AC/DC @ Etihad Stadium, Melbourne (06/12/2015)
Look, there’s so many ways I could talk about AC/DC’s performance that it’s a struggle to know where to begin.
The easiest way I can think to summarise it is by saying that, in most ways, it exactly what you would expect. Now this is not a bad thing! I mean, here’s a checklist. Over the course of 2 hours we were blessed with:
The easiest way I can think to summarise it is by saying that, in most ways, it exactly what you would expect. Now this is not a bad thing! I mean, here’s a checklist. Over the course of 2 hours we were blessed with:
- Fire
- Explosions - Confetti - Cannon fire - Nudity - Non-stop guitar solos - BLEEDING FINGERS and of course, - 20 songs from one of the greatest rock bands of all time. This was a real rock show. The kind of thing that every young rock band on earth aspires to, and the kind of thing that has spawned an entire way of musical life. That’s pretty awesome. Highlights were the obvious ones. A flaming opener with Rock or Bust, the gritty Back in Black, an incredible opening to Thunderstruck. |
The production value was also pretty A+, with a giant swinging bell falling from the sky for Hells Bells.
The most standout thing for me was the final, big solo from Angus Young in Let There Be Rock. It juts kept going, and going. I want to say it escalated, because it did, but it also escalated quite literally as with every new note Young would make his way up into the sky on an elevated platform at the end of the catwalk. That little man can freaking play the guitar. It was godlike. Did any of this really even happen? I can’t be sure anymore. Surely I didn’t see Angus Young floating in the sky, playing the guitar until his fingers bleed while a giant inflatable, well endowed lady floated behind him and the confetti rained down from the sky?
For me, I think it’s pretty clear that Angus (who must have been sweating something terrible in his velvet schoolboy uniform on a ten billion degree Melbourne day), was the star of the show. However there’s much to be said for his fellow band members. Frontman Brian Johnson is an incredibly strong and unique vocalist. He also rocks a newsboy cap pretty well.
The only thing I was a little ‘eh’ about in the entire performance is that because of the uniqueness of their sound, for someone who’s not a serious fan some of the tracks could get a little bit samey. However, they did a really great job of combating this by having an excellent stage presence and by carefully formulating their setlist so that one of their hits would be slotted in right when things could be getting a little bit too much.
Naturally we close to a fanfare of cannon fire, explosions and more fire in the famous salute to rock. And you know what, I freaking get it. Like, this is what Jack Black was so amped up about in School of Rock, y’know? It’s so awesome to see something so incredibly influential live, and even more awesome to be reminded of the homegrown talent we have here in Australia.
Holly Parker
The most standout thing for me was the final, big solo from Angus Young in Let There Be Rock. It juts kept going, and going. I want to say it escalated, because it did, but it also escalated quite literally as with every new note Young would make his way up into the sky on an elevated platform at the end of the catwalk. That little man can freaking play the guitar. It was godlike. Did any of this really even happen? I can’t be sure anymore. Surely I didn’t see Angus Young floating in the sky, playing the guitar until his fingers bleed while a giant inflatable, well endowed lady floated behind him and the confetti rained down from the sky?
For me, I think it’s pretty clear that Angus (who must have been sweating something terrible in his velvet schoolboy uniform on a ten billion degree Melbourne day), was the star of the show. However there’s much to be said for his fellow band members. Frontman Brian Johnson is an incredibly strong and unique vocalist. He also rocks a newsboy cap pretty well.
The only thing I was a little ‘eh’ about in the entire performance is that because of the uniqueness of their sound, for someone who’s not a serious fan some of the tracks could get a little bit samey. However, they did a really great job of combating this by having an excellent stage presence and by carefully formulating their setlist so that one of their hits would be slotted in right when things could be getting a little bit too much.
Naturally we close to a fanfare of cannon fire, explosions and more fire in the famous salute to rock. And you know what, I freaking get it. Like, this is what Jack Black was so amped up about in School of Rock, y’know? It’s so awesome to see something so incredibly influential live, and even more awesome to be reminded of the homegrown talent we have here in Australia.
Holly Parker