AC/DC’s evolution in Ireland has seen them take their music from the humble beginnings of Point Depot, to the stretches of Punchestown Racecourse and the Aviva Stadium, culminating at Croke Park where they entertained 82,000 fans. Despite their prime creative era lying approximately four decades in the past, their appeal hasn’t waned. Instead, their fan base has grown alongside the expansion of their performance venues.
Even though modern rock bands that captivate audiences and achieve multi-million record sales are slowly becoming a thing of the past, AC/DC remains relevant. There’s something timeless about their music that appeals to the masses, although the same can’t be said for the band members themselves. Angus Young, the only surviving original band member and lead guitarist, continues to be an integral part of the band despite nearing his 70th birthday. He remains identifiable with his trademark schoolboy uniform, complete with collar-length white hair peeking out from his cap.
While Young’s exhilarating stage presence has somewhat subdued over time, he continues to captivate audiences with his skill on the Gibson SG, earning himself the nickname ‘Gandalf with a guitar’. In contrast, 76-year old lead singer Brian Johnson still manages to hit high notes with great intensity, despite the physical strain it entails.
Despite the passage of time, the crowd mirrors the band’s youthful spirit, enjoying the timeless appeal of AC/DC’s music. This defiance against the norms of aging is part and parcel of their appeal.
Their Power Up tour, named after their 2020 album released amidst the Covid-19 pandemic, has showcased very few tracks from the album, namely ‘Demon’s Eyes’ and ‘Shot in the Dark’. It seems that even with new releases designed to show they remain creatively active, fans continue to favour their older material. This has often led to them being criticised for sticking to the same setlist tour after tour.
The era between the late 1970s and 1980 is recalled by such benchmarks as Sin City and Riff Raff from Powerage, the opener If You Want Blood (You Got It) from Highway to Hell, and Shoot to Thrill and Have a Drink on Me from their Back in Black album. That was a period when they consecutively released hugely successful albums, each without a single undesirable track.
Every tune was a hit, with song after song performing exceptionally well – except for Let There Be Rock. Its 20-minute guitar solos, 19 minutes of which felt excessive, finished with Angus Young energetically whirling above the audience on a risen platform.
Aside from that, the playlist was filled with their legendary tracks, demonstrating precisely why they are still considered one of the most longstanding, distinctive bands in musical history. These include Back in Black, Highway to Hell, Thunderstruck and You Shook Me All Night Long among others.
The loudest concert I’ve ever been to was in Croke Park. It was a sonic wave of sound from beginning to end, topped off with a grand finale of fireworks and cannons. Initially, the bass was oddly dominant and the vocals were subdued, but the balance was swiftly corrected.
Is this their farewell tour, the end of an era? Will we ever witness a band of such significance again? Are we about to lose them forever?