6,100 people turned up at the Newcastle Entertainment Centre last night for an absolute masterclass from Ausmusic royalty, Cold Chisel.
The band were in town as part of the Big Five-0 Tour, celebrating half a century of ripping up stages around the country. And they delivered everything and a bit for their loyal Newy fans.
Hitting the stage with Mr Crown Prosecutor, the title track from the band’s sixth studio album The Last Wave of Summer, frontman Jimmy Barnes shows no signs of wear and tear from his recent health troubles. He is strong, and powerful and gives the song everything he has… And it’s a lot.
As the set progresses through some of the band’s biggest hits what really stands out is the playing of Ian Moss. He makes it look effortless and people around us are tapping each other on the shoulder and shaking their heads in disbelief and just how amazing he is.
During the set, Barnes takes time to tell the audience that he and the band are pumped to play Newcastle because “you guys made us”. Later on, the frontman laughs that while previous dates on the tour have been performed under a circus tent, they thought they’d skip the set-up in Newcastle because their time here in the early days was enough of a circus.
Standouts of the night included Saturday Night, which saw the whole floor of the entertainment centre rise from their chairs to sing-a-long, the Don Walker and Steve Prestwich penned track Flame Trees, Shipping Steel and the set closer Bow River.
The band returned to the stage for two encore finishing up the night with Breakfast at Sweethearts and the appropriate Goodbye.
While many might have thought that the Big Five-0 Tour would be the last time Cold Chisel made a lap around the country, if last night’s performance was anything to go by they’ve still got a few in the tank.
Cold Chisel will return to the Hunter in November as part of the Red Hot Summer Tour at Roche Estate. If you didn’t score a ticket, you need to make a friend who has a spare. Visit rocheestate.com.au to find out more
COLD CHISEL SETLIST
NEWCASTLE ENTERTAINMENT CENTRE
6 NOVEMBER 2025
Mr Crown Prosecutor
Standing on the Outside
Cheap Wine
Rising Sun
My Baby
Painted Doll
When the War Is Over
Forever Now
Saturday Night
Four Walls
Wild Colonial Boy
Plaza
Shipping Steel
You Got Nothing I Want
Merry-Go-Round
Flame Trees
Khe Sanh
Bow River
ENCORE ONE
All for You
Choir Girl
Taipan
Letter to Alan
ENCORE TWO
Breakfast at Sweethearts
Goodbye (Astrid Goodbye)
