Cold Chisel will headline the Saturday night concert at the inaugural Coates Hire Newcastle 500.
The Chisels will perform in their only mainland Australia show of 2017 in Newcastle, with Spiderbait also confirmed on the support act.
The event marks the first time that Cold Chisel has performed in New South Wales’ second-largest city since their Light The Nitro tour of 2011, the largest grossing tour ever by an Australian-based band.
The group’s famous Star Hotel song was also inspired by the riot which took place on the venue’s closing night in 1979, just a few kilometres from the sight of the Newcastle East Street Circuit.
“Newcastle has always been great to us,” said frontman Jimmy Barnes.
“When we were starving in our early days, we would drive up there and fill rooms, long before we did anywhere else.
“We got to learn our trade playing to wild and appreciative crowds in full rooms there.
“If we owe any place anything, it’s Newcastle.”
Supercars CEO James Waburton says that Cold Chisel is a fitting act for the first event in Newcastle.
“Cold Chisel has a long and rich history in Newcastle so when we sat down to look at the headline act for the inaugural event there was only one choice,” said Warburton.
“We are absolutely honoured for the band to play their only mainland show at the very first Newcastle event which will be, without doubt, a massive weekend of racing and rock.”
Coincidentally, Cold Chisel re-formed for the inaugural Sydney 500, which Newcastle replaces, in 2009.
The group played the Saturday night at Stadium Australia in the Olympic Park street circuit’s infield.