On their second stop in London on the PWR UP Tour, on the 7th July, AC/DC transformed Wembley Stadium into a roaring and energy-filled atmosphere. Having started in May, the PWR UP Tour is AC/DC’s first tour in 7 years, and only the second time that they have performed on tour in the UK in almost 10 years – the previous date being their first show at Wembley earlier this month, on the 3rd July. With songs ranging from both new and old albums, including 'Back In Black', 'Highway To Hell', 'High Voltage', and more, the PWR UP Tour certainly showcases what AC/DC do best; rock ‘n’ roll.
The atmosphere of the show from beginning to end was colossal. With a combination of the music, the ambience and energy from the crowd, the pyrotechnics, and thousands of flashing devil horns, it was truly a once-in-a-lifetime experience.
Before delving into AC/DC’s set, I wanted to quickly mention AC/DC’s incredible opening act The Pretty Reckless. Led by their frontwoman Taylor Momsen, the American rock band performed an amazing set of powerful and raw songs – many of which have been added to my liked songs playlist –, perfectly setting the stage for AC/DC to follow.
The two hour show was kicked off by none other than lead guitarist Angus Young, striking out the tune to ‘If You Want Blood (You’ve Got It)’. Followed by ‘Back In Black’ – a classic AC/DC song and one of my favourites –, it is no surprise that the entire audience (including those in seats) were rocking out. Throughout the entire show, the passion and energy felt from the crowd was immense, with head-banging, call-outs, and more. This was particularly shown in songs like ‘Thunderstruck’, where the crowd would sing backing vocals whilst Brian Johnson, the current lead vocalist, sang lead. This partnership between the crowd and band truly made the atmosphere feel alive.
The band included songs from both their older and more recent albums. This elicited both nostalgia and excitement from the crowd from hearing some of their favourite and more classic AC/DC songs, and also perhaps some of their more modern favourites that they may have never heard before. Some of my personal favourites during the set include the insane trilogy of ‘You Shook Me All Night Long’, ‘Highway To Hell’ and ‘Whole Lotta Rosie’ performed one after the other; it was electric.
It is worth noting the props, effects, and tech that AC/DC used on stage and during their performance. Although some may not consider them to be as impressive as in previous tours (eg a massive inflatable woman used for ‘Whole Lotta Rosie’), they are still incredible. The intro to ‘Hells Bells’ has to have been my favourite use of a prop, with a bell – painted with the AC/DC logo – descending from the roof of the stage for the performance. It was very unsuspected but it was awesome! To match with this, the band also used pyrotechnics such as smoke and many different graphics on their screens – for example graphics of a train and train tracks during ‘Rock ‘n’ Roll Train’ – which really elevated the experience.
Drawing the show nearer to the end with a performance of ‘Let There Be Rock’, all jaws were dropped when Angus Young performed an over ten minute long guitar solo at the end of the song (yes we timed it). This was accompanied with a rising platform, confetti, and smoke cannons, and of course ended with a standing ovation. As showcased by Angus, the talent of the members of AC/DC – and the previous members throughout the past decades –, is insane. It is no wonder that the band and their music is still popular now, over 50 years since the band was first formed.
The encore of the show began with shouts from the crowd to the lyrics (specifically the “oi!’s”) of the classic that is ‘TNT’. If you ever get the chance to experience ‘TNT’ live, then please take it. Hearing the crowd call back to the band with such intensity was most definitely one of my favourite parts of the evening.
Ending with ‘To All Those Who Rock (We Salute You)’, the show was finished in the most spectacular way. The band received a standing ovation which continued for long after they had left the stage. Meanwhile, the audience received an eye-opening show of smoke and fireworks over the stadium roof.
WORDS BY GRACE PATIENT
PROOFREADING BY BEATRIZ GOMES
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