AC/DC Live in Paris, France (Hyppodrome de Longchamps) 13 August 2024

 

AC/DC Live in Paris, France (Hyppodrome de Longchamps) 13 August 2024 

If You Want Blood (You’ve Got It)
Back in Black
Demon Fire
Hell Ain't a Bad Place to Be
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) 

 

After nine long years, the French audience finally got their dose of AC/DC again in Paris! It wasn’t the iconic Stade de France, but a new venue for us—the Longchamps Hippodrome, probably the only option available for a massive crowd in Paris during a summer packed with Olympic madness.

Getting to the venue? A real adventure. A lot of walking through the woods (yes, next to the infamous Bois de Boulogne), and by the time we reached the Fosse Or, it was already packed. The die-hard French fans had been there since morning, proving once again that they are among the hardest core of this tour. It was the usual BERCY/SDF crowd, now seasoned veterans, mixed with open-air festival warriors like those from Hellfest—most of them in their 50s and above. Sure, there were several generations represented, as in other countries, but the average age here felt a bit higher... Let’s not forget, AC/DC has been rocking France since the '70s, and the French audience knows how to party! Paris is always Paris—unique in its magic and energy! It wasn’t a 100k audience as some had speculated, but in our opinion, it was no less than 80k...

We found our spot on the left, pretty far from the stage, in the good company of our French friends from previous tours—Mathieu Marseille, Indy, Thibault FC, and tmany more Always great to reconnect with those who share unforgettable AC/DC memories since 2008!

The show kicked off at 8:15 sharp. The fading light of dusk made the atmosphere even more magical as the opening video played on the screens.

IF YOU WANT BLOOD! The band exploded onstage with their usual energy and power! Despite the scorching weather reminiscent of Seville, they delivered another killer performance. Everything went as expected until the big surprise—HELL AIN’T A BAD PLACE TO BE made its way back into the setlist! The band played it with intensity, a special treat for the Paris crowd!

Brian's voice was excellent again. Angus, very focused and precise as usual. MAYBE, occasionally, they looked a bit tired comparing to other shows a month agi, but who wouldn’t be after so many shows and in this kind of heat? Still, they were on point! Maybe the LTBR solos were a bit shorter than usual, and Brian had some minor issues with his ear monitors during Rosie. But overall, it was another fantastic show!

Now, about the crowd—honestly, we weren’t sure what to expect. The behavior of rock crowds has changed a lot since the last tour in 2015-2016. In Paris, we noticed that the Fosse Or, at least on the left side, wasn’t as responsive during the usual hits like Back in Black, Thunderstruck, Shoot to Thrill, Riff Raff or Rosie., Sure, the crowd was very loud, but the energy didn’t match the levels of Bercy 2009 or SDF 2010. Times change... Still, it was cool to see some crowd-surfing attempts (even if not successful) and people jumping on each other's shoulders... Considering the widespread “smartphone zombification” at concerts these days, the crowd still gets a thumbs up from us.

As for the venue... It’s a thumbs down. We didn’t expect much, but it still fell short of our expectations. Similar to other large venues of this tour but not as organized...Getting in and out was a real hassle... Maybe not like Bratislava but way less efficient than Stadiums or even Reggio Emilia

But in the end, it was another night of rock that will go down in the history of Rock'n'Roll. A night to be remembered for a long time, with good friends, great music, and the unstoppable power of AC/DC.

And now, off to Dublin for the last dance...

 

 

 

WHOLE LOTTA FRANCE - HIGHWAY TO PARIS 2024

Ready for AC/DC Back in Paris 2024! Is it going to be the last show ever played in Paris? Only time will tell! For now we know it will be a historic show for AC/DC's history which can't be missed. 

For the occasion we are posting our article published (in French) by Rolling Stone France (n.164). Let there be rock!

It was the night of September 20, 2016. We were coming out of the Wells Fargo Center, feeling a storm of mixed emotions. Estatic for hearing rare gems like "Live Wire," and "Problem Child" (played for the first time since 2001). But also feeling harsh bitterness: Angus had officially said goodbye onstage to Cliff Williams, who was retiring. Chris Slade and Stevie Young had replaced Phil and Malcolm for the whole Rock or Bust tour. And the lead singer next to Angus was no longer Brian Johnson—it was Axl Rose! For hard core fans like us it felt like we were in a parallel universe. But when we spoke to Angus that night, we still thanked him from the deepest of our hearts for continuing despite the challenges of the last few years.

