AC/DC 

Live reviews

• AC/DC

  Munich Germany Tuesday May 19, 2015

  18:00

  Opening Acts

  unknown local cover band) 18:15-19:00

  Vintage Trouble 19:10-20:10

  ACDC 20:30-22:40

  Set List for ACDC

  Rock or Bust,

  Shoot to thrill,

  Hell aint a bad place to be,

  Back in Black,

  Play ball,

  Dirty deeds done dirt cheap,

  Thunderstruck,

  High Voltage,

  Rock n roll train,

  Hells bells,

  Baptism by fire,

  You shook me all night long,

  Sin city,

  Shot down in flames,

  Have a drink on me,

  TNT,

  Whole lotta Rosie,

  Let there be rock,

  Angus solo,

  Highway to hell,

  For those about to rock,

  Was a great show as always, (been watching them live since 1986)

  New in the line up was Stevie Young, and the return of Chris Slade (from the Razors edge tour)

  Slade appeared to labor and fight through some of the songs when the camera was on him, but kept the beat and tempo well.

  Stevie looked panicked and a little intimidated on stage, but have to give him credit for jumping in for Malcolm it was obvious he hasn't done this for the 42 years the other band-mates have.

  I've rather gotten used to the fact that Clive and Malcolm were always in the background until it was time to sing back up vocals, so this was no different,

  Clive and Stevie did a great job, and the background vocals sounded much better than the Black Ice tour from 5 years ago when I last saw them in Las Vegas.

  It has always been all about Angus and Brian Johnson running around the stage.

  This venue was amazing, the atmosphere was electric, and my estimate for the crowd was 70,000

  From my seats the entire floor (soccer pitch) was packed, and even the steady rain that had been falling all day was not enough to damper spirits,

  the crowd was ready to party.

  The opening act, (sorry I don't know the name)

  appeared to be a local German cover band, pandering to the crowd with hits from the 80's and sang local drinking songs to get the crowd pumped.

  The next act Vintage Trouble, had great energy, the lead singer reminded me of a Chuck Berry, James Brown, and Jimmy Hendrix mix, had great vocals, and worked the stage hard, however the crowd just wasn't responding to the blues-rock sound they were pounding out.

  Up next ACDC,

  there really isn't anything I can say about this band that hasn't been said.

  They work hard, played the classic hits that have spawned generations of rockers

  and are simply amazing.

  The setlist was pretty much an even split of Johnson, and Bon Scott songs,

  It was a nice throwback having at least 9 songs that came from the 70's

  Song that was removed from previous shows, "the jack" was a nice change.

  I personally have always felt it was a mood killer and brought down the tempo of the crowd even though that was taking away from the crowd to repeat "the jack" over and over,

  This also eliminated Angus' "strip-tease"

  not sure if it was because of the weather, or Angus doesn't want to expose his 60 year old butt anymore,

  but his solo, which rocked kept the 70,000 fans standing all night long.

  Johnson appeared to have a mic issue nearing the end of the concert, and his frustration and emotions were caught, but still pushed through,

  as a long time fan I can only give this a 5/5 rating.

  Looking forward to their return to North America in the fall.

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  by robert-l-rae

• Attending a concert in a giant corporate arena is a necessary evil when it comes to seeing high-profile bands with a large stage presence, but when done right, those arena-ready bands can make you forget the hell you’re living in. AC/DC flipped that script right on its head last night when they brought their Rock or Bust World Tour to the Pepsi Center. For the Australian rockers, Hell isn’t a place to be avoided, it is to be celebrated. So when the lights went down on the capacity crowd, thousands of red devil-horns lit the seats as Denver welcomed the iconic band back to the Northern Hemisphere. A space odyssey scene played out on the giant screen before everything was blown to bits when Brian Johnson and Angus Young took the stage to rattle brains with the title track off their latest album. By packing a stadium-sized show into a modestly-sized arena, the band achieved maximum visual and sonic impact, proving that Hell really ain’t a bad place to be.

