The Big Five-O Live

The Big Five-O
Tour by Cold Chisel
Promotional poster for the tour
Location
  • Australia
  • New Zealand
Associated album50 Years – The Best Of
Start dateOctober 2024 (2024-10)
End dateJanuary 2025 (2025-01)
Legs2
No. of shows27
Attendance250,000+[1]

The Big Five-O was a concert tour by Australia rock group Cold Chisel. The tour celebrated the group's fiftieth anniversary. The 11-date tour was announced in May 2024.[2] Three additional dates were added on 31 May[3] and three more on 3 June 2024.[4] On 12 June, Cold Chisel confirmed all 16 of the 17 dates were sold out and added six more shows, bringing the total to 23 for Australia.[5]

Band member Jimmy Barnes said "The Big Five-0 is a landmark moment, there have been plenty of times where I never thought I'd live to see this day so I'm going to make the most of it. I can't wait to celebrate with my mates and with all the fans who have been such a big part of our story. We're gonna smash it." Don Walker added "This 50th anniversary tour will be a huge celebration – for all of us."[2]

The band performed a secret show as Barking Spiders on 3 October 2024.[6] A total of 24 dates across Australia were completed.[7]

The 23 November 2024 Sidney Myer Music Bowl performance was recorded. Barnes said "Every show on our Big Five-0 Tour had something special, but the Sidney Myer Music Bowl in Melbourne, with 37° temperatures and an incredible audience, really brought out a blistering and joyous performance from all of us onstage. The crowd nearly drowned us out, they sang so loud and proud. It was a show we will never forget."[1]

The performance screened on 7 Network on 11 May 2025.[8] It was the ranked fifth on the night and was viewed by 1,845,000 people.[9]

On 2 July 2025, Cold Chisel confirmed the Sidney Myer Music Bowl performance will be released commercially on 8 August 2025.[10][1]

Reception

Ben Lewis from TUNE! FM attended the 5 October show and said "Overall, the concert was brilliant [and] they still sound as good as they ever did." Lewis said "It was a marvellous collection of songs that do a great job of representing Cold Chisel as a band."[11]

Michael Bailey from Sydney Morning Herald reviewed the 11 October show with 4/5 calling the anniversary tour "a remarkable moment".[12]

Sean Bennett from The Rockpit reviewed the show in Perth and said "It was a set that all die-hard Chisel fans would have wanted – the huge timeless hits with some rare cuts littered through the night. 'Four Walls' was exceptional, 'Choir Girl' sublime and the mid-section of 'Cheap Wine', 'Rising Sun', 'My Baby', 'All for You' and 'You've Got Nothing I Want' was fabulous."[13]

Paul Cashmere from Noise11 attended the 25 October show and said "Australia's greatest ever rock band Cold Chisel smashed out two hours of back-to-back hits and deep cuts" and said it "was one of the most perfectly executed events ever produced."[14] Greg Philips from Australian Musician saw the 25 October show and said "The atmosphere and hype under the giant tent was electric … with 10,000 punters of all ages" calling the band "Absolute Aussie Rock legends".[15] Michael Dwyer from The Age also reviewed the 25 October show giving it 5/5, calling the show "emotional".[16]

Pace Proctor from The AU Review attended the 30 October show and gave it 4.5/5 and said, "The performance was a powerhouse, a stacked set of 24 tunes delivered with all the heart and finesse of a band that knows its legacy."[17]

The Big Five-0 Live

The Big Five-0 Live
Live album by
Released8 August 2025 (2025-08-08)
Recorded23 November 2024 (2024-11-23)
VenueSidney Myer Music Bowl, Melbourne
LabelUniversal Music Australia
ProducerKevin Shirley
Cold Chisel chronology
50 Years – The Best Of
(2024)
The Big Five-0 Live
(2025)

The Big Five-0 Live is a live recording scheduled for release on 8 August 2025 on 2×CD, 3×LP, DVD and Blu-ray. It was recorded on 23 November 2024 at the Sidney Myer Music Bowl, Melbourne.[18]

