AC/DC – Wembley Stadium 26th June
I can’t believe it’s taken me this long to get round to writing a review - but then again, I can’t believe it’s taken AC/DC the last 9 years to release a new studio album, plus the 9 years (except the Hammersmith gig) to play the UK again.
By the time the Black Ice album was due to be released, I have to say I was a bit apprehensive, worried that it wasn’t going to live up to expectations and that I’d listen to it a couple of times before reverting back to the old days… What they have however released in my opinion is an amazing instant classic of an album (I’m not biased honest – the songs, the production, awesome), so how excited was I when an old work friend managed to get hold of those much sort after tickets.
Upon arrival, we couldn’t believe how impressive the stadium is and the atmosphere outside was buzzing with Alice Cooper, Black Sabbath and such like filling the air through the outside speakers.
Support slot came from the Subways, who were actually pretty damn good although despite trying hard were never going to get the whole of Wembley to clap along… unlike DC.
So here we go, and to up on the main screens was a cartoon animation of an Angus devil driving a train whilst being distracted by two seductive ladies. The train gradually sounding faster and faster, before getting out of control and a real locomotive crashing through the back of the stage as the band burst on to “Rock n Roll Train” – one of 5 songs tonight taken from the new album.
The amount of new songs meant not too many surprises in terms of set list, although I was chuffed to see “Shot Down in Flames” wasn’t dropped for the tour. “Hell Ain’t a Bad Place to be” sounded awesome, as did the closely followed “Back in Black”.
It was when the sun went down that the show really came into it’s own though at which point the opening notes to “Thunderstruck” were met with one of the largest cheers so far of the evening. A couple of numbers later and we were into “the Jack” a song about a dirty woman… where we also got the token Angus Young striptease. There’s something a bit wrong about egging on a 54 year old man in a school uniform to strip off to his boxers, but somehow when you have over 60,000 other (mostly hairy old men) doing it everything seems perfectly normal…
There was more of course, Brian Johnston running half the length of a football field to swing from “Hells Bells” and announcing they’d brought their girlfriend with them as a huge inflatable “Whole Lotta Rosie” straddled the stage.
“You Shook me All Night Long” probably got the loudest sing along and for “Let there be Rock” Angus’ huge solo was unbelievable, making full use of the stage, the crowd hanging off every note cheering for more… and that was it…. Well, with the exception of the predictable (yet necessary!) encore.
Flames came up out the stage, shortly followed by Angus and we were on a “Highway to Hell” followed by “For those About to Rock” complete with the 21 (or rather 12) gun salute.
Then it was time for that mass exodus… had we possibly seen the rigid strong rhythm section of Maclom, Cliff and Phil, along with Geordie through n through Brian and demonic Angus, play one of their last gigs before retirement? I hope not, for amongst other reasons, this is the band that got me into music… long live rock n roll, long live DC. \oo/