  One of my first large-scale rock shows was AC/DC’s Ballbreaker Tour at San Diego Sports Arena. Some friends and I had 2nd row tickets for my 19th birthday. That was on February 12th, 1996. Twenty years later (almost to the day), I found myself doing the same thing in a different city with different friends. Having attended hundreds of shows since that night in San Diego, I didn’t think there was any way an aging AC/DC could impress the way they did back then. I was wrong. The absence of Malcolm Young (due to serious health issues) is something that has to be mentioned, just out of pure respect, but his nephew, the 57-year-old Stevie Young, provided more than enough coverage to keep the band tight. And while Chris Slade kept his personality in the background all night, he is no stranger to touring with the band, so the troubled Phil Rudd was hardly missed on drums. In all reality, any capable musicians would have done fine though, because all eyes were on Angus Young and Brian Johnson the entire night. Those guys must have truly made a deal with the devil, because their style, attitude, energy, and even their attire, hasn’t aged a day in the two decades since I last saw them. - See more at: http://ilistensoyoudonthaveto.com/2016/02/09/acdc-pepsi-center-02-08-16/#sthash.o9wcFq2q.dpuf

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  by kmartini

• Awesome gig, AC/DC still know how to put on a great show! They know what the crowd want, and romp through their greatest hits including the Bon Scott days, still finding time for three from the new album.

  All the theatrical elements are there - the great bell for Hells Bells, the cannons for For Those About To Rock, the inflatable Rosie, Angus' frenzied guitar solo. For Scotland we were also treated to a few bars of Loch Lomond as the intro to Highway to Hell, a nice touch. The only thing missing is Angus' long-standing striptease and mooning of the audience - is he now too old to do it, or is it now considered too bad taste? Who knows...

  Malcolm Young was fondly remembered by the crowd, who started chants of "Malcolm! Malcolm!" instead of the usual "Angus! Angus!" from time to time, but no mention was made by the band - in fact we got no banter from Brian at all. Stevie Young filled in his uncle's place effectively, but the show has always been about Angus and Brian, so it didn't have a significant effect. Chris Slade did a solid job on the drums, and was probably quite happy that Phil Rudd's dubious legal problems gave him a chance to re-join the band.

  Will this be the last big AC/DC tour? Time will tell. It's been a while since the last one, and many would never have expected the band would continue without Malcolm. But Angus still struts around with amazing energy for a 60-year-old, and there will always be an audience for them, so he may not be hanging up his schoolboy cap quite yet.

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  by richard-gosling

• It was wet, very wet. Hives had done there job and done it well. The stage was set and with a surreal video, lighting system, pyrotechnics and a sound system dreams are made of, the show began ...

  "Ahh Sydney, good to be back" Brian sighed almost longingly as he moved into 'Rock or Bust' as the rain drizzled onstage. Between each song, a quick retreat to wipe faces, hands and fretboards, roadies wiping the stage, one knew they were up against it especially when Angus took off his now soaked coat, donned only in a white soggy shirt and shorts being somewhat careful in his customary shuffle along the stage, but shuffle he did, no quarter was given.

  Wet hair flicking water everywhere as Angus took to the long stage extension, now raised for 'Let There Be Rock' and an extended lead solo as bluesy and crisp as it gets by Angus duck-walking onto the podium, raised even higher with another blistering lead break while spinning around "Curly" style as the crowd, horns held high, called for more!

  Cliff Williams as solid as ever pounded the Bass while drummer Chris Slade was unrelenting, not missing a beat. Stevie Young at home on Rhythm Guitar, deep in concentration, a fitting and honourable replacement for Malcolm.

  Nothing replaces years of committed touring and AC/DC are the epitome of hard work and a lifelong dedication to their craft.

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  by Kevin_Hall

• AC/DC has been around just about forever, sold tens of millions of albums worldwide, and won a dozen awards, so your expectations for a live show should be high. I first saw them at the Tacoma Dome in June, 1988, and wasn't disappointed.

  Seeing AC/DC live back then was like being hit by a steamroller. And it's the same if you see them today – the crowd at an AC/DC show these days is a mix of young and older fans, but we're all rocking out together. Once they start, they blast through hit after hit, and you know when they play "Let There Be Rock" it sets the tone for the rest of the show.

