goodbye)
