Melbourne Night Delivers a Quick But Memorable Set by Chad Smith
Chad Smith, the renowned drummer of the Red Hot Chili Peppers, slipped into Melbourne as part of an intimate surprise appearance at Cherry Bar, a venue famed for close-quarters performances and a storied history with visiting rock icons. The event drew a modest crowd, with NME noting that around 17 patrons were in the bar at the time, a number that helped foster a spontaneous, almost intimate atmosphere. What made the night stand out wasn’t just the element of surprise but the way a touring musician with global reach reframed a late evening into a moment of shared musical discovery. Rather than a formal, televised showcase, this was a micro-concert that offered a direct line from artist to audience, a reminder of how live music can feel personal even when the name on the marquee is as recognizable as Smith’s. The energy in the room was nonetheless electric, as fans realized they were witnessing something fleeting, a short burst of creativity that could vanish as quickly as it appeared, leaving a rare memory in the tapestry of Cherry Bar’s long history in Melbourne’s live-music scene.
During the brief set, Smith offered two tracks from a classic rock canon, performing AC/DC tunes that resonated with the venue’s rock-forward lineage. The drummer was joined by local vocalist AC Dan and guitarist Josh May, a trio whose chemistry brought a familiar stadium pedigree down to bar-room scale. This pairing allowed Smith to reinterpret the power and swagger of If You Want Blood and Up to My Neck in You in a setting that emphasized raw performance over flawless polish. Audience members captured the moment on their phones, sharing photos and clips across social networks in real time, and the bar’s owners reposted those images to showcase the night’s spontaneity. The improvisational nature of the set, paired with the quick turnaround from the Red Hot Chili Peppers’ own concert the night before at Marvel Stadium, underscored a bridging of eras and formats—concert hall scale energy with the immediacy of a small, local venue. Reports from observers and outlets such as NME highlighted this pattern of high-profile artists stopping by Cherry Bar for unexpected performances, a tradition that has contributed to the venue’s reputation as a magnet for rock history in Melbourne.
In a broader sense, the Cherry Bar moment sits within a lineage of famous collaborations and surprise appearances that have punctuated the bar’s history. For example, the venue has previously hosted performances or appearances featuring other high-profile acts, with stories circulating about Axl Rose from Guns N’ Roses, Lady Gaga, and Arctic Monkeys in similar casual formats. Such anecdotes reinforce Cherry Bar’s unique position as a launchpad for off-the-cuff musical exchanges that feel entirely different from a formal performance. They also illustrate how a small club can become a nexus for global music culture, attracting artists who are drawn to the immediacy and authenticity of live interaction with fans. On a broader level, these moments help explain why Melbourne remains a hub for rock enthusiasts and why venues like Cherry Bar are celebrated as more than just places to drink; they’re stages where legends briefly become fellow patrons and collaborators for a night. Separately in related news, the music world has seen established artists like Radiohead’s Phil Selway release new material, continuing the conversation around artistic evolution and solo ventures, which adds another layer to the musical ecosystem that audiences in Melbourne and beyond follow with interest. This ongoing cycle of live performances, spontaneous collaborations, and solo explorations underscores how the global rock community sustains itself through shared spaces, intimate gigs, and the enduring appeal of hearing favorite tunes performed in fresh, conversational contexts.