Author: Jernej Vene
Photos: Jernej Vene
Location: Milan, Italy
Concert date: 03/21/2009
Attendance: 16
Ticket price: 70 Eur
AC/Dc kicked off the tour for the Black Ice album last fall in the US. The reports couldn’t have been clearer: the runaway rock and roll train is flattening everything in its path. The announcement of the European tour stirred up a lot of excitement among fans on the old continent. In an age of recession in record sales, it’s incredible that AC/DC hit the top of the charts all over the world with Black Ice too. Tickets went fast, and some European shows sold out in a matter of minutes. They were really hard to get, otherwise more Slovenes would have caught both Milan shows.
It kicked off at 8:00 PM. The opener came from Belfast in Northern Ireland. The members of The Answer are a new, young force building on the legacy of healthy 1970s rock. This quartet’s energetic set was a little reminiscent of Led Zeppelin and Bad Company, they write decent songs, and you might even spot a parallel or two with the Black Crowes, who could have made similar music back in the nineties. The Answer have two albums behind them, and they devoted most of their half-hour set to the new one, titled Everyday Demons. Credit also goes to the headliners AC/DC, who took care of the support act the way it should be done, giving them the same quality of sound they had themselves.
The jam-packed Forum hall in the suburbs of Milan was literally bursting at the seams with life. Anyone who does their work with heart would wish for an audience this devoted.
After a short animated film, an explosion announced the wild party. The gentlemen stormed onto the stage and dove straight into the hellish groove of Rock And Roll Train. The huge set featured a big stage that partly jutted into the floor, a large video screen, two smaller ones at the sides, and clusters of massive speakers. Hard rock means loud concerts, and this time the volume was just right, with every instrument and voice coming through very clear and direct. The just-under-two-hour show served up a heap of hits, with four songs dedicated to the Black Ice album, which is no surprise. With fourteen studio albums in the vault, it’s hard to pick enough proven hits and still showcase the new stuff. AC/Dc pulled it off, playing the key songs from their entire career. Their trademark staging wasn’t missing either, and it really came into its own during T.N.T., Whole Lotta Rosie, Hells Bells and For Those About To Rock. Drummer Phil Rudd held down the middle of the big stage, with bassist Cliff Williams and rhythm guitarist Malcolm Young beside him. Those two barely moved during the show, mostly only when they pitched in on vocals. That left most of the stage to singer Brian and guitarist Angus. Brian Johnson is holding up surprisingly well at sixty-one years old, running a bit short of breath only toward the end of the show. But where tiny Angus gets his energy from is truly unbelievable. This fifty-three-year-old is a living flame. He tears around the stage, jumps, twists, rolls and crawls on his knees like some teenager. On top of all that, he still plays guitar convincingly, and I’d say most of the stage show rests on his antics. Apart from the bluesy The Jack, AC/Dc didn’t let up in speed for even a minute in Milan. From the first note, the crowd breathed, jumped and sang along with them as one. I don’t often see an audience this devoted. Everyone supposedly believes in something, and AC/Dc have an incredible flock of devoted believers. For the finale they picked Highway to Hell and the indispensable For Those About To Rock We Salute You, backed up with cannon detonations.
photos: Jernej Vene
Setlist
1. Rock N’ Roll Train 2. Hell Ain’t A Bad Place To Be 3. Back In Black 4. Big Jack 5. Dirty Deeds Done Dirt Cheap 6. Anything Goes 7. Shot Down in Flames 8. Thunderstruck 9. Black Ice 10. The Jack 11. Hells Bells 12. Shoot To Thrill 13. War Machine 14. You Shook Me All Night Long 15. T.N.T. 16. Whole Lotta Rosie 17. Let There Be Rock —————————— 18. Highway To Hell 19. For Those About To Rock (We Salute You)
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