Review by Richard Henry for MPM
Well that was a good 3 and a half hours drive down for this one, lets not talk about the drive back, and the Aussie Legends are in town tonight! This is my first time seeing them so I am very excited, first up tonight though is…..
Pretty Reckless
Death by Rock N Roll – Bang right in with a track from the new album, really sleazy rock vibe to this one, sort of hard to hear Taylor at times on this, think the dynamics maybe got a bit lost, but when she hits the chorus, by god is she up there in range, drummer Jamie back there is holding it down and the guy is not hitting light, great solo from Ben on this one, some nice drum fills in there, as much as Taylor gets the spotlight the guys behind her are killer as well!
Since Your Gone – Straight back to the debut for this one, love that riff on this one although the one thing is these guys have gotten more coherent and their sound has indeed changed and you can hear it when you hear songs from the debut, I love the sort of stop start groove on this, great chorus again and Taylor does take charge and is all over the stage with the other guys sort of more static, pity the crowd is only half in at this point, but us that are hear are giving these guys are all!
Follow me Down – Good mix, we are to the second album Going to Hell for this one, really bouncy riff to kick this one off and its almost like a Sabbath vibe in a way, when these guys do heavy they can do heavy, love the way this one builds up and then sort of drops down into an almost swampy blues part before it slaps you with the heavy chorus when the band kicks in, great track for live, I thought this one came across really well!
Only Love Can Save Me Now – Back to the latest album again, love that riff that kicks this one off, again a more slow sort of sludgy vibe to that, almost Soundgarden in a way with that off beat drum part, good pacing of the set as well, after a heavier song just bringing it down a touch, thats a fantastic chorus, will absolutely stick in your head and a great vocal from Taylor on it, I just love that riff though, cracking tune!
Make Me Wanna Die – This is the most well known song for the band off the debut album “Light Em Up”, and straight away you can tell that this is the one people know, great track really good dynamics on it, when it hits it hits hard, I think the sound doesn’t help on this one, when it drops down before the chorus it is hard to catch the vocal but when she belts you can hear everything, as the chorus builds you really can hear Taylor, its a really heavy track live, the band are across the stage and out onto the trusses to play for each side, really entertaining, these guys are really warming up the crowd, fantastic!
Witches Burn – New album again for this one, again I get sort of Seattle vibes to the start of this one, almost like an AIC sort of thing, when the band comes in, there is a slow deliberate groove to it, great passionate vocal in the verse, thats a huge chorus as well, soaring vocal to it, the groove though from Mark and Jamie is just so solid, loved this track and I have to say, I haven’t really listened to these guys since the first album but they are playing an absolute blinder tonight!
Going to Hell – Bang, this one kicks in like a mule, from the album of the same name, almost punk rock energy from them on this one, apparently, Dublin, we are going to hell, great solo from Ben by the way, who was absolutely spot on, all night, great player, love the breakdown in the middle of this one, really split the song up nicely, love the speed up at the end!!!
Heaven Knows – From the same album as the last song, big singalong on this one, the place is filling up now which is good to see as the crowd are having a great reaction to these guys, which is nice to see, last time I saw them was in Cardiff in 2014/15, and they where great then, great bass line to this one from Mark, this song with their own crowd would be really good with everyone singing like there is on the album, another banger though from these guys!
Take me Down – Last song of the night, bringing it down a bit for this one, Taylor strapping on a guitar, good bouncy number, huge chorus too this one and I can see why they have put it as the last song in the set, these guys really are a stadium sized band, I have seen them in smaller venues but they have great control of the crowd and really do come over so well, even to a crowd who are most certainly here for the headliners!
Greatset by the guys and they went over really well with the crowd, last night of the tour, and they said they had a blast!
AC/DC
If You Want Blood (You Got It) – Well if your going to have a back catalogue this long you might as well pull out the big guns, and boy this set really did show how much these guys have as not just hits but absolute classics, hitting the Highway to Hell album, this one kicks off with a bang building up until that groove just hits and there is a lot of bouncing going on in the crowd, well you cant help it with this song, really packs a punch when all the guys walk up to the mics for the backing vocals, Angus taking centre stage for the solo and then back for the chorus, they are loud that’s for sure!
Back in Black – I mean how many bands would have this as the second song in the set considering how iconic it is, well no problem to these guys, and its a real sucker punch when the guys lock into that riff, there is some serious air moving, Brian way up there in the vocals, dancing about the place in his trademark cap and all black clothing, still has it, you cant help but move to this one, its so addictive, then Angus hits that iconic solo, I think I could probably sing the whole thing its that ingrained in me, we are just going to get classic after classic tonight by the looks of it!
