'A rat runs down the alley and a chill runs down your spine
And someone walks across your grave, and you wish the sun would shine' - Night Prowler
First time Down Under for me and my friend & travel buddy Bert. Other obvious nicknames for Australia could have been Batuu (furthest possible frontier on the Star Wars Galactic Map) or Far(t) Out. My respect for Australians and Australian bands traveling to Europe only grew bigger. Going to Australia is an enduring pilgrimage that makes the Compostella walks look like a walk in the park. Long after James and Thomas Cook, it's the same road that AC/DC's ancestors chose to find luck and fortune in these far away territories. We packed for summer. We got 4 seasons in a day.
Going to Australia appeared quintessential in deepening our understanding of the band's music. AC/DC’s legacy is firmly rooted in Australia’s culture and music scene, echoing through the confidential bars and basement venues of vibrant Melbourne and metropolitan Sydney. Bon Scott's lyrics find meaning on every corner of the street. We really felt Melbourne's strong musical vibe and can only imagine what it would have been like in the seventies. Bars play solid seventies rock music, driven by powerful bass guitar upfront. Many venues (and even so the birth house of Angus & Malcolm) no longer exist or have been relocated or repurposed. Those who keep the spirit alive, like the Cherry Bar play solid seventies rock music, driven by powerful bass guitar upfront. Bands like The Angels and Rose Tattoo, unmistakeably wear the recognizable signatures of Australian sound saltimbanks, the Sultans of Swing, Harry Vanda & George Young. Never far away, the raw, energetic and unpretentious atmosphere of Albert’s Studios in Sydney, where musicians worked close together in tight rooms filled with buzzing amps, ringing guitars, and a sense of creative urgency.
AC/DC Lane, a memorial walk around the original location of the Cherry bar, is a fun labyrinth of alleys in constant movement, with new mural artwork popping up every now and then. A lot of them are AC/DC related, paying tribute to the late Bon Scott and Malcolm Young. When we first visited, the city was preparing a surprise, with AC/DC neon lettering about to be installed.
Though many in the city see AC/DC as a sweet memory from the past—all of them has an AC/DC story to tell—once the band is back in town, nostalgia disappears. Everyone lives in the moment and parties hard. Perfect timing for a good refresher and putting the roll back in the rock. Best story was a massive bagpipe player gathering beating a new world record, with 374 bagpipes belting out AC/DC classic It's A Long Way To The Top on Federation Square right before Melbourne show 1. Watch footage of that amazing pre show event here.
Les Kenfield and Kevin Conlon, two members of Rats of
Tobruk Memorial Pipes and Drums who played with AC/DC on the flatbed truck in 1976In a way, promotor TEG Van Egmont made a smart choice in selecting an all Aussie lineup for the Australian shows. The Casanovas, a long-established band, stepped out of their comfort zone to deliver a strong support set. And, Amyl and the Sniffers—who have been gaining a major following in Europe but are perhaps less well known at home—had the chance to introduce themselves to a much larger Australian audience. More on Amy and the gang later.
In August, the production for AC/DC’s Australian tour was shipped from the UK in 26 sea containers, with the 2 stages each worth 300 tons of steel shipped in 48 sea containers. Taking the production from city to city in Australia, the band have 26 trucks sending the main production across the country and 42 trucks – 21 for each stage system – also on the way.
One of the 68 trucks - delivering.
Spot of the first 2 Australian nights was "The G" - the Melbourne Cricket Ground, the largest stadium in the Southern Hemisphere, the eleventh largest stadium globally. This round place was built in 1853, is massive and about to be rocked. And sure it rocked (right photo credit: Christie Goodwin).
The Seismology Research Centre said the concert registered in the 2-5 hertz range at their office in Richmond, about three-and-a-half kilometres from the concert, enough for people to feel the ground shake. 2 nights earlier, unidentified noise was heard as far as 7 kilometers away when the band was only performing a "sound check". Not a surprise, 500 kW of power are consumed during one AC/DC stadium show. The band requires over 4 kilometers of cable for power, lighting, and audio, as well as 155 crew members – including local personnel. This goes without Angus, who could provide on his own even more energy than all solar panels, wind and water mills and Australian nuclear plants (if they had one).
Biggest suprise of the night was Jailbreak, entering the setlist, a great choice and a banger, belted out by the entire stadium:
"Get Ready - huh hah!"
This was yet another memorable show - it felt extra special from many angles, some of which are difficult to explain, but God sure said "Let There Be ROCK". A 21 gun salute in loving memory of someone very close to my heart and who left this world at the end of Jailbreak on this very 12 November 2025. FIRE!!!