Track listing

Disc one

  1. "Standing on the Outside"
  2. "Letter to Alan"
  3. "HQ454 Monroe"
  4. "Cheap Wine"
  5. "Rising Sun"
  6. "My Baby"
  7. "All for You"
  8. "Painted Doll"
  9. "Choirgirl"
  10. "Forever Now"
  11. "Four Walls"
  12. "Houndog"
  13. "Rosaline"
  14. "You Got Nothing I Want"
  15. "Merry-Go-Round"

Disc two

  1. "Flame Trees"
  2. "Khe Sanh"
  3. "Bow River"
  4. "Saturday Night"
  5. "Breakfast at Sweethearts"
  6. "Shipping Steel"
  7. "Taipan"
  8. "When the War Is Over"
  9. "Goodbye (Astrid Goodbye)"
  10. "Plaza"*
  11. "Mr Crown Prosecutor"*
  12. "Wild Colonial Boy"*
  • Bonus tracks - recorded on 22 November 2024 at the same venue.

DVD - Interviews

  1. Jimmy Barnes Interview
  2. Ian Moss Interview
  3. Phil Small Interview
  4. Don Walker Interview
  5. Charley Drayton Interview
  6. Tex Perkins Interview
  7. Eliza-Jane Barnes Interview
  8. Juanita Tippins Interview
  9. Bek Hansen Interview
  10. Kathy McCabe Interview
  11. Sarah Mcleod Interview

Charts

Chart performance for The Big Five-O Live
Chart (2025) Peak
position
Australian Albums (ARIA)[19] 4

Tour dates

List of concerts
Australian dates (2024) City Venue Opening act
3 October[A] Wollongong, NSW Anita's Theatre
5 October[B] Armidale, NSW Petersons Winery, Mount View The Cruel Sea, Birds of Tokyo, The Superjesus and Karen Lee Andrews
8 October Gold Coast, Queensland Gold Coast Convention and Exhibition Centre Karen Lee Andrews
11 October Sydney, NSW The Entertainment Quarter The Cruel Sea and Karen Lee Andrews
12 October
15 October Wollongong, NSW Wollongong Entertainment Centre Karen Lee Andrews
19 October[C] Perth, WA Sandalford Wines Birds of Tokyo, The Cruel Sea, The Superjesus and Karen Lee Andrews
20 October[D]
25 October Melbourne, VIC Flemington Racecourse The Cruel Sea and Karen Lee Andrews
26 October
30 October Brisbane, Queensland Brisbane Entertainment Centre Karen Lee Andrews
2 November Victoria Park, Brisbane The Cruel Sea and Karen Lee Andrews
3 November
6 November Newcastle, NSW Newcastle Entertainment Centre Karen Lee Andrews
9 November[E] Ballarat, Victoria Victoria Park, Ballarat The Cruel Sea, Birds of Tokyo, The Superjesus and Karen Lee Andrews
10 November[F] Mornington, Victoria Mornington Racecourse The Cruel Sea, Birds of Tokyo, The Superjesus and Karen Lee Andrews
13 November Glenorchy, Tasmania MyState Bank Arena Karen Lee Andrews
16 November Sydney, NSW QUDOS Arena The Cruel Sea and Karen Lee Andrews
17 November Adelaide, South Australia Adelaide 500 The Cruel Sea and The Superjesus
22 November Melbourne, Victoria Sidney Myer Music Bowl The Cruel Sea and Karen Lee Andrews
23 November
28 November Canberra, ACT Patrick White Lawns The Cruel Sea and Karen Lee Andrews
30 November[G] Hunter Valley, NSW Roche Estate The Cruel Sea, Birds of Tokyo, The Superjesus and Karen Lee Andrews
4 December Sydney, NSW QUDOS Arena The Cruel Sea and Karen Lee Andrews
New Zealand dates (2025)[20] City Venue Opening act
18 January Queenstown Icehouse, Bic Runga and Everclear
25 January Taupō
26 January Whitianga