Demon Fire – Hold that thought, we are off to the new album for this one, that baseline just drives this one forward while that riff just dances right around it before it gets into the classic chord part, loving the use of the screens to enhance this one with some of the graphics off the video for it, again this is just a driving rocker, heads down and get right on with it, you know what it just sounds like the band, new song or not, another banger!
Shot Down in Flames – Back to Highway to Hell again, this is simplicity at its best, Chris driving along with Matt on bass and drums while Angus and Stevie pepper the verse with the chords before we all come in for the chorus, gives it such a bang live, loving the first four tracks, great combination of songs, all the older fans of the Bon stuff will definitely be happy tonight, Angus is off on his travels for the solo, out to the side ego ramps and then halfway up the centre strut, before we are back into the chorus, its just a no room for air start to the show, no fuss, no mess just straight to the point!
Thunderstruck – I mean, cmon, where are all the guitar players at, we all sat and learnt this, and see when those floor toms hit with the words Thunder, its just glorious to witness live, from the Razors Edge album, I had goosebumps at the start of this one, Brian is just there commanding the crowd, looking like he is loving life, when it gets to the part when Stevie plays those chords just before Brian says you’ve been Thunderstruck, it is so heavy live that bit, again you are at a loss for words sometimes writing these reviews because every song is an absolute classic for the most part bar the really new stuff, Angus hits that solo note for note and then the crowd join in with singalong after the solo before it hits the chorus again!
Have a Drink on me – This really is just a slinky little blues number at heart, from the Back in Black album, you know seeing these guys live you really realise how much the bass and the drums are so much more than the guys at the back, they really drive a song like this home, there was a lot of people can relate to this one, the bars where busy all day in Dublin, lovely solo from Angus who’s tone was absolutely spot on tonight as well, really crispy guitar sound, you don’t realise with a lot of these songs that its 3-4 mins and the song is over, really short and to the point, which is how we are 6 songs in already and it is flying by!
Hells Bells – As the bell descends from the middle of the stage from the roof, you know what song this is, before it even strikes the first note, I love the guitar part that kicks this one off, so iconic, when the drums kick in it just rolls slowly, lots of heads nodding away in time in the crowd, you have never seen so many red flashing lights from all the crowd wearing the Angus horns on their heads, again when Stevie and Chris walk up to take the backing vocals for the chorus it gets massive sounding, that solo you literally know every single note and inflection of it, Angus on form every song so far, its another classic!
Shot in the Dark – Off to the new album Power Up again, just a pummelling groove to this one, simple but massively affective guitar part around the bass line and then it changes again for the pre chorus before we hit the chorus with the guys up to the mics, these songs are down in vocal range for sure but it definitely demonstrates Brians richness in his voice, although we definitely have a strange mix at times with the guitars sometimes swallowing up the vocal and then it seems to sort itself out again, lovely solo from Angus and then back into the chorus again!
Stiff Upper Lip – Another driving banger right here, from the album of the same name, this one feels like you should be in a back alley bar, playing pool, with this on through a jukebox, part boogie with a massive chunk of blues as well, I have heard it but didn’t really give this album as many listens but it definitely has a very cool vibe to it live!
Highway to Hell – From the album of the same name, now if the crowd had been loud before its nothing compared to the chorus of this one where everyone in the place has given the chorus a go, from the riff a the start to the beat, to the build up into the chorus, everything about this song is literally legendary status at this point, its sometimes surreal sitting here listening to these guys on. A sunny night in Dublin, they sound as fresh as they ever have and tracks like this is probably why, timeless, I would say so!
Shoot to Thrill – You don’t get a break and you get slapped with another absolute banger, I just cant help but looking around at the crowd and there are people jus boogying away all round the place and dancing to the beat of this one, its party-time in Dublin, Angus is the centre of attention running all over the place, Chuck Berry walking across the stage, out onto the front ramp, again you could literally sing every note of that solo, simple but affective, love this track!
Sin City – Now, from from Powerage, this is my favourite AC/DC song, lets say I was a happy boy when I heard that nasty guitar intro coming over the speakers, its just a down and dirty rocker from the Bon era, it loses non of its impact live either, that solo is just greasy and aggressive, its properly nasty, and that infectious groove just underneath it, its what these guys just do, Sin City didn’t win tonight but Dublin absolutely did, and so did I, well chuffed to hear this one live!
