Cold Chisel Reprise 'The Barking Spiders' Name For One-Off Warm-Up Gig

Cold Chisel’s massive The Big 5-0 50th anniversary tour begins next Saturday (5 October), but why should they hit the stage with a Red Hot Summer Tour gig without a warm-up show first?

On Wednesday, 2 October, Cold Chisel will go back to their early days and play a one-off gig, reprising the name The Barking Spiders at Anita’s Theatre, Thirroul.

The band and frontman Jimmy Barnes announced the surprise gig on Facebook, writing, “Mystery supergroup, The Barking Spiders have announced a special one-off gig at Anita's Theatre in Thirroul next Wednesday, October 2.

“Tickets go on sale NOW from here: https://www.ticketmaster.com.au/event/13006134F7DD7429

“'You've got to move' quickly, this will sell-out in minutes... Please note: strict ticket limit of 4 tickets per buyer.”

Tickets have indeed sold out.

In December 1984, Cold Chisel released the live album The Barking Spiders Live: 1983.

Recorded during the final nights of their Last Stand tour at the Sydney Entertainment Centre, the album’s title was born from a name the band previously used during warm-up shows before their tours began. According to piano player Don Walker, “barking spider” is apparently “Scottish slang for a fart.”

The album included recordings of classic Cold Chisel tunes like You Got Nothing I Want, Bow River, Standing On The Outside, Forever Now, and more.

Cold Chisel will celebrate their 50th anniversary with a whopping 23 tour dates across the country (excluding the Barking Spiders gig). The band ended up adding some more shows after 150,000 tickets sold out within hours.

Jimmy Barnes said of the upcoming tour, “Cold Chisel are never apart. We’re as close as brothers. Some of the best moments of my life have been spent on stage with those boys, and I hope we keep going ‘til the day we drop.

“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!”