Rosie never stops! |
AC/DC Live at Wembley Stadium, London UK, 7 July 2024
If You Want Blood (You’ve Got It)
Back in Black
Demon Fire
Shot Down in Flames
Thunderstruck
Have a Drink on Me
Hells Bells
Shot in the Dark
Stiff Upper Lip
Shoot to Thrill
Sin City
Rock ‘n’ Roll Train
Dirty Deeds Done Dirt Cheap
High Voltage
Riff Raff
You Shook Me All Night Long
Highway to Hell
Whole Lotta Rosie
Let There Be Rock
T.N.T.
For Those About to Rock (We Salute You)
We spent the days between the two London shows immersing ourselves in the AC/DC community at the dive bar in Camden Town and in local pubs. It was a great opportunity to reconnect with friends from past tours who had traveled from all over the world to attend these historic concerts. Much like our experience in Vienna, we had the privilege of meeting some people very close to the band members' families... These brief but meaningful encounters transported us back to the band's early days, with stories of relentless hard work, simplicity, and a burning determination by Angus and co to achieve their dreams. London has always been a pivotal city for AC/DC, second only to Australia in significance to the band's history and we were grateful to be there again after 9 years for other twi AC/DC live shows.
We also enjoyed leisurely strolls through London parks with the new AC/DC Abruzzo mascot, "Rosie," taking in the classic “beautiful” English weather.
As the second show at Wembley approached, we prepared for another memorable night of rock 'n' roll. The Sunday show started about 30 minutes earlier, and the organization was top-notch, with the smoothest and most professional flow of fans into the stadium that we’ve ever seen. Wembley Stadium, and imposing fortress from the outside, transforms into an intimate venue despite its 90,000-person capacity. For the second night, we decided to switch and stand on Stevie’s side. We noticed an increased number of cameras compared to the previous night. This suggested that they were also recording the second London show, and fans in the Gold Pitch were being interviewed, possibly for behind-the-scenes footage. We were happy to be part of this memorable event, which might be featured in a future video release. And even if not released on video, at least we knew the band would be performing at 200% again for the occasion!
And so it was! Angus was as focused and intense as the previous concert, at times even more, leading with his usual charisma and energy. Brian’s performance was even stronger than the first night, energetic and electrifying with powerful screaming and rock'n'roll signature movements and expressions. Brian was the king of the night despite some minor hiccups at the end during "For Those About to Rock. Despite the age and despite what other bands do, AC/DC remains a live band and these imperfections are normal and even appreciated and enjoyed by fans. "High Voltage" was a particular highlight, with Brian adding variations to the lyrics and showcasing the power of his voice. "Shoot to Thrill," "Riff Raff," "Highway to Hell," and "Whole Lotta Rosie" were all phenomenal. "Let There Be Rock" was excellent, although the solos seemed a bit shorter than usual. In FTATR there were some minor issues with the cannons... Great job again from the rhytmic section.
However, the acoustics in the Stadium were worse than the first night. This could have been due to our position, the stadium's acoustics, or the amplification setup /mixing process. We experienced some distortion at times, which is not uncommon in large stadiums, especially with the high sound levels that AC/DC requires, being one of the loudest live bands ever. Anyway, you can't expect the same sound quality in smaller venues like Zurich and Gelsenkirchen.
The Wembley crowd was fantastic! Super loud and energetic! We had a blast jumping and singing along with the fans around us. Everyone was there for a good time and a rock 'n' roll party. In the end, AC/DC's music has always been about making people happy, and this night was no exception.
Since the Stiff Upper Lip tour concerts in Birmingham and Milton Keynes in 2000 and 2001, and the unforgettable "one night only" gig at Hammersmith in 2003, we've consistently enjoyed great times with English/British fans. Although sometimes the alcohol was leading to excessive behavior, such as beer throwing, compulsive crowd surfing and and shoes also flying up in the air with all types of objects during shows, we always had a good time overall... That's also Rock'n'Roll... Security did a commendable job, ensuring everyone had a great time. We noticed fewer phones up and more people just living in the moment. It was heartening to see several generations around us, from seasoned fans with over 100 shows under their belts to those experiencing AC/DC live for the first time.
History was made again in London. As we bid farewell to England, we ponder whether this was the last show here... only time will tell.
Now, it's back to Germany for more open-air field shows!
Glad second night was as good as the first. Fitting that the Dive Bar was in Camden, where Bon was drinking his final drinks. Enjoy the rest of the tour Matteo.
ReplyDeleteI think I saw you waiving your flag! 😊
ReplyDeleteAngus Tyree here. Angus Young is my Best Friend & one & only Idle. Eva show they have is just Extreme "HIGH-VOLTAGE" !!!!!!!
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