Red Hot Chili Peppers’ Chad Smith Performs at a Surprise Australian Pub Set

Red Hot Chili Peppers drummer, Chad Smith surprised an audience of less than 20 people in Melbourne, Australia, with a surprise performance. 

The spontaneous performance took place at the city’s Cherry Bar venue. Smith performed a two-song set of AC/DC songs ‘If You Want Blood’ and ‘Up to My Neck in You’ in front of only 17 people. Local vocalist AC Dan and guitarist Josh May joined Smith on the tracks.

Cherry Bar manager James Young said of the performance, which took place as part of the venue’s Cherry Jam open mic night, “Red Hot Chili Peppers drummer Chad Smith is a legend.”

According to Young, who has overseen previous Cherry Bar performers such as Axl Rose, Lady Gaga, and Arctic Monkeys, Smith was rewarded for his set with a drink voucher from Dan and May.

Smith also watched as other open mic night participants, including Melbourne drummer Seth O’Donnell, performed their sets.

“Words can’t describe this,” O’Donnell wrote on Instagram. “Got to play drums in front of my idol [Smith]…. then he played them with my sticks (and broke them), and then I got to hang with him.”

O’Donnell posted a photo of the damaged drum sticks, as well as clips of Smith using them. Smith’s surprise appearance at Cherry Bar came just one day after the Red Hot Chili Peppers performed at Marvel Stadium in Melbourne, where they were joined by Post Malone.

The band will be performing in Singapore, Tokyo and Osaka at the end of this month. The tour is in support of The Red Hot Chili Peppers’ 12th and 13th studio albums, ‘Unlimited Love’ and ‘Return of the Dream Canteen,’ which were released in April and October of last year, respectively.

–Silviya.Y