  The floor ends up just being a mass of bodies, cheering and jumping up and down with fists in the air, gaining more energy with every word sung by Brian Johnson - a little guy with a lot of voice. The best songs are always: "Back in Black," "Dirty Deeds Done Dirt Cheap," "Whole Lotta Rosie," and "It's a Long Way to the Top," all of which I can safely say are awesome live - and they really are.

  AC/DC may be getting older but they aren't mellowing. They still put on a great show and sound as good as they did 25 years ago. Their live show is perfect for new and longtime fans alike, so if you get the chance to see them, do yourself a favor and go.

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  By Anonymous

• There is not much to say about the Australian rocker with an over-fondness for school attire AC/DC apart from they are considered icons of rock. They show no signs of tiring despite having formed as a band over 40 years ago.

  They continue to wow fans all over the globe and pack out their shows with a mixture of dedicated fans who have followed their career from the offset to the new-age fans who have discovered and enjoy their influence on modern rock. Enthusiastic as ever, Angus Young leads the band into an all cannons blazing rendition of 'Rock 'N' Roll Train' which delights the audiences below.

  They are not the most enthusiastic of crowds being as the majority of the audience are now reaching their fifties yet the roar of applause at the end of each track is thanks enough. Classics such as 'Hells Bells' and 'High Voltage' are a joy to see performed live whilst the closing anthemic 'Let Their Be Rock' shows the band's dedication to the music.

  Perhaps the track everyone wants to see, 'Highway To Hell' is saved for the encore and this song that defined a chapter in rock is just as brilliant as you would imagine.

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  by sean-ward

• Some bagged the first gig on the 12th, don't know, I was at Fleetwood Mac. The rain and thunder around the stadium joined the Best Live Rock Band in History on stage. They took Kingswood and the Hives to school... this IS how to Rock 'N' Roll. Angus, Angus had us in the palm of his hand... no one does this like ANGUS, he was his usual, just amazing. Brian, well ok he doesn't hit the high notes and doesn't try, but it's overlooked in his performance, the gravel voice of the new guy, does justice to Bon's songs,so who gives a shit, were all aging a little. AC/DC have been doing this since they made it big with Jailbreak in 1974 and of course that massive leap in 1980 with the New Guy. From the back of a truck to a world wide phenomenon,Let There Be Rock!

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  by frank-spencer

• The show? Awesome.

  From opening video to pryotechnics during the encore, all top notch.

  The actual performance was stellar - they still have it. The tempo never dropped.

  I loved the amount of location-specific merchandise.

  The problem? The seating chart when we bought our extra-pricey-but-totally-worth-it tickets was not what we actually were sitting at. Per the chart, we should have been, floor, front and center between main stage and catwalk. instead, our entire section was moved behind the section that was stage-right, and suddenly, we can't even tell there's a catwalk.

  I don't know if this was the tour, the promoters, the venue, but it was a royally dick move - all to sell just a few more tickets.

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  by anerak

• the performance itself was great, as expected. but there were some side problems.

  1- There was just one mentioned time on the tickets, 18:00. Of course it wasn't the time which ACDC comes on stage but it wasn't the door opening time either. We were there around 17:30 and half of the field was already occupied, so we didn't get a proper place. Next time I wish for better information about the door opening time.

  2- after the concert, conducting the people to the exit doors was awful. we were standing on our feet for like 45 minutes without moving a single step. I don't know what was happening in the front but that situation was tiring and also very dangerous.

  Regards,

  Siavash

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  by sishooo

• Between 1976 and 1980 AC/DC recorded a bunch of albums that will remain among the greatest ever made. The band are a lot older now but they play these classic tunes flawlessly.

  The band continued without a blip when they lost their singer in 1980 and they've done it again. Axl Rose was an unexpected choice to stand in for Brian Johnson but despite my suspicion he sang brilliantly.

  And then there's Angus Young. This is his band and his show and he is a truly amazing entertainer.

  You know what you're gonna get from an AC/DC show - no nonsense rock'n'roll but these songs are so good. Rock shows just don't get better than this.

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  by saanichman