Notes

  1. ^ This was a "secret show", and they performed as Barking Spiders.[6]
  2. ^ As part of Red Hot Summer Tour.[6]
  3. ^ As part of Red Hot Summer Tour.[6]
  4. ^ As part of Red Hot Summer Tour.[6]
  5. ^ As part of Red Hot Summer Tour.[6]
  6. ^ As part of Red Hot Summer Tour.[6]
  7. ^ As part of Red Hot Summer Tour.[6]

References

  1. ^ a b c "Cold Chisel to Release The Big Five-O Live Live Album and DVD". Music Feeds. 2 July 2025. Retrieved 22 July 2025.
  2. ^ a b "Cold Chisel Mark Their Big Five-O With Biggest Shows Ever". Noise11. 29 May 2024. Retrieved 22 July 2025.
  3. ^ "Cold Chisel Adds Second Melbourne, Brisbane, Sydney Shows". Noise11. 31 May 2024. Retrieved 22 June 2025.
  4. ^ "There Are More and Final Cold Chisel Dates". noise11. 3 June 2025. Retrieved 22 July 2025.
  5. ^ "Cold Chisel Add Six More Shows To The Big Five-O Tour". Noise11. 12 June 2024. Retrieved 22 June 2025.
  6. ^ a b c d e f g h "Cold Chisel Play The First of The Big Five O Shows as Barking Spiders". Noise11. 3 October 2024. Retrieved 22 July 2025.
  7. ^ "Cold Chisel Completes Australian Dates But New Zealand Is Yet to Come". Noise11. 5 December 2024. Retrieved 22 July 2025.
  8. ^ "Cold Chisel The Big Five-O Melbourne Sidney Myer Music Bowl to Screen on 7". Noise11. 6 May 2025. Retrieved 22 July 2025.
  9. ^ "Ratings Sunday 11 May 2025". TV Tonight. 11 May 2025. Retrieved 23 July 2025.
  10. ^ "Cold Chisel to Release Live DVD/Blu-Ray from Melbourne's Sidney Myer Music Bowl". Noise11. 2 July 2025. Retrieved 22 July 2025.
  11. ^ "Cold Chisel Concert Review 5 October 2025". TUNE! FM. 6 October 2024. Retrieved 25 July 2025.
  12. ^ "Who needs that sentimental BS? Cold Chisel rock hard at 50". Sydney Morning Herald. 12 October 2024. Retrieved 25 July 2025.
  13. ^ "LIVE REVIEW: COLD CHISEL – The Big Five-0 Anniversary Tour Featuring Birds of Tokyo, The Cruel Sea, The Superjesus & Karen Lee Andrews". The Rockpit. 25 October 2024. Retrieved 25 July 2025.
  14. ^ "Cold Chisel Deliver the Greatest Rock Show on Earth in Flemington". Noise11. 26 October 2024. Retrieved 25 July 2025.
  15. ^ "50th Anniversary Tour Flemington Racecourse Melbourne". Australian Musician. 26 October 2024. Retrieved 25 July 2025.
  16. ^ "Melbourne Review Wrap". The Age. 27 October 2024. Retrieved 25 July 2025.
  17. ^ "Cold Chisel remain at their timeless best at the Brisbane Entertainment Centre on The Big Five-O Tour (30.10.24)". The AU Review. 2 November 2024. Retrieved 25 July 2025.
  18. ^ "Cold Chisel To Release The Big Five-O Live Live Album And DVD". Music Feeds. 2 July 2025. Retrieved 4 July 2025.
  19. ^ "ARIA Top 50 Albums Chart". Australian Recording Industry Association. 18 August 2025. Retrieved 15 August 2025.
  20. ^ "Icehouse, Everclear and Bic Runga To Join Cold Chisel In New Zealand". Noise11. 27 December 2024. Retrieved 22 July 2025.