AC/DC Rocked AT&T Stadium as Only They Could

Particular iconography is so engrained into the collective pop culture consciousness that seeing it up close is surreal enough that you don't know how to interact with it. Think of the Statue of Liberty or The Bean in Chicago. That’s how we felt last night when Angus Young first did his signature duck walk across a stage jutting out into the middle of the crowd at AT&T Stadium. The show marked the second date on AC/DC’s first North American tour in nearly 10 years.
“Tonight, we’re gonna rock and roll and party,” said lead singer Brian Johnson at the top of the show. “So just join in.”

The show was a two-man play between Johnson and Young. Rhythm guitarist Steve Young, nephew of the late Malcolm Young, drummer Matt Laug and bassist Chris Chaney stayed in the back of the stage for the entire show and never got a spotlight or solo between them. It was an interesting choice, but it made sense.

The Aussie party rock band left no hit unplayed. The two-and-a-half-hour set was a jukebox of rock’s history, beginning with “If You Want Blood (You’ve Got It)” and “Back In Black.”

“Demon Fire” was the third song of the night and the newest on the setlist, coming off the band’s 2020 album Power Up. Its growly, Southern melodies were a welcome curveball to the trough of three-chord shout-alongs the band is known for.
It fits into the rest of the set seamlessly because AC/DC has perfected a formula better than any musician or band has. They’re like a cheeseburger, in a sense, in that you can expect every AC/DC song to have two recognizable elements. The patty and bun to their songs are a simple, tight riff and a shout-along chorus that usually involves two or three mandatory fist pumps.
“Thunderstruck” was played fifth, earlier in the night than we would’ve expected. It was the only song slightly altered for the live product, played an almost indistinguishable bit slower.

In one of the most charming concert moments of the year, we saw “Highway To Hell” inspire two security guards to contemplate, and ultimately decide to jump up and dance, recording the song on their phones before sitting back down at their post like nothing happened.

Each song ended the same way: Young jumping and landing during the last note before the lights went dark and the band reset. It was as if each song was a scene in a play.
“Most people his age can’t jump,” remarked a lady to our right. “I’m not as old as him, and I can’t jump.”

Recently turning 70, Young remains one of, if not the most charismatic, guitarists ever. Everything about him is captivating, from how his face writhes with each strum to how his legs flicker to the beat, that intentional griminess he presents himself with, and the schoolboy outfit he does it all in.
He remains the sole consistent member since the band’s inception, with Johnson replacing Bon Scott in 1980. Johnson had the biggest grin on his face all night, moving and singing with a palpable joy that was easy to get sucked into.

AC/DC songs are so easy to sing along to that the difficulty of some of the raspy high notes can go unappreciated. Johnson’s voice held up impossibly well, nailing every chorus the night had to offer.

Except a dangling bell during “Hell’s Bells” and the firing of cannons after “For Those About To Rock (We Salute You),” the show was not very dressed up for a stadium show. AC/DC was never a spectacle band like Kiss or Motley Crue, but it was still a surprising choice for such a gargantuan night.

The PWR UP Tour isn’t being billed as a farewell, but with Young and Johnson in their 70s, we have to be aware of the possibility. After two and a half hours with AC/DC, our ears are still ringing as much as our cheeks are aching from smiling too much. If this is goodbye, it’s one of the best ways to go out.