This Isn't My First Rock Concert: I'm A Trained Professional.
AC/DC: The band that started it's rampage in the early part of the
70s providing top notch true to the bone Rock N' Roll with each and
every album. Then, when tragedy stuck and front man Bon Scott passed,
Brian Johnson rose from the ashes and brought with him one of the best
selling Rock albums of all time Back In Black. Whether or not you are
that into AC/DC in a big way, it can easily be agreed upon that they
released some hard to miss anthems. Songs like Highway To Hell,
Thunderstruck, Back In Black, and You Shook Me All Night Long. However,
there is one thing that can be hard to convey to someone who is not
necessarily a big fan (which you're crazy not to be) is the live
concerts. AC/DC has such impressive Live shows that they actually have
some of the best selling Live DVD's and CD's. When heading to an AC/DC
concert there are certain things you need to expect. You'll have to
expect a massive set list full of deep cuts and top charting hits. Not
only are you going to get a musical feast but they are a band that will
give you a visual performance you come to expect.
When you hear "Whole Lotta Rosie" start playing, you better expect
a several hundred foot tall big Rosie blown up to fill the stage. While
she's doing that Angus Young is probably already down to wearing just
shorts, having already stripped down from his school boys uniform. Then
there's the cannons. Basically if you haven't already lost your hearing
by the end of the night they'll fire some cannons which are so dang
loud.
The first time I saw AC/DC my nose was bleeding for sure. I also
had a side view, so my seats were just the pits. I saw AC/DC come around
for their Black Ice world tour. Since then they've lot Rhythm guitarist
Malcom Young who is unfortunately struggling with dementia. Then
there's drummer Phil Rudd who's evidently too much of a criminal rock star now to even be able to leave New Zealand.
I have still yet to see the show, so far this has all been
written prior to this monstrous show! I will be once again a little to
the side, but I'm down in the front! I've also been following the tour,
and the stage is huge. If you're in the front, there is really no bad
seat. I know Angus will rock himself all around that stage, they'll make
sure to have us all feeling really really good!
Here we are, post show!
And what a show it was. I got buzzed from
my drinks and drunk off my as from AC/DC. For the first time in a long
time, me and my girlfriend had ample time to get down in the area. We
fancied ourselves some pre show munchies at Islands, then hung out at a
nearby park for a couple hours just enjoying our company before the
show. Turns out heading to Dodgers stadium early is the way to go to get
free parking right outside the gate. A quick trip to will call, a
wristband, a metal detector, and we're in. I always have a hard time
getting through the metal detector because they can detect how metal I
am \m/. Inside, still time to spare, we make our way to the drinks, just
one, two,
ok.. three AND It's time for the opener. They were like a swing rockabilly
rhythm and blues type band by the name of Vintage Trouble. They were
high energy, very confident. They managed to Rock the people who even
bother to show up for an opener. But these guys were fun, fronted by a
very vivacious gentlemen who was bouncing and screaming and running
through the audience. But you wouldn't expect AC/DC to be opened by
anything less than dynamic? Right? You wouldn't do that would you? No...
no you wouldn't.
Ok... But what about that AC/DC band?
What about them? Oh yeah, they were pretty good.
Wait... what are you talking about Dan?
You're right... they fucking rocked. Ok! you happy? I
dropped the F bomb. But it's really the only way to assess an AC/DC
concert. As I mentioned before, there is an entire culture surrounded by
AC/DC. Whether you've chosen to dress up in a school boy/girl outfit to
pay respects to Angus Young, or perhaps you dawned flashing devil
horns. Literally the whole audience twinkled with devil horns, how
magical is that? It's hard to talk about a show as good as AC/DC. A
band so confident they roar with one of their biggest hits Back In Black
on the 4th song in. When you're a band so beloved and so successful,
you don't have to wait to give the audience what they want, you have a
whole catalogue of massive hits. Amazing set, amazing sound, just up and
down amazing. Then there is of course Rosie who made her massive
appearance as I told you earlier in this post she would.
You might be surprised to find out that the audience chants "Angus"
throughout AC/DC concerts. This is due to the fact that Angus Young is
such a dynamic presence. He manages to be more than lead guitarist, but
pretty much leader of the band. But it shouldn't be that surprising, his
massive rifts can be heard throughout the world and his stage
performance is legendary.
I banged my head, I bumped my fist, and I rocked with the best of them
as I had many times before. Between the two AC/DC shows, I would feel
comfortable assessing that they are one of, if not THE most fun band to
see live.
