1. Rock'n'roll Train 2. Hell ain't a Bad Place to Be 3. Back in Black 4. Big Jack 5. Dirty Deeds 6. Shot Down in Flames 7. Thunderstruck 8. Black Ice 9. The Jack 10. Hell's Bells 11. Shoot to Thrill 12. War Machine 13. Dog Eat Dog 14. Anything Goes 15. You Shook Me All Night Long 16. TNT 17. Whole Lotta Rosie 18. Let there be Rock 19. Highway to Hell 20. For Those About to Rock
Report by Lorenzo, AC/DC Abruzzo's correspondant on the road. Again the band seemed to get better in the second half of the concert. Best version of Dog Eat Dog so far. YSMANL and TNT highlights of the night. The crowd was really loud during TNT. Great version of Let There Be Rock. Bad acoustics in the Hockenheimring, bu we knew that from the 2003 show with the Stones. During The Jack no "boob flashing" like in the Cologne show, During Rosie Brian let the crowd sing several parts of the song. Lots of people tried to jump over the barriers dividing the crowd but most of them were caught by the staff... Ciao.
AMARCORD meas "I remember" in several Italian dialects, including the Abruzzese! We will use the title of this Fellini's movie for a new series of entries 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!!!
AC/DC Abruzzo Amarcord series continues with Stockholm, Sweden. The second city of the 2009 European tour.
STOCKHOLM FEBRUARY 19-25, 2009
This was the first city of the European tour where AC/DC would play 2 concerts in a row. As some of you already know the two shows in Stockholm were not originally in our agenda. Mainly because we couldn't get any tickets during the presale. They just sold out too fast (11 minutes I think). Obviously, this did not stop us and the fact that AC/DC were playing the Globe Arena, one the best European venues, motivated us to fly to Sweden from Norway to make an attempt to find tickets. The weather was again very unfriendly (-6 °C) and we found snow all over the place. The first night, Feb 20, was even colder than Oslo! The ticket hunt under the snow, which lasted several hours, was one of the most difficult of the entire tour. But we were very lucky and we found a way to get tickets for both shows without paying ridiculous prices and without dealing with scalpers.
We spent 5 days in the Scandinavian capital. Obviously, the highlight of our Swedish adventure was the 2-hour meet and greet with Brian and Cliff. What happened during the M&G might provide enough material to write an entire book (maybe we'll write it one day)! Brian and Cliff are incredible persons with such a profound humanity that would amaze anyone. We will treasure this experience for the rest of our lives. We shared this unforgettable evening with Marco and Gabriele of AC/DC Italia with whom we had teamworked very effectively since the Wilkes Barre show. It was a pity we could not do more shows together during the indoor tour but unfortunately they had work commitments to respect. Besides, they already did 9 dates in the US.
The shows were great. Shot Down in flames was played for the first time and we met lots of fans as well as new and old friends. You'll find the reports in the February entries of our blog.
STOCKHOLM - Tourist Information by AC/DC Abruzzo
Stockholm is one of the most interesting capitals the Secretary General and the President have visited during their world travels. Apart from the polar weather, which is probably the main problem in winter, the city gave us the impression to offer a very good lifestyle, even for Italians who have very high standards (maybe too high!). Great public services, good food (especially seafood and salmon), lively nightlife, very friendly and sociable people. We hang out mainly in the Stureplan area, between Norrmalm and Östermalm with lots of nice bars and clubs. Check out Riche (nice supper club), Cafe Opera, Spy Bar (especially during the weekend). People dress really well in bars and clubs, almost like in Italy or France. Interestingly, we saw many people sitting outside bars, chatting and drinking with blankets on them (with freezing cold weather!!). Unthinkable in other countries! A lot of alcohol is consumed here like in Oslo, but people seem to be not "stoned" like in Norway. Chewing tobacco is very popular. We also loved the architecture and the countless varieties of Viking's horns that we saw while walking in the streets!
According to the local people we talked to, Stockholm is wonderful in summer when the weather is good. It definitely goes on the top 5 of AC/DC Abruzzo list of "Best European cities".
1. Rock'n'roll Train 2. Hell ain't a Bad Place to Be 3. Back in Black 4. Big Jack 5. Dirty Deeds 6. Shot Down in Flames 7. Thunderstruck 8. Black Ice 9. The Jack 10. Hell's Bells 11. Shoot to Thrill 12. War Machine 13. Dog Eat Dog 14. Anything Goes 15. You Shook Me All Night Long 16. TNT 17. Whole Lotta Rosie 18. Let there be Rock 19. Highway to Hell 20. For Those About to Rock
This just in (from AC/DC Abruzzo's correspondant on the road). The Cologne gig was apparently the best show so far of the stadium tour. It rained for several hours but that didn't stop the band at all. Several banners in the audience to wish Phil a happy birthday. Still a lot of confusion with FOS tickets. Access to the FOS was at staff's dicretion. Brian skipped the first verse of Shoot To Thrill. Highlight of the night was the Jack, also thanks to two ladies who flashed their boobs when they were on the big screens! More to come. See you in Hockenheim.
