AC/DC, Black Ice Tour, TD Banknorth Garden, 11/9/08Nov 30 '08 Write an essay on this topic.The Bottom Line Was the set a bit short? Yes. But if you can't have fun at an AC/DC concert, then you're a douche. Period. As the animated intro video started, we are transported down a train track and into a tunnel. We meet up head on with a train that says AC/DC on the front of it. Soon, our view changes to going down the side. In the windows we see Rosie pleasuring Brian Johnson, and soon we come to the tail end of the train, where we see two devilish looking women. They head to the boiler, where they find cartoon Angus Young, feeding coal into the engine. They seduce Angus, and after some classic naughty AC/DC images, they've knocked Angus out and have hijacked the train. They leap off before the train rides off the tracks. Angus comes too, breaks his bonds, and rides on the side of the train, guitar in hand. The train heads straight for the audience. Explosions pop, and the one large video screen breaks away to reveal the actual train, spitting fire and sporting large orange devil horns. The real Angus Young appears, raises a fist to the crowd, and begins the intro to, appropriately enough, Rock N Roll Train. Such is seeing AC/DC in a live environment. For a band who has kept things so decidedly simple musically, their stage show only continues to get bigger and bigger with each tour. And I don't just mean the badass train either. Rosie made her usual appearance (although the new Rosie they had for this tour was burned up opening night, so an older Rosie had to do). And a hydraulic platform raised Angus 30 feet above the crowd so he could solo, both on his feet, and on his side as he kicked himself around the circular platform. Two weeks into the tour and Brian Johnson still sounded very powerful. When the dates were announced I was glad to see Boston was an earlier stop. At 61, he can still bring it better than most, but even he has his limitations, and by the time this tour hits Europe come spring, it might not be pretty. No letting up though, as he easily careened through the band's 35 year old catalog of songs. Five songs from a new release seems a bit much, especially for a band so well known for their back catalog. And truthfully, five songs from any recent AC/DC album would have been too much. But Black Ice is an extremely strong record, and they choose the 5 selections wisely. Only Big Jack felt like setlist filler, but that was made up for with powerful renditions of the sinister War Machine and the made for arena anthem Anything Goes. Hardcore fans have been put off by the short set (18 songs, 1 hr and 45 mins), especially with the lack of nuggets for the devoted. Only Hell Ain't a Bad Place To Be could be considered a deep cut, and that's pushing it, to put it mildly. But one can't help but be impressed with the amount of hits this band has had. When a group can play songs like Back in Black and Thunderstruck within the first six songs, and still have plenty of huge hits left to offer, you know you're seeing legends. Angus' playing was superb the entire night, and seeing him rise from beneath the stage to start the encore, with a pair of devil horns on his head was a treat to be sure. Cliff Williams and Malcolm Young did their usual choreographed walks to their microphones to lend backing vocals, and drummer Phil Rudd once again impressed me with his ability to smoke like a chimney and pound out the backbeat with no issues whatsoever. Could I have used a longer set? Absolutely. Would I have liked a couple more old nuggets like Sin City or If You Want Blood? Of course. Am I bummed that this tour is most likely it for the Youngs and their gravelly voiced lead singer? No doubt. But in the words of comedian Jim Breuer, AC/DC is the most fun show I've ever been to. "It's always the same concert, but it rocks!" Truer words have never been spoken. AC/DC setlist for November 9, 2008 at TD Banknorth Garden, Boston, MA: Rock N' Roll Train (Youtube clip: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sMke0mrzA-Q) Hell Ain't A Bad Place To Be Back In Black Big Jack Dirty Deeds Done Dirt Cheap Thunderstruck Black Ice The Jack Hells Bells War Machine Shoot to Thrill (Youtube clip:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-b1AKxwIjL0&feature=related) Anything Goes You Shook Me All Night Long T.N.T. Whole Lotta Rosie Let There Be Rock Encore: Highway To Hell For Those About To Rock (We Salute You)  |
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