AC/DC live at Wembley

AC/DC live at Wembley Stadium (7.7.2024) with The Pretty Reckless supporting.

“For those about to rock – we salute you!”

As soon as this tour was announced, I thought surely I can’t let this go. Such a legendary band and the big clock is ticking. OK, so not in my main bit of the big rock’n’roll venn diagram but it’s definitely in the overlapping bit. Was it the last time? Who knows.

For purists, yes I know it’s not an original line up, but with Angus Young on guitar and Brian Johnson on lead vocals, it’s as good as I’m going to get and it’s that period around 1980 when Brian Johnson joined when I first had my ears opened to AC/DC.

Tonight’s support is The Pretty Reckless, from New York City and they’ve been going since 2009, without me having encountered them before – oh come on, we move in different circles.

Kept me and the rest of this huge crowd engaged..but everyone’s waiting for the main event. Taylor Momsen covers both left and right extremities of the stage, but never venturing far down the stage runway into the crowd. There must be rules, written or otherwise for support bands fully utilising such things.

Good stage presence and some hard rock with some grungy edge at times. I recorded one song, saved here on my YouTube channel: Heaven Knows. (2014, from their second album).

After a punctual pause it’s big show time. Dads and lads, dads and daughters, possibly mums and daughters but I’m not seeing any – groups of mates – all recalling back to the 80s and further. This is a biggy.

The baying crowd, an extremely large number wearing Highway to Hell plastic light up horns, are treated to If You Want Blood (You Got It) to open, from Highway to Hell (1979). Following this with the title track of Back In Black (1980) hit the right note and the right era. Bang on. So pleased I made it.

It is very much the Angus and Brian show. They are 69 and 76 respectively. The rest of the band are newer additions – Steve Young on guitars, Chris Chaney (from Jane’s Addition) on bass and Matt Lang on drums. They don’t venture far, ŵhile Angus and Brian wander.

Brian Johnson doesn’t say much – he needs to save that voice so no unnecessary screaming. The voice waivers a bit on some songs but he’s 76 for goodness sake and this a full set, part of long tour. Thunderstruck is still memorable – that’s why we came isn’t it? For songs like this.

A large bell descends for another classic on the setlist: Hells Bells. I had been listening to the most recent album (2020), Power Up, in the weeks before but only a few tracks from that – it is the Power Up Tour.

With five tracks from the 1980 album Back in Black, this is good setlist for me and I’m presuming everyone, looking into the crowd. Brian has his prolonged stint on the end of the runway before Angus takes charge – you’d be forgiven for thinking it was his solo project. I suppose he is the true core of AC/DC right the way through….and still in his shorts and school uniform.

Towards the end of the set the songs just get bigger and better. Highway to Hell, then Whole Lotta Rosie – brilliant. To finish this rock’n’roll nostalgic treat is Let There Be Rock, an almost endless performance with Angus guitar solos that speed up, slow, almost stall and then restart with gusto.

The culmination of this guitar feast sees the end of the stage walkway rise up with Angus on board and the solos continue. An unforgettable sight.

What do you do for an encore? Ah yes. TNT and For Those About to Rock (We Salute You). What a great phrase that is – almost a prayer to precede any heavy rock gig. Cue the fireworks. Bucket list ticked.