1. Rock'n'roll Train 2. Hell ain't a Bad Place to Be 3. Back in Black 4. Big Jack 5. Dirty Deeds 6. Shot Down in Flames 7. Thunderstruck 8. Black Ice 9. The Jack 10. Hell's Bells 11. Shoot to Thrill 12. War Machine 13. Dog Eat Dog 14. Anything Goes 15. You Shook Me All Night Long 16. TNT 17. Whole Lotta Rosie 18. Let there be Rock 19. Highway to Hell 20. For Those About to Rock
We just talked briefly on the phone with our correspondant from Germany Lorenzo (more than 20 shows under his belt on this tour) who was at the concert in Gelsenkirchen tonight. He told us that Shot Down In Flames was replaced with Rock'n'Roll Damnation. Obviously it was only a joke. Very funny... AH ... AH ... AH... :-(
The Veltins arena is a covered stadium so no problems with the rain. The fan club FOS tickets proved totally useless. Who gets there first gets the best spots. Highlights: great performance of Whole Lotta Rosie (despite some hesitation by Angus at the end) and Let There Be Rock.
Ciao to the Calabrese boys Gino and Luigi who were with us in Dusseldorf and Oberhausen and attended the show too. We'll keep you posted if we get more details.
1. Rock'n'roll Train 2. Hell ain't a bad place to be 3. Back in Black 4. Big Jack 5. Dirty Deeds 6. Shot Down in Flames 7. Thunderstruck 8. Black Ice 9. The Jack 10. Hell's Bells 11. Shoot to Thrill 12. War Machine 13. Dog Eat Dog 14. Anything Goes 15. You Shook Me All Night Long 16. TNT 17. Whole Lotta Rosie 18. Let there be Rock 19. Highway to Hell 20. For Those About to Rock
AC/DC ABRUZZO OFFICIAL REPORT
I’m rolling thunder I’m pouring rain
As you already know, AC/DC Abruzzo went to München with the hope that they would play an extra song (beside Dog Eat Dog.). Unfortunately they didn't. But we got another show under our belt and we finally got to see AC/DC in the Olympiastadium which we saw an unlimited number of times on the Stiff Upper Lip DVD since its release in 2001. The Olympiastadium is a beautiful and intimate stadium with great acoustics and magic atmosphere. We met several fans who were also there in 2001 including the "iconic" Patryck (he0s even on the tourbook now!) and many of the German guys that we had met in Paris during the wild party on the 26 in the Latin Quarter. AC/DC Abruzzo salute them all. The Germans are really dedicated fans and it's a lot of fun to hang out with them. The AC/DC Italia boys/staff were also in Munich to attend the show.
Same setlist. No surprise. Same performance. Great Angus and Brian. We love Phil. Malcolm looks evil, we love that. Cliff looks evil too during Dog Eat Dog. Great song! So we understood that nothing (or almost nothing) will change before Glasgow. AMEN.
We knew from very reliable sources (No, no, not God!! The other one...) that it would rain in Munich. And it did. And guess what. We actually loved it! In fact the highlight of the night was seeing Brian from YSMANL onwards singing and dancing on the catwalk next to us and then Angus during his catwalk escapade in Let There Be Rock getting all wet while it was raining cats and dogs!!! The audience was a good one, but again not the type of audiences we prefer like the French, the Italian or the Irish. Too many people standing still, not moving...
Dog Eat Dog was also played and we got the impression that it will get better and better each night from now on. To celebrate that wonderful performance of Let There Be Rock under the rain we “performed the bonfire" (as we say) with the Secretary General showing the flag to Angus and to the whole stadium on the shoulders of the President. We started doing this in Paris Feb 27 and we never stopped since then (apart when we couldn't get a standing ticket). It has also become a way to give “AC/DC Abruzzo seal of approval" to AC/DC's performance. When the right levels of rock'n'roll are reached the flag is raised. AHA HA HA! Crazy Italians...
Beside Let There Be Rock and YSMANL we also loved the “wet” version of TNT (see the video on our youtube channel). Another highlight was the "battle of the Devil's tridents" that took place in the "Italian Flag area" (on the right, front of stage section). Even Brian seemed to like it when he gave the high five to one of the Trident during YSMANL!". Javom quasi mbrizzicat' lu chil nghe lu forcon'!!!! ah ah ah
WHAT'S NEXT
AC/DC Abruzzo Stirring Committee made the unanimous decision to reduce the number of concerts to attend due to the repetitiveness of the setlist and some work and family commitments (which we might be able to ignore if they played If You Want Blood and/or some other gems we have been waiting for since Wilkes Barre). As we said in a previous post this open air tour does not seem to be designed for hard core fans. So be it. Let the non/new fans enjoy the band too. We will pick the next shows according to the venue and the audience (Stade de France in Paris and Hampden Park in Glasgow are definitely on the agenda) And we'll keep praying the Gods of Rock that they keep touring until mid-2010, when the need to play 5 songs from the Black Ice album might be over. For the next 2 German dates we have a trusted special envoy on the road who was with us for most of the tour and who who will send us all the details about the shows. So stay with AC/DC Abruzzo.
