ACDC Black Ice Tour

Wilkes-Barre, PA - Recently I had the fortunate opportunity of attending a secret concert by ACDC. The concert took place at the Wachovia Arena on Sunday November 26, 2008 at 8pm. The show was a private event to kickoff their U.S leg of their Black Ice World Tour. The event was limited to only 3,000 people so barely half of the 10,000 concert seats of the arena were filled. We sat on the floor. The floor was packed and just half of the front lower part. It looked good. Intimate yet full. Sony Records put on the show and wanted it to take on a very special atmosphere. After all, this was their first "unofficial" concert in the US for their Black Ice Tour. The first time they've been on tour in over 8 years.

The show was spectacular to say the least. ACDC can still rock the house. I have heard in the past about the legendary theatrics at an ACDC concert. Brian Johnson hanging from a large bell during the singing of Hells Bells....Well, the bell is back, along with a few other set surprises. Don't read further if you are planning to see the show. Beware, spoilers are ahead.

The show kicks off with the playing of a demented cartoon on huge screens plastered all across the arena. Lead singer, Brian Johnson, appears as a crazed horned devil in the animated clip. He drives runaway train down what looks to be a train track through hell. The train cartoon goes on for about 5 minutes to kick off the first song..... The cartoon concludes with a huge live locomotive blasting through the set drop with fiery flames bursting out at every corner. Johnson kicks into the song Rock 'N Roll Train. My favorite song off the Black Ice Album and one that is garanteed to be a classic.

It is apparent from the start that the band has not lost a step. I've been to Rolling Stones concerts and they've just cried old dried up musicians. This concert felt fresh and vibrant.

Angus Young is still the highlight of the show. He is ACDC. His lead guitar is always exciting to watch. He spins on the stage, and at one point during the show raises above the crowd on an elevated runway and just kills it on the guitar. Malcolm Young is always a standard on the rhythm guitar and provides awesome backing vocals, especially when they played "Dirty Deeds" , as he provides the songs chorus deep voice. Cliff Williams, bass guitar and backing vocals always seems smooth and cool. Phil Rudd , on drums is the coolest guy in the group. He assumes his famous drum playing position, cigarette burning in mouth.

At some points in the show smoke and fire shot out of the crashed train set. I'm not sure how Phil Rudd played through the heat in TNT. The guy was sitting right next to the flames. I was half an arena back on the floor next to the runway, and I could feel some serious heat from the set.

The show was great, but it was short. Only one hour and a half. I wish I didn't go to the bathroom about halfway through a Whole Lotta Rosie. I have to remember, it was a warm up show and it wasn't a paid event. Radio contest winners were bused in from all over the place. I met locals from Wilkes-Barre that said the town was busy all weekend. We met people in line from as far as Houston and Michigan. I would have been upset to come all that way for what I thought was a short show. My brother-in-law said he would have appreciated another 3 songs. The band missed a few classics like Shoot to Thrill, Who Made Who, Moneytalks, Satellite Blues, and perhaps Its Long Way to The Top (If you want to Rock N' Roll). I did feel like they played all the top classics. Some others I did not mention that they played were Thunderstruck, Highway to Hell, Back in Black, Shook Me All Night Long, Hells Bells (with Johnson hanging from the big bell), and ended of course with For Those About to Rock with some fierce cannon firing. There was another song from Black Ice. I wish they played Big Jack, but it was another song. Sorry I don't know it, nor did I care too much for it. They could have played a better song from their vast library of classics. There was also no encore at this show. They pretty much played straight through.

The bottom line is that they were warming up. It wasn't a paid show. Those going to the live shows will get the full act. If you're going, prepare for one crazy train ride...