AC/DC Live at Estadio La Cartuja 29 May 2024
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 arrived in Seville the day before the show and we were immediately struck by the hot air and rising temperatures—Spain was ready to rock!
The day of the show, we made a quick stop at the AC/DC bar, but the line was long, and the sun was unforgiving. Over 40° C so we just greeted some old friends and readers of our blog and companions from the past tour. To conserve our energy for the gig, we decided to rest for a bit. Expectations were high, especially for the crowd. Spain has never disappointed us, particularly in the PIT, and after the slightly disappointing RED ZONE experience in Italy, we were eager for the PISTA A bedlam.
As we approached the stadium, memories from the 2010 and 2016 shows flooded back. The 2010 concert held more intense memories, as it was around the end of the glorious Black Ice tour, while 2016 was marked by the transition to Axl Rose as the lead singer for the remainder of the Rock or Bust tour.
Inside the stadium, we found some much-needed shade, a blessing given the hot temperatures. As expected, the stadium was almost empty until 7 PM—Spaniards typicallyknow hoe to take their time. But by 9:30, the stadium was packed, and the energy was palpable.
At 9:36, the intro video started, and the crowd erupted as Brian and Angus hit the stage with the notes of "If You Want Blood (You’ve Got It)." What an opener! The crowd was electrified, chanting and screaming, clearly having waited for this moment for years. Though many in the PIT were focused on their mobile phones, we were saved by a small group of Argentinians and South Americans who were rocking out old-school style. We joined them, enjoying an intense rock'n'roll time during songs like "Shoot to Thrill," "Thunderstruck," and "Riff Raff" together with "Rosie," "Highway to Hell," "T.N.T.," and for the final Salute of "For Those About to Rock", where we experienced some good old pogo - "Live at River Plate"-style. While some fans in the PIT stood still or lightly jumped, even complaining to security about more active fans, we had a blast.
It’s clear that the PISTA/FOSSE/PIT/GOLDEN CIRCLE sections around Europe have changed since the last tour and they resemple more to the RESERVED SEATING floor in the USA. People are clearly more focused on their smartphones and social media, and calmly singing and clapping, expecting others to do the same. And that's a clear PARADOX considering that on stage both Brian and Angus are moving and jumping like crazy for two hours with the most powerful and electrifying rock music ever created by humans...
The band's performance was exceptional. The best of the tour. And they are getting better and better with each date. Brian, especially, was motivated to prove he is the one and only AC/DC frontman (after Bon), jumping, moving, and dancing like during the best performances of the Black Ice tour. There was a minor technical issue during "Back in Black," but it was nothing major. Brian seems rejuvenated and reinvigorated. Angus was clearly happy to be back in one of his favorite countries, where fans worship him as a God in the most warm and "mediterranean" style. His physical shape has definetely improved since Gelsenkirchen, and he seemed much more confident and joyful on stage.
The shortned setlist remained the same, and it seems this will be the final one for the upcoming shows. "If You Want Blood (You’ve Got It)" is the perfect opener—watch the pro-shot video on YouTube to see how powerful it is! "Demon Fire" is growing as one of our favorites of the show. All the classics were performed brilliantly, with small differences each night. "Stiff Upper Lip" was very nice, and we loved the frequent interactions between Brian and Angus, especially during Dirty Deeds And Rock'n'Roll Train.
The stadium in Seville provided a more intimate and vibrant rock 'n' roll environment compared to Germany and Italy. It was a fantastic rock 'n' roll show that will remain a milestone for all AC/DC fans who attended it.
The after-party with concerts around the stadium continued until morning—the Spaniards really know how to have fun and enjoy life!
Stay tuned for more updates from the road.
