Live @ The o2, London
16/04/09
Ok. Check this out. I’m in the company of some of my best friends, I have a seriously hot chick as my gig buddy and I’m standing with an ice-cold beer in my hand waiting for AC/DC to arrive on stage. I ask you readers; who is your god?!
Tonight, MY God was rock ‘n’ roll. My church, the o2 and my five apostles were four blokes from the land down under and one from Tyneside. AC/DC have returned UK in what has to be one of the most anticipated live rock ‘n’ roll shows since, well,……Zeppelin maybe? Compared to their outdoor stadium shows announced for later this year, this show has the energy of an ‘intimate gig’. Well, as intimate as you can be at an eighteen thousand capacity arena.
By the time the band make it out on stage; the o2 almost collapses under the roar of the crowd. To a back drop of a train wreck and pyrotechnics they kicked off with ‘Rock ‘n’ Roll Train‘, ‘Hell Ain’t A Bad Place To Be‘ then followed by the classic ‘Back In Black‘ sending the o2 into what can only be described as a frenzy.
Brian, Angus and the boys pull hit after hit out of the bag. ‘Thunderstruck’, ‘Shoot To Thrill’, ‘Dirty Deeds‘ all get an outing tonight leaving everybody in the o2 gob smacked. The lads may be the wrong side of fifty but they don’t miss step. Brian Johnson’s voice can still hold its own, Angus Young shows no signs of slowing down and Malcolm Young and the band’s sound is as loud as it ever was. Even their most recent material gets a welcome response tonight as ‘War Machine‘ is receives a huge ovation.
A massive AC/DC bell is lowered from the stage ready for Brian Johnson to run down the walkway, jump and swing from it providing an interlude into yet another classic, ‘Hells Bells‘. After a necessary breather for the coffin dodgers, Johnson introduces us “to an old girlfriend”; A massive inflatable woman now straddles the train AC/DC rode in on. No question that ‘Whole Lotta Rosie’ was up next and my god did it bring the house down.
‘Let The Be Rock‘ has been added to the set for one sole purpose and that is to showcase Angus Young and what he does best; play guitar and command the stage. The legendary showman marches to the end of the walk way that divides the front of the crowd only to be raised halfway to the roof on a platform to solo to the people in the nosebleeds. When Young returns to the stage he goads the audience to cheer for more fret magic before scaling a platform on top of the stage delivering more blistering solos, smirking and sweating.
The band close their astonishing set with an encore of ‘Highway To Hell‘ and ‘For Those About To Rock‘ accompanied by cannon fire from the stage. A fitting way to end what can only be described as a jaw dropping set, played to perfection by the iconic AC fuckin’ DC!!!
Tonight’s show was nothing short of a master class in how to take care of business. AC/DC are old as fuck and the idea of a 50+ year old sweaty man in a school uniform is ridiculous but these dudes are the epitome of rock excellence. Hand on heart I can say that this was one of the best gigs I have ever been to. You will not see a better live act this year.
Tonight, AC/DC, we salute you!
Tom Lindsey