OPEN AIR STAGE + SONG FOR ABRUZZO!

Waiting for the Premiere of the Open Air European tour in Leipzig, which AC/DC Abruzzo will attend, we post a picture from the Munich stadium were the stage was assembled for production rehearsals. You can see the big panels on the lawn that will be probably used for the background on the stage... Mhm, they look familiar, don't they?

Also we would like to let you know about this project to support the reconstruction works of the Conservatory and the Theatre of L'Aquila which were destroyed by the terrible earthquake of last month. Some of the most famous Italian artists took part in this project including some international musicians such as Zucchero, Jovanotti, Nek, Gianna Nannini and Laura Pausini. Ok, it's not our favourite type of music but the it has a noble purpose and we want to use the blog to to spread the word. If you want to contribute you can find the bank details on this website.

AMARCORD SERIES

AMARCORD meas "I remember" in several Italian dialects, including the Abruzzese! We will use the title of this Fellini's movie to start a new series of posts regarding the cities we've visited, the people we've met and the things that we've seen during our AC/DC European tour! We hope you enjoy this retrospective rock'n'roll journey through Europe with AC/DC and AC/DC Abruzzo!!!

AMARCORD OSLO: SHOT DOWN IN FLAMES!!

Yes! AC/DC Abruzzo heard it first on this tour! On Feb 17 AC/DC Abruzzo's Operational Taskforce and Steeting Committee was outside the Telenor Arena to witness AC/DC's come back to Europe! Weather conditions and temperature were really unfriendly but this didn't stop us! We spent 2 hours with a few fellow hard core Norwegian fans waiting for the band to come to the Telenor Arena for the soundcheck. Last time we had seen AC/DC was at the London Video shoot and in Wilkes Barre so we were pretty excited. The boys arrived with 2 cars. Brian looked surprised there were fans there under the snow! 

The following songs were played during the soundcheck:

HELL AINT'T A BAD PLACE TO BE
ROCK'N'ROLL TRAIN
BACK IN BLACK
BLACK ICE
ANYTHING GOES
SHOT DOWN IN FLAMES

Then we had to go away because we were litterally freezing and we don't know what happened after. Maybe they played Touch Too Much or Riff Raff or Ride On. We will never know... We just thought it wasn't a wise idea to die before the beginning of the European tour! :-)

But we were really happy about this add to the setlist. We called our trusted pizzaiolo in town, Antonio, and we arranged a house pizza party with him, Roberto and Kristell, our friend from France. 

TOURIST INFO by AC/DC Abruzzo

Shot Down in flames was not played at the show but we got AC/DC back to Europe and this was the most important thing. Unfortunately they chose Norway as first country to visit: in February it's freezing cold up there and there's snow everywhere. Oslo is a very small capital. People are friendly but probably they have a problem in calculating the right doses of alcohol that their bodies can tolerate. It's common to see drunk people (common people-all ages) on the streets even during week days and working hours! Seafood is very good especially the salmon and the prawns. If you happen to like blonde girls you definetely have to spend a few days in Oslo. You won't be SHOT DOWN IN FLAMES! That's for sure! Especially if you're from Italy.

:-)


PHOTO GALLERY

EXCLUSIVE VIDEO OF "SHOT DOWN IN FLAMES" REHEARSED on Feb 17. Listen close (with headphones) and try not to pay attention to the Secretary General's Italian lesson... Ok, watch it twice if you want to learn some useful Italian too!

Italian lesson number 2. Norwegian fans singing the Italian National Anthem before the show.

Fratelli d'Italia,
l'Italia s'è desta;
dell'elmo di Scipio
s'è cinta la testa.

TNT from AC/DC Abruzzo's Youtube channel

TOP 3 EUROPEAN SHOWS by AC/DC ABRUZZO

"Scine però acclamete sennò che cazz' ce venet affà!?!?"
Rocco 'n' Rollo (Abruzzese Historical Rockstar and Epicurean/Stoic Philosopher)

After having attended most of the concerts of this first leg of AC/DC European Tour and with the benefit of the hindsight gained in the last few days, AC/DC Abruzzo has decided to pick the 3 best concerts considering 3 specific parameters: band's performance, audience and venue. We strongly believe that the ideal show is just the perfect combination of these three elements. Obviously, subjectivity plays an important role but we think that our experience as international concert goers and the material we have gathered (videos and photos) helped us a great deal in trying to express an impartial judgement.

