Rock 'n Roll Train hits Antwerp! (update III)

... or how history repeats itself. In 1908, a tragic train disaster happened in Kontich, Antwerp. Now about century later, AC/DC's Rock and Roll train hits the Antwerp Sportpaleis in a head-on collision. This time fortunately without any victims.

What an amazing night! AC/DC kicked off the first Antwerp show with an energetic level of High Voltage rock and roll. The band is back (after the Stiff Upper Lip tour) and they sure want us to know. At 9 o'clock their Rock 'n Roll Train hits the grounds of the Antwerp Sportpaleis. No tough controls of the ministry for economical affairs outside, at least not for the regular fan cueueing for entrance. 35 ticket scalpers have been identified and questioned. I can only encourage these kind of actions to put an end to the abuse of the regular concert goers.

Just before the show, the band received a platinum award in recognition of the sales of 60.000 albums in Belgium. Brian didn't assist the handover since he was trying to keep quiet and let his sore throat rest for a while (what do you want... after 2 nights in Paris).

The band was in extremely good shape and, I must admit, the sound at the Sportpaleis was EXCELLENT. This made the first Antwerp show one of a kind. Brian's voice ("I see Rock and Roll out here... I can even smell it") was a rolling thunder and the whole sound powerstation was just spot on, with Malcolm, Phil and Cliff keeping the heavy rhythm section up to pace and being the ever solid backbone of AC/DC.

The crowd hardly stopped cheering and went nuts when classic songs like Whole Lotta Rosie, Thunderstruck and Highway to Hell were performed. The pounding shouts during TNT made the Sportpaleis' rooftop go up and down.

No changes on the (regular, but otherwise SOLID) setlist:

1. Rock'n'roll Train
2. Hell ain't a bad place to be
3. Back in Black
4. Big Jack
5. Dirty Deeds
6. Shot Down in Flames
7. Thunderstruck
8. Black Ice
9. The Jack
10. Hell's Bells
11. Shoot to Thrill
12. War Machine
13. Anything Goes
14. You Shook Me All Night Long
15. TNT
16. Whole Lotta Rosie
17. Let there be Rock
18. Highway to Hell
19. For Those About to Rock

It was cool to meet some of the international fans too. Fans with stories from Paris were largely present. We also met ACDC-Abruzzo from Italy and some real nice people from the UK. Thanks guys for being with us!

Various media covered the event:
- VTM News (coverage around 9"50. If you watch closely, you'll even be able to spot your servant.... )

- Gazet Van Antwerpen (with picture of ACDC Abruzzo and ACDC Belgium!)
- Het Nieuwsblad
- De Standaard
- ATV News
- Le Soir
- Le Soir (splendid photo site!)
- Rudy De Donker (pictures available soon, to be uploaded)

- Imparato (more pictures)

- Radio 1 (Stories on the Bedlam in Belgium story)
- Focus Knack

On Youtube, a wide variety of clips is already available. I picked some of the best:
- Highway to Hell

- The Jack (strip)

- TNT

That's it for now, I am getting ready for tomorrow's show.