The only thing Wembley let us down with was the pop up bars! There was no beer bars! 90,000 AC/DC fans with no beer bars! So just to make the afternoon a little entertaining fans decided to use the mini sainsburys that was on the outside of the Wembley shopping centre. We were all cueing to get into a tiny sainsburys fans were walking out with a four pack of beer in one arm and a box of Pringles in the other. Rock fans will do anything for beer!
Now, once we got into the stadium we made our way to our seats which were right at the top of the venue and off to the right of the centre. Being so high up you would think you wouldn't be able to see, however we possibly had the best view in the stadium!
Right, first off the support act! And that would be Vintage Trouble! A band I have wanted to see for an awfully long time! But I have to say I was a little disappointed. Not with the Setlist or their performance but with their sound. There are three stages of venue... Civic halls and institutes, to arenas, to stadiums . I feel they would be incredible in a civic or arena because of their show capacity, but I think a stadium is just a bit too big for the band. It swallows the sound and no matter how hard you hit the drums or work that guitar it just won't work as a whole. If they had more of a stage production and put on a show of more than just music it could possibly work but with them on their own, it didn't the place was just to big and it sounded a bit of a mess from where I was. But that doesn't deter me from seeing them in the future, at a smaller venue of course because I have heard great things about this band when they have played the NEC and the NIA. So fingers crossed at some point in the future I will get the chance to see and hear them in a better light.
FOR THOSE ABOUT TO ROCK WE SALUTE YOU!!
The sole reason 80,000 plus fans were all piled into the Wembley Stadium, AC/DC! Possibly one of the last ever dates the iconic band will ever do in the UK, and I was there to witness the whole thing.
Starting off with the huge screens showing a picture of space, then a giant AC/DC Meteor flying through the Galaxy on the screen giving us all a run through of AC/DCs big music moments. Back in black began to play out as the meteor flew past a statue of Bon Scott representing the very beginning with Let Their Be Rock and Highway to hell. Next the new and improved Rosie lying with her top hat on and not much else. Then Hells Bells bell and finally the Rock N Roll train. With a cartoon Angus' face plastered on the meteor it came closer and closer to the screen before the whole stage exploded and set off a chain reaction of fire works ACDC were here.
Starting off what was truly a greatest hits show with 'Rock Or Bust' the self title single off of the new album. The roar that erupted around the stadium when the first few chords played out was unreal! The standing crowd began jumping, the arms were up in the air and every person in the stadium was chanting Angus' name. Brian Johnson hit his mark and began belting out those gruff vocals. His voice was superb! You wouldn't believe he is as old as he is, they all looked really good.
Moving on through the Setlist with Shoot To Thrill and Hell Ain't a Bad Place To Be the band was off to a flier! The stage looked awesome and the music was incredible. Next everyone in the stadium grew the ability to become professional air guitarists when the huge Back In Black started to play, I'm sure their will be some funny videos up on YouTube by now. Play Ball was up next also off of the new album, the crowd was still buzzing and rocking out too, which isn't hard when all the tracks playing are top of the range! Dirty Deeds Was next followed up by Thunderstruck! The floor once again erupted when the absolutely fabulous Thunderstruck riff rang out, if I could of filmed it I would have but it was a moment I will never forget.
High Voltage was a great track live, it came across very upbeat and fresh, also Rock n Roll Train was a track that was clean and precise, Brian Johnson just kept hitting out great lyric after great lyric.
Hells Bells! Was one of many songs with props AC/DC pulled out of the bag. The giant bell took its place above the stage and Mahn it didn't half ring out, I think it is to blame for my deafness right now.
The next batch of songs kept the party going and the crowd entertained, their wasn't a moment the crowd appeared disinterested or distracted at all... Baptism by Fire, You Shook Me All Night Long, Sin City, Shot Down In Flames and Have a Drink On Me. Classics, that is what those songs are, classics! Songs like that won't ever be written again, or not for a very long time anyway.
Oi,Oi,Oi,Oi.... Yes TNT a real song that got the fists pumping and the drunk voices yelling. What a great song for the British we can't act like that word isn't one of our favourites when in a bad mood and you need to get someone's attention.
The big one was next, one of my favourite songs! And one of the biggest props in the business, of course it's everyone's favourite girl Whole Lotta Rosie! If this isn't a crowd pleaser I don't know what is. AC/DC even made our Rosie a little classy this time by having her stroke her leg during the song! As the last few tours she just looks like she is bouncing around which becomes really funny really fast.
For the final song of the set Let Their Be Rock! Taking it back to the seventies, the first album! And Angus took it to the next level! We all know during a AC/DC concert Angus needs to produce the longest guitar solo in history! And boy did he! All the way to running along the walkway and falling onto his back and spinning in circles! I have no idea where that man gets all his energy from, I'd get down on the floor but there is no way I could get up! Incredible absolutely incredible! He even dropped through the floor still playing his guitar then came running back onto the stage. But then it was over and the band went off, leaving only the encore...
IM ON THE HIGHWAY TO HELL!!
Kicking off the encore with the much anticipated song Highway To Hell, Angus wearing his devil horns along with fifty thousand other fans. We were all preparing for the end. Looking around the stadium now the sun had gone down and the darkness was extremely visible the crowd just appeared with thousands of flashing red devil horns; brilliant!
But all to soon the final song of every ACDC gig came through the Marshall Amps, For Those About To Rock. The amount of emotions that washed over me hearing this iconic track live just blew my mind, I couldn't begin to describe what I was feeling, I had goose bumps. But what made the night was the Cannons! Those damn Cannons! You don't realise how loud those things are until you hear them live! I am still having difficulty hearing today! But I wouldn't change what I saw for the world it was an incredible show that can't be beaten. Angus Young, Brian Johnson, Stevie Young, Chris Slade and Cliff Williams were absolutely incredible and they deserve every penny they earn because the put their heart and soul into every performance they give and I take my hat off to them, brilliant pure genius!!
Thank you, for reading this piece. It has been a pleasure writing it and reliving what was an incredible day, well weekend. And I hope and pray I get the chance to see these guys again because they were a really pleasure to watch, true professionals and I hope more bands aspire to be like them. Well that is all from me until next time.
Lissy.C