3rd: DUBLIN, O2 Arena April 18, 2009



Band's performance: Excellent. The boys got all in great shapes after playing so many gigs (also benefiting from the Easter break). They definetely played better than in London. Angus spent more time than usual on the catwalk while Brian chatted a lot in between the songs. In general they all played like they were incredibly inspired by the magical ambience of Dublin's O2 arena. They seemed to enjoy themselves.

Audience: Fantastic. The Irish definetely know how to have fun at a rock show. They were all smiling, singing, chanting, screaming. No violent behaviour whatsoever. And the best crowdsurfers of the tour were in Dublin. Here we also learned the English word "moshing". The Dublin show made it to the 3° position over Barcelona thanks to the "audience factor".



Venue: Fabolous. The O2 (former The Point) arena looks like a theatre. And it actually reminded us of the Hammersmith Theatre in London, because of its shape and atmosphere. It is  semicircular with a gallery and a very small standing section (shortest catwalk of the entire tour). No side seats. The sound is excellent.

2nd: MILAN, MEDIOLANUM FORUM, March 19 and 21, 2009



Band's performance: No words to describe it. In Milan you could actually understand how the audience can influence an AC/DC's performance. There was a lot of interection between Brian and the audience (Brian ended up speaking some Italian on stage!) Angus was extremely inspired, at times he looked amazed by the energy of the Italian crowd. He even would laugh every now and then when he saw the crazy reaction of the Italians to several songs where the crowd plays a vital role (Rosie, TNT, Highway to Hell ecc)



Audience: Probably the craziest crowd of the tour so far. We had expected the Spanish to beat the Italians but it was just 2 different leagues. The reason to explain this was probably the fact that Italy was the only country with 2 consecutive arena shows where no summer stadium shows were announced despite the incredible demand for tickets (according to our sources they could sell out the forum more then 5 times). The result was that Milan was packed with real AC/DC fans eager to see to the band play live! The crowd was loud and crazy from the first minute to the last. Apparently, according to some witnesses, before the show the audience was roaring and screaming so loud that the boys themselves were impressed and surprised backstage. The standing section, at times, looked like a stormy thunderous sea moving wildly to the left and to the right...



The venue: The Forum di Assago is a bit smaller than the other most famous venues in Europe but the sound is just perfect anywhere in the arena and there is a more intimate atmosphere, ideal for this kind of show where the chemistry between the audience and band is essential. The fact that this was the only show with only one type of ticket (General Admission-no reserved seats at all) seemed like a risky decision by the promoter because of security reasons but it proved to be totally succesful.



1st: PARIS, POB BERCY February 25 and 27, 2009

Band's performance: Amazing. Especially on the 27 when they were filming the video of Anything Goes. Angus was so focused and concentrated he kept his cap until The Jack watching every single move. Malcolm and all the boys, including Phil, seemed to appreciate a lot the French warm attitude. Brian was impeccable. In Paris there was the only setlist change of the tour (Except Oslo).



Audience: Probably the best of the tour so far, all things considered. The French were energetic and wild for the entire show but unlike the Italians they seemed more used to move and have fun together at a rock show. This is why the moving and jumping and screaming was more "united and harmonious" and not totally wild and chaotic like in Italy. It was a different style, ok, but we have to admit that the French style was better. Best TNT of the tour, never heard a louder version so far. Fantastic Ola/Wave of the crowd before the show.



The venue: acoustics in Bercy are just excellent. The arena is bigger that the Forum in Milan but with the same degree of intimacy, if not better. Besides, there's something magical with this venue and this city. Difficult to explain with words. You could actually tell that the history of rock'n'roll was made in Paris much more than in other European cities...

ANYTHING GOES - Paris 2009 seen through the eyes of our favourite director: David "Polpettone" Mallet