AC/DC, Slovenian Style

 Let me say right up front that I’m not exactly a tribute band guy, because I simply don’t see the point in endlessly replaying the same old rock & roll classics! Still, I had a good feeling about the AC/DC covers going in. Hey, if nothing else, an honest dose of real rock & roll was supposed to be waiting for me in Postojna. How wrong I was…

AC/DC are rock & roll! Why? Because they just are! A total blast to the skull, where every listen at the “recommended” volume ends in the immediate evacuation of all your (still living) neighbors. Their tribute colleagues, meanwhile, would probably fit better into some Catholic youth choir. No offense, guys. Let’s take it from the top:

To be honest, me and my buddies were seriously looking forward to a proper rock party after a long time. “Duce” didn’t leave us hanging this time either, and around half past eight we were already happily sucking down Postojna beer. Once the cattle had been watered, we slowly headed for Rock Cafe, where there was plenty to see: a nice place with an even nicer vibe and, best of all, a packed house! In short, a real shot in the arm for someone more used to the Ljubljana scene. With the obligatory beer in hand (as everywhere), all we were missing was rock & roll, and at 10 PM sharp it kicked off.

The guys “fired it up” for us with Hell Ain’t A Bad Place To Be, followed by Hells Bells and Shoot To Thrill. Being both Scott and Johnson within ten minutes is no walk in the park, and it quickly shows that the vocals are the weakest link in the whole thing. The machine that was supposed to rip our balls off just wouldn’t, wouldn’t catch fire. Needless to say, an apathetic mood quickly took over the room and you couldn’t shake the feeling that the string-slingers themselves couldn’t care less. The whole thing felt totally directionless, from overly choppy bass lines to empty Angus-style solos, not to mention the posing rhythm guitarist (extra). But like every headache, this one was over soon enough. Credit goes to a very interesting take on Whole Lotta Rosie, which filled the air with at least a little of that energy so typical of AC/DC. You’d almost start dancing, but since migraines are apparently all the rage in Postojna right now, the dudes immediately cement us in place with Zeppelin’s Rock & Roll!! Next up: a Christmas version of Dirty Deeds Done Dirt Cheap and one of my favorites, Shot Down In Flames (whose title already says plenty). The guys wrapped up the first half of the set list with Back In Black. A short break followed, which came in handy for all of us to swap opinions, and also proved to be an excellent painkiller! Just as I was slowly starting to console myself that it couldn’t get much worse, the guys jump back into action with another classic from the Scott era, the unforgettable Live Wire. At this point I was slowly starting to curse myself for not bringing Monopoly or some similar time-killer. But get this: next came the one everybody (else) had been waiting for, Thunderstruck, which also served up the guitarist hopping around by the stage. Judging by the moves, the kid was clearly using the occasion to train for the Paralympics. Of course Thunderstruck is reason enough for a more “lively” crowd reaction, and a little gang of “slightly” tipsy local warriors quickly gathered in front of the stage. And as if “Angus & Co.” sensed the sudden change in the air, they quickly transform into a proper alcohol-lubricated machine. While Problem Child still builds on rawness, TNT, Fire Your Guns, Heatseeker and It’s A Long Way To The Top (If You Wanna Rock & Roll) are bullseyes. Total A+, like I’m watching completely different people onstage now. Pomarančina Takoj Se Dajva Dol follows fast, and with it two skinheads hugging tightly below the stage (???). The romantic evening peaks with a one-of-a-kind version of The Jack, during which you can easily close your eyes and picture Angus Young himself playing. That’s The Way I Wanna Rock & Roll is another pearl of the night, but then, sadly, the fun ends again. It’s a shame the guys decided to end the night that way, because with Motori (!?), Who Made Who (which didn’t resemble anything) and especially the reprise of You Shook Me All Night Long, they left the impression of an ordinary bar band rather than some dangerous rockers. They definitely had their bright moments though, and all I can do is hope I caught them on a bad day. “Can’t be helped,” as my folks would say, and we slowly left Rock Cafe, which I will definitely come back to. With Monopoly or without!