Last note. We admired the work that te boys of AC/DC Italia have done for the fans in the last few years and we recognise their “institutional role” in the fan community so most of the exclusive material we gathered during this tour goes to their archives. http://www.acdc-italia.com/
Another milestone was reached by AC/DC Abruzzo who saw AC/DC at the Munich Olympiastadion yesterday night. As you know that was the stadium where the Stiff Upper Lip DVD was recorded in 2001. This DVD had a fundamental role for our survival during the long years of waiting before this World Tour so this show was particularly meaningful for us. This time AC/DC Abruzzo was part of the action with old and new friends. The flag was raised again in Germany and the heavy rain that started before YSMANL just made us rock harder and louder!! Report+photos and videos soon!! CIAO from the Rock'n'roll train Munich-Abruzzo!
1. Rock'n'roll Train 2. Hell ain't a bad place to be 3. Back in Black 4. Big Jack 5. Dirty Deeds 6. Shot Down in Flames 7. Thunderstruck 8. Black Ice 9. The Jack 10. Hell's Bells 11. Shoot to Thrill 12. War Machine 13. Dog Eat Dog 14. Anything Goes 15. You Shook Me All Night Long 16. TNT 17. Whole Lotta Rosie 18. Let there be Rock 19. Highway to Hell 20. For Those About to Rock
AC/DC ABRUZZO OFFICIAL REPORT We went to Leipzig just like we did in Wilkes Barre and Oslo to be the "first to hear it". And we were the first again. Dog Eat Dog was added to the setlist. Are we happy? We have mixed feelings. We love this song but it isn't Riff Raff, Live Wire or If You Want Blood. . And unless something major happens in Munich AC/DC Abruzzo will skip many shows of the open air tour. As you know we are not very fond of Stadium shows: we believe that the shows for the real fans were the ones in the small arenas. And we were there. Stadium shows are, generally speaking, for regular "mainstream" audience. For those people who maybe only know Highway To Hell or Thnderstruck. The band (read Malcolm) is aware of that and probably this is the reason why they don't bother adding "rare" songs each night. In fact yesterday in the Zeltralstadium, 90% of people seemed not to care too much about Dog Eat Dog... As long as they hear HTH, TNT, ROSIE, YSMANL they're happy. So the band will give it to them. Fair enough. The other 10% of people will have to wait for the next show in Circus Krone or Roseland Balroom... But we might be wrong...
So different venue. Different crowd. Different atmosphere. Apart from very few changes. The stage was very similar to the 2001 one. You saw the pics. Same train. Nothing special afterall. It looked like AC/DC wanted to give those "fans" who couldn't get a ticket for the indoor tour the opportunity to see them. Or maybe they just wanted to cut costs as much as possible and maximise profit... Or maybe they're just lazy...We actually have problems in understanding this... Differences: Dog Eat Dog added, Let There Be Rock you will see some confettis flying in the air and different catwalk-end and final solo, fireworks at the end, much louder 21-gun salute.
The band performed well but you could tell that they were not mastering the bigger stage perfectly (especially the catwalk). Our impression was that until DOG EAT DOG they were going a bit slow and cumbersome. But this might be due to our fear of not having any setlist change. After Dog Eat Dog they looked more energetic... Especially Angus. Brian fucked up quite clearly on War Machine but then totally redeemed himself with Dog Eat Dog. Not his best performance of this song but pretty good.
The German crowd was not bad but not great either. The 1-liter personalised AC/DC beer pitcher made its appearance again (last time we saw it was in March in Germany). We must mention a major fuck up by the organisers/promoter who wrote "Front of Stage" on the fan club tickets but didn't allow entrance to the front of stage section to all the people with a Front of Stage ticket!! They basically applied a first come first served policy to the FOS section. So AC/DC Abruzzo also had to witness an entertaining but useless fight between German fans and security guys before the show near the barriers. The Germans are not hotblooded as the Italians or the French but this time they seemed to be quite pissed off about this fan club thing.
The only blog on AC/DC that aims to promote the original and genuine spirit of the Italian region of Abruzzo. A spirit that is always strong and gentle, ironic and pungent, witty and facetious but always incorruptible and loyal to our ancestors' values which we express through our passion for the AC/DC music especially in the occasion of the long awaited BLACK ICE World Tour.
L'unico blog sugli AC/DC che si propone di promuovere lo spirito Abruzzese verace e genuino, forte e gentile, ironico e pungente, goliardico e faceto, ma sempre integerrimo e fedele ai propri valori, attraverso la passione per la musica degli AC/DC in special modo in occasione del tanto atteso tour mondiale di BLACK ICE. LA STORIA DI AC/DC ABRUZZO
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