AC/DC live at the O2 arena

April 17, 2009

After the worst day at work ever, my commute to the O2 arena was made particularly difficult after the spectacular failure of the deeply un-Rock N Roll tube, resulting in a quite unnecessary detour through the Lewisham badlands. So distressing was it, that I ate fried chicken.

Arriving at the O2, and completely missing support act The Answer, I was relieved to learn that the venue hadn’t been flattened by a giant mutant frog, and was still stocked with over-priced beers.

AC/DC’s stage is beset by amplification, ramps, lights and screens. The lights dim and the animation of a runaway train thunders across the screens to announce the band’s arrival. The open chord riff to ‘Rock N Roll Train’ echoes around the arena, and clenched fists are predictably raised and pumped in time to the churning rhythm. ‘Back In Black’ arrives minutes later and any who were seated rise. If ever there was a link between hip-hop and rock, it is this song. Forget Aerosmith, forget Anthrax: when Jay-Z hit Glastonbury last year -- what did he flay the crowd with? ‘99 problems’ -- which featured the iconic Angus Young riff.

Each song is terminated by the 54-year-old guitarist as he runs wildly across the stage and leaps to cue the song’s demise. Darkness ensues with only the glittering runway stretched out in front of the stage remaining lit. ‘Thunderstruck’ comes out of the darkness, and the word “Thunder” is bellowed by 23,000 fans as a lightning flash cracks across the giant screens. Easily one of the greatest living blues-based guitarists, Angus’s epic solo work on ‘The Jack’ (featuring daft live camera shots of women in the crowd) sees him performing a striptease before flashing AC/DC branded underpants and raising a single finger to each  temple  emulating his signature devil horns.

As ‘Hells Bells’ sounds, a comical, AC/DC branded, out-sized bell descends from the ceiling  and lead singer Brian Johnson hurls himself down the runway reaching into the crowd to slap hands with those blessed with unnaturally long arms. Introducing us to an “old girlfriend”; a giant, inflatable Rosie rises from the floor and provocatively straddles the priapic train. Before needing to sing the intro verse, Brian finds it is already being sung directly at him.

The band return for an encore with ‘Highway to Hell’ and ‘For those about to rock’,  complete with pyrotechnics and cannons. AC/DC aren’t the type cool, hip band that the NME frequently spunk their load over.  AC/DC play iconic rock n roll; the type that will exist as long as life does.

If you weren’t there, you can still buy the stunning No Bull live DVD.

Setlist:

Rock N Roll Train
Hell Ain’t A Bad Place To Be
Back In Black
Big Jack
Dirty Deeds Done Dirt Cheap
Shot Down In Flames
Thunderstruck
Black Ice
The Jack
Hells Bells
Shoot To Thrill
War Machine
Anything Goes
You Shook Me All Night Long
TNT
Whole Lotta Rosie
Let There Be Rock

Encore:

Highway To Hell
For Those About To Rock

Related posts:

1. Paul McCartney – Live at the O2
2. Pendulum – Live at Brixton Academy (DVD)
3. Nirvana Live At Reading – 1992
4. The Killers – Live At The Albert Hall
5. Jeffrey Lewis and the Junkyard

Posted in Music Reviews