Then came a long hibernation, as usually happens after an AC/DC tour. But with Cliff retired, Brian with his hearing loss, and Phil Rudd with unspecified problems, the idea of another AC/DC tour seemed close to impossible. But then the impossible became possible again. Brian came back with his hearing thanks to technology. "Power Up" was released, and rumors of stadium bookings started circulating. But then COVID happened, threatening to be the last nail in the coffin for AC/DC as a live band.

But once again, the pessimists were proved wrong. AC/DC was officially announced to be part of the POWERTRIP Festival in Indio, California, in October 2023—seven years after Philadelphia!

The show felt like a dream that literally brought tears to our eyes on more than one occasion. The opener was "If You Want Blood (You’ve Got It)," last played with Brian in Hammersmith 2003, twenty years ago. The setlist was packed with the classics like “Back in Black” and “Thunderstruck,” alongside new tracks like “Demon Fire” and “Shot in the Dark” from their latest album, and surprises such as “Stiff Upper Lip.” Cliff was back, Brian was back, and a new drummer was there. And then, there was Angus, visibly older than the last tour, in a shiny blue velvet suit and proudly white hair for the first time. The music was good and loud, and the singer turned and said to the crowd: LET THERE BE ROCK! We were hearing this again live after seven years. AC/DC had come back with 24 live songs—the longest setlist we could remember after 93 AC/DC shows we saw! Some said the concert was full of imperfections, but true rock ’n’ roll fans didn’t care—the most important thing was that AC/DC was back!

The big question after PowerTrip was: Is there going to be a world tour? We had briefly met Brian before PowerTrip, and he confirmed that they really wanted to tour and had already tentatively booked some dates with promoters in Europe, including Italy, which was supposed to be the first show of this new tour. But they didn’t know how the audience would react after so many years and if they were still cutting the mustard on stage after such a long break and at an older age. The decision would be taken after PowerTrip.

And then for months, we waited for the news, which finally came: European tour! We immediately got back in touch with our pals, booking hotels, tickets, and flights. It was really happening.

Gelsenkirchen: 17-21 May

AC/DC chose Germany for the opening dates, not too far from Angus’ home. The stage setup was impressive, with complex lighting creating a unique visual spectacle. Angus' guitar touch and movements were more secure and precise than in Indio. Brian’s voice sounded much better than at PowerTrip. Despite minor technical issues, the band’s performance was outstanding, especially on the second night. The Rock 'n' Roll train had started and was slowly getting up to full speed.

Reggio Emilia: 25 May

Reggio Emilia was next, and it was a night to remember. The concert drew the biggest crowd of the tour so far, with over 100,000 fans packing the open-air RCF Arena. Angus’s physical shape at 69 was visibly improving, jumping and duck-walking again—things that would be challenging for any average 40-year-old. You could tell he spends a lot of time in the gym and spas. Brian’s voice was getting stronger and more solid, and he seemed rejuvenated, especially performing in front of his mother’s country. Surprisingly, the setlist was shortened from 24 to 21 songs, but it still gave fans over two hours of pure rock 'n' roll.

Seville: 29 May and 1 June

And then Seville, where the hot weather and vibrant atmosphere set the stage for another incredible pair of shows. The crowd’s reaction to “If You Want Blood (You’ve Got It)” was explosive and continued to rock for over two hours. The connection between the energy of AC/DC’s live music and the energy of the crowd reached its pinnacle in Spain. The tour will continue and we will also arrive in Paris, definetely one concert not to miss! As for USA, South America and Australia we were told we will have to wait a few more weeks for a decision, based on how Brian and Angus feel during the European tour.

In any case, AC/DC has reminded us why they are legends. They have faced doubts, health issues, deaths, and the passage of time, but their spirit clearly remains unbroken. The Power Up tour is not just about music; it’s about resilience, passion, and the unyielding love for rock 'n' roll. And as long as AC/DC is there: THERE WILL BE ROCK!

Matteo Abruzzo