REVIEW: AC/DC rock out for New Jersey-New York crowds
EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. — AC/DC, the legendary rock ‘n’ roll band from Australia, tore into 20 songs, both classic and new, last night at MetLife Stadium. The concert, featuring the crazed beauty of Angus Young’s guitar and the electric vocals of Brian Johnson, was a love-fest of rockdom. The fans, numbering in the tens of thousands, received both the hit tunes and some awesome new ones off the album Rock or Bust.
The title track from that new album actually opened the concert around 8:45 p.m. The audience, mostly standing, many head bobbing, enjoyed the song and its accompanying theatrics, all meant to introduce the band to the stage and remind everyone of their undying greatness in the annals of rock history.
The setlist continued nonstop for the next two hours. Classics like “Back to Black” and “Dirty Deeds Done Dirt Cheap” were welcomed with screaming adoration.
Throughout the concert, Young’s guitar work was masterful. He started in his iconic schoolboy uniform — coat, shorts, tie, hat and buttoned shirt — and made his way around the stage with energy and bravado. He called out to the audience, instigating their pandemonium, in addition to jumping around, running at full speed, two-stepping his way across the stage and even playing horizontal on the ground. It was a performance for the ages.
Johnson was right by his side. Beneath his iconic hat, with one hand firmly around the microphone and the other helping to emote his lyrical precision, the singer offered each and every song with vocal strength and pure, undaunted fun. The crowd loved the duo, and the band behind them were excellent additions as well. Malcolm Young and Phil Rudd are not on this tour; however, guitarist Stevie Young, bassist Cliff Williams and drummer Chris Slade helped keep the rock ‘n’ roll pummeling along.
Vintage Trouble opened the show with a 45-minute set that got the crowd ready to go.
Other highlights of AC/DC’s set included “Thunderstruck,” “Hells Bells” and the one-two punch of “T.N.T.” and “Whole Lotta Rosie.” “T.N.T.” was met with the requisite “Oy! Oy!” from the throngs of fans. There are so many hits that it was easy for the band to fill the setlist for two hours. “You Shook Me All Night Long,” of course, but also “Sin City” and “Let There Be Rock” were featured. Young’s guitar solo at the end of “Let There Be Rock” took him across the stage, down a catwalk to a satellite stage, up on a platform, up and down the back set and even on the floor itself, where he circled around like a sparkler out of control. It was the highlight of the concert.
The encore featured “Highway to Hell” and “For Those About to Rock.”
AC/DC has withstood the test of time and constantly ups the ante each time out. They are not a nostalgia act. They breathe fire into songs that the audience has grew up on, and each time they cut a new album, more tunes are added to the long list of dominating tracks.
There wasn’t much talking from the band throughout the night. They started. They played. They amazed. This was rock ‘n’roll. Period.
By John Soltes / Publisher / John@HollywoodSoapbox.com
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