AC/DC performed their first ever shows in Sydney exactly 40 years ago today with a set of mainly Stones, Beatles, Chuck Berry and Little Richard covers.
The band then was Dave Evans on vocals, Malcolm Young on guitar, Angus Young on guitar Larry Van Kriedt on bass and Colin Burgess on drums.
On December 31, 1973, AC/DC played two sets at the now defunct Chequers Nightclub in Goulburn St, Sydney. “The reason we got our first gig at a top nightspot was one, Colin Burgess was in the band from the famous Masters Apprentices and the two younger brothers of the famous George Young (were in the band)”, Dave told Noise11.com.
Dave said the gig went off without a hitch. “It was New Year’s Eve, we got that gig and we killed it, we absolutely killed it because everyone was drunk, but anyway. It was a great start to the band to be in the top nightspot absolutely chock full of people going crazy on New Year’s Eve. We couldn’t have had a better start.”
Chequers was Sydney’s most famous nightclub after starting in Pitt Street in 1953, moving to Goulburn Street in 1959 and finally closing for good in 1980. The club had a capacity of 550 patrons. It was the only Australian nightclub to be listed in Variety magazine as one of the Top 10 clubs in the world.
Liza Minnelli, Sammy Davis Jr, Dionne Warwick and Shirley Bassey all played at Chequers and so did AC/DC for two shows on that New Year’s Eve of 1973.
A number of the songs in the set would appear on their first two albums the following year after Evans’ departure and replacement with Bon Scott.
Evans recorded two songs in his time with the band. ‘Can I Set Next To You Girl’ was AC/DC’s first single. ‘Rockin’ In The Parlour’ was the b-side. ‘Can I Sit Next To You Girl’ became a Top 40 single in Sydney, peaking at no. 39. Scott’s version would appear on the ‘TNT’ album.
AC/DC setlist from December 31, 1973
Set One
School Days (Chuck Berry cover) (from TNT, 1975)
Honky Tonk Women (Rolling Stones cover)
Get Back (The Beatles cover)
Jumpin’ Jack Flash (Rolling Stones cover)
No Particular Place To Go (Chuck Berry cover)
I Want You (She’s So Heavy) The Beatles cover)
The Old Bay Road
Midnight Rock
Show Business (from High Voltage, 1975)
Rock N Roll Singer (from TNT, 1975)
Soul Stripper (from High Voltage, 1975)
Rockin’ In The Parlour (b-side of Can I Sit Next To Your Girl, 1974)
Can I Sit Next To You Girl (from TNT, 1975)
Baby Please Don’t Go (Big Joe Williams cover) (from High Voltage, 1975)
Set Two
School Days (Chuck Berry cover) (from TNT, 1975)
Honky Tonk Women (Rolling Stones cover)
Jumpin’ Jack Flash (Rolling Stones cover)
Nadine (Chuck Berry cover)
Heartbreak Hotel (Elvis Presley cover)
That’s Alright Mama (Elvis Presley cover)
Tutti Fruitti (Little Richard cover)
The Old Bay Road
Midnight Rock
I Want You (She’s So Heavy) The Beatles cover)
No Particular Place To Go (Chuck Berry cover)
Lucille (Little Richard cover)
Get Back (The Beatles cover)
All Right Now (Free cover)
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