Rock n Roll Train – Black Ice album gets hit now and this is where you can tell the problems with the vocals as Brian looks legitimately annoyed on this one, I know how bad it can be with sound issues but no idea in front of too a crowd this size, still he batters on going back over to the monitors and taking out his in ears, the absolute slap that you get from the backing vocals is just tremendous and the crowd are getting involved too singing the vocal part back at the abdn on this one, great solo from Angus, short and to the point before the beat comes in again and we are back to the verse, great song!!
Dirty Deeds Done Dirt Cheap – Oh whats this, oh yea, another absolute banger and classic song, from the album of the same name, this is just a dirty plodding riff to kick it off then those guitar chords slipping in and out over that drumbeat, while Brian sings and gesture’s to the crowd, everyone getting involved in singing the chorus back to the band, its just wall to wall classics here, I think I am running out of things to say that haven’t been said before, this is an absolute slab of bluesy goodness, cracker song!
High Voltage – From the album of the same name, this is a really playful song live, love that little guitar part, I had forgotten all about, on the verse, its just so cool before it changes in the pre chorus before it hits the chorus which lets face it, we are all singing back at the band, there is something about this era of the band, its just makes you have a smile on your face, Angus out the front again for another ripper of a solo, Brian gets us all to sing HIGH back at him before we hit the chorus again, like a lot of these songs, its short and to the point, we are 15 songs in and it has flown by!!
Riff Raff – Angus taking centre stage and playing an intro to this one, before that filthy riff comes in for this and its boogie time, flat to the floor this one is, just steamrolling from start to finish and isn’t it what these guys are all about, I always loved this one, another great bluesy aggressive solo from Angus, the pace of the set has just been non stop, no frills just 5 guys on the stage letting it all out!
You Shook Me All Night Long – Without doubt I think this is the loudest the crowd have been so far tonight and when you think about it, it really is a massive singalong for the crowd, Brian still having issues with his sound and his in ears but as frustrated as you can see he is, he is still giving it his all for Dublin tonight, Angus peels off that classic solo while walking up and down the ego ramp, just a solid slab of perfection!
Whole Lotta Rosie – Get anyone to sing you a AC/DC riff and it will probably be this, off the Let There be Rock album, we don’t get a blow up Rosie ala Donnington but we get an almost 3D looking Rosie on the screens which was really cool, a balls to the wall rocker and you can see the crowd jumping about in sections to this, Angus yet again getting full run of the place with the other guys just back by the kit, it’s a slammer of a song live, and just like everything else tonight it’s just right for the jugular!
Let There Be Rock- From the album of the same name, this one hits in like a truck with that riff just hitting you in the face, before the drums, bass and vocals come in for the verse, the sound was a bit off on this one for the vocals, they seemed to come in and out and you can see there is issues with what Brian is hearing, having to go over to the monitors to hear himself, Angus prowling around again, Chuck Berry kicking across the stage during the solo and out the full length of the stage past the screens on each side, meanwhile Stevie, Matt and Chris are just holding it down at the back, no moving the are solid as anything, great backline for Angus and Brian, now Angus gets a really long solo on this one while the bands plays, and even as a guitarist it was a bit long, then he gets an unaccompanied solo after that, for me, this is where the momentum of the night sort of got sucked away, about 8 mins too long, I hate to say but thats the reality on this one!
T.N.T – It’s not often you get a full stadium just shouting “Oi” but there ya go, this song still sounds down and dirty live, way back to the High Voltage album for this one, the volume is raised significantly with everyone singing the chorus refrain back at the band in full voice, it’s quite a sight to behold and I had some viewpoint, the crowd just lapping up Angus’s solo as he flows across the stage and out to the ego ramps, the guys are just on fire and we are over two hours in at this point, honestly this gig has really surprised me, I didn’t expect it to be just as energetic as it actually is from the stage, another classic rattles by us!
For Those About To Rock – The cannons are out at the back of the stage, from the album of the same name, what a fitting closer to the night, and when Brian says fire it would nearly take your ears out when those cannons go off, putting on a show like this is no mean feat and to be fair especially at the age Angus and Brian are, an absolutely phenomenal show, and as the band bow out the fireworks go off from the back and the sides of the stage, what a night!!!
A great set from the guys tonight, really pretty old school in a lot of the track listing, I think the Angus solo was the only thing that killed a bit of the momentum tonight but apart from that the band where absolutely on fire from the moment the boots hit the stage till the last note, phenomenal gig, gig of the year so far far, quite possibly??
“Photos by Steve Dempsey – Down The Barrel Photography”
