AC/DC - Metlife Stadium, East Rutherford, NJ - August 26, 2015 - Concert review and photos

AC/DC was this year's perfect summer concert.

Me and three buddies cut out of work early and got to Metlife Stadium in East Rutherford NJ at about a quarter to five on Wednesday afternoon.  Popped open the chairs and cracked open some beers.

Perfect weather.

The show was to start at 7:30 with opener Vintage Trouble who seemed pretty good when I checked them out on Youtube, but the parking lot hang seemed better so we started walking towards the stadium just as they were ending their set.

I think it took four very tall escalators to get us up to the back right corner of the top level and we almost needed help of an oxygen mask as we found our seats three rows from the top, but we were all settled in when the lights went down at about 8:40pm

I felt a flashback to almost exactly 6 years prior, the last time AC/DC played Giants Stadium here on these grounds if not this same building.  Metlife Stadium is the new version of Giants Stadium.  At that time AC/DC had their new album "Black Ice" out and this time it was their new album "Rock or Bust".   Pretty much every review you read of those albums will say "It's good/really good....It's sounds like AC/DC."  I think the only other bands which would get similar descriptions are two other icons - The Ramones and Motorhead.

That was a great show in the summer of 2009 (and my seats were just as shitty but in the opposite corner).  The deja vu of that night continued with the setlist for this show.

Both shows opened with a single off the albums they were touring to support("Rock n Roll Train" in 2009 and the title track on this occasion.)

In 2009, AC/DC played 5 songs off the new album.  Tonight we got three (plus the aforementioned "Rock 'n' Roll Train" which is not old enough to be considered classic so I'd still put it in the "new song" category)

Both shows had a total of 20 songs.  Of the remaining slots for classic songs, there were few differences in the 6 years that have passed.  2009 gave us "Dog Eat Dog" and "The Jack" whicher were now replaced with "High Voltage", "Sin City" and "Have a Drink on Me."  I know AC/DC fans will argue over which are the best classics, but in my book that was an awesome trade.

The remaining 13 songs are basically the songs AC/DC HAVE to play...and I don't have a problem with that either.  When you go see a band like this you know the setlist is gonna be great, but you also know there's gonna be some killer tunes they have to leave out of their two hour set.

The one thing that has changed the most in the 6 years since the last tour is the lineup.  Malcolm is out due to health reasons (but keeping his replacement in the family with Stevie Young) and Phil is out due to alleged prostitute, drug and other nefarious reasons.  I hope Phil is taking his time off from the band to write an autobiography because it sounds like he has some stories I wanna hear! (with AC/DC veteran Chris Slade back to fill in on the drums)

Angus is still an amazing ball of energy and Brian still has an incredibly strong voice.  Sure there's a few moments when it seems a little strained, but that's splitting hairs - this was an AC/DC show and like their albums, you know what you're going to get - a killer concert.

And sure the seats sucked but luckily the stage setup is pretty damn cool, so even far away you feel part of the show.

The full setlist is below.  After the last of the 21 one gun salute by cannon fired and the sparks of the last firework fell to earth we got to my car and with a bit of slightly aggressive driving we got out of the parking lot in about 30 minutes (quite a feat for a stadium show when you don't cut out early) and then the last bit of deja vu set in - the conversation on the ride home.  What was great to hear, what didn't they play that you wanted to hear, but most of all, would this be the last time we get to see them or at least see them perform at this level.  Six years ago when Angus was 54 and Brian was 61, if you told me they would still rock at this level in 2015, I would have never believed it.  If the next tour isn't until 2021...I'll be there, I'm done doubting these Rock n Roll greats!

Setlist:
(Video Intro)

Rock or Bust

Shoot to Thrill

Hell Ain't A Bad Place To Be

Back in Black

Play Ball

Dirty Deeds Done Dirt Cheap

Thunderstruck

High Voltage

Rock 'n' Roll Train

Hells Bells

Baptism by Fire

You Shook Me All Night Long

Sin City

Shot Down in Flames

Have A Drink On Me

T.N.T

Whole Lotta Rosie

Let There Be Rock (with Angus Guitar Solo)

Encore:

Highway To Hell

For Those About to Rock (We Salute You)





Click on any of the photos to supersize view them.  If you dug this review, go to the Most People Are Blank Facebook page by clicking here and click follow to join to be kept up to date on future posts, to comment, share and take part in our giveaways and contests.  Also follow on twitter at @MostPeopleBlank   As always - Rock on and Enjoy - Paul