Photos by Fozz Rock Photography
I could make up a million excuses for missing most of Brisbane heavy hitters Headsend‘s set tonight, but the truth is I was just late. Plain and simple. And judging from their last track – and the only one I saw – it’s a right smack in the teeth for me for missing them because they sounded bloody awesome!
But as bad as my timing was, it did allow me the luxury of soaking in the atmosphere while waiting for main support Amyl & The Sniffers. I have been to many events at Suncorp Stadium – from football games to concerts – but already tonight the atmosphere was even greater than all of them put together.
Looking around, you could see a sea of AC/DC shirts and red devil horns – still not quite effective given the late afternoon sunshine – with fans from their teens to their twilight years running around in schoolboy uniforms patiently awaiting the arrival of AC/DC on stage.
But first it was the turn of Melbourne-based pub/punk/rock outfit Amyl & The Sniffers, who had received mixed reviews from their previous performances on tour. Old rockers die hard, and apparently their appreciation for music other than meat and potatoes rock dies even quicker, but either way it is fantastic to see an Aussie act as main support for what is essentially a major international headliner.
As the strain of Nutbush City Limits filled Suncorp Stadium, a hush went over the already large crowd, many of whom were likely seeing Amyl & The Sniffers for the first time. Without waiting for Nutbush to finish, the band bounced onto the stage, led by the effervescent Amy Taylor, whose shit eating grin said everything it needed to about how this rising Aussie four-piece felt about being on a tour of this magnitude.
After a short greeting that consisted of only the word “oi”, Amyl & The Sniffers launched straight into Balaclava Lover Boogie, making their intentions clear from the outset and letting their music do the talking rather than elongated between song banter. The crowd remained in almost a stunned silence/disbelief, sporadically clapping as the band tore through Doing In Me Head and Snakes, their obvious pleasure at playing in Brisbane almost goading the crowd into submission.
Guitarist Declan Mehrtens was electric, displaying his chops on many solos without ever overplaying his hand, while bass player Gus Romer epitomised the don’t-give-a-fuck attitude that is the hallmark of Amyl & The Sniffers’ music, arriving on stage shirtless and staying that way with a defiant snarl creasing his lips until the last note.
As the set progressed, the crowd finally relaxed their barriers and seemed to actually listen to the sounds coming from the stage and the more they relented, the louder the applause between songs grew. And rightfully so. Amyl & The Sniffers played as though they were the headliners, intent on making sure every person in the crowd at least remembered their name by the end of the 19-song set.
Taylor‘s energy and enthusiasm were infectious and irresistible, bounding from one side of the stage to the other in short, sharp bursts that at one stage proved too quick for even the spotlight to keep pace with. A tour like this could make or break a band in so many ways, but it was refreshing to see Amyl & The Sniffers remain true to themselves and their music, resisting what would have been an obvious temptation to rein themselves and their Australian ways and mannerisms in markedly in search of greater acceptance. But this band doesn’t work that way.
You can either jump on and enjoy the ride, or sit by and let life pass you by. Either way, Amyl & The Sniffers won’t ever change. Bless their cotton socks.
By now, darkness had overtaken daylight, and a massive sea of glowing red devil horns flashing haphazardly threw an eerie hue over Suncorp Stadium. People were scurrying to and from the bar, eager to reclaim their position for the imminent arrival of Australia’s favourite exports, AC/DC, who were visiting Brisbane for the first time in over a decade. It seemed only fitting that Ozzy Osbourne filled the void as the second hand edged closer to 8 pm, before he exited Suncorp Stadium one triumphant final time as the roar of a charging engine rose rapidly, almost shaking the stadium as it rumbled ever so closer to stage.
The stage was set up with a deeper area for the rhythm section, which allowed for one giant screen behind the drum kit, flanked by two aerial screens on either side of stage and two more wing screens to the outside that showed alternating images to those displayed on the larger screens. All five screens washed over with red as the image of a speeding car burst from the recesses of Hell, flames spewing from the tyres as it careered towards a packed stadium lit up by the roars of fans both imagined and real, as the pressure gauge pushed further into the red. As a collision seemed certain, the engine shut off suddenly as AC/DC made their way onto stage, launching straight into If You Want Blood and sending the capacity Suncorp Stadium crowd into a frenzy.
It didn’t take long for guitarist Angus Young to make his way down the extended catwalk and further into the crowd, his yellow cap in stark contrast to his crisp red schoolboy uniform that somehow still looks as if it belongs on the body of a man well past his schooling years. A wall of Marshall’s smiled greedily back as Angus Young nailed the first of many solos for the night, while his brother in arms and vocalist Brian Johnson toyed playfully with the crowd as he paced back and forth over the large stage to engage with as many of his fans as possible.
Pausing only to proclaim “We’re going to play some rock and roll and just have fun” – much to the delight of the swarm of rock starved fans surrounding him – Johnson tore through Back In Black and Demon Fire before Shot Down In Flames rounded off the opening salvos to a concert that would in all likelihood be one of the last times local fans had the opportunity to see AC/DC perform live.
The screens were used to great effect, breaking the traditional mould of flashing images of the band to a larger medium so people as far as the rear seats could see. While this point of view was used for much of the night, the screens were also utilised for greater effect with select songs such as Back In Black – which was displayed in black and white, Shot Down In Flames and Highway To Hell – both of which had flames dancing around the screen – Thunderstruck – with thunder lighting up mountain ranges and static for High Voltage adding extra layers to the performance.
While much of the attention rightfully flows the way of Young and Johnson, it is the rhythm section of Stevie Young (Rhythm Guitar), Matt Laug (Drums), and Chris Chaney (Bass) that provides the backbone and foundations for both of the major attractions, and tonight they were on point from the outset, quietly going about their business with minimal fuss and maximum output.
While every song was met with loving applause, it wasn’t until Shoot To Thrill that that adulation was matched by crowd response, with Young’s solo and subsequent raising of the horns with his fingers providing the final spark that sent the crowd into a sonic meltdown. A massive hand clap initiated by Young during Shoot To Thrill was enough to raise the hairs on your arm before the familiar strains of Sin City filled the air, and I suddenly felt myself growing a little uneasy.
I should point out here that I spent around 4 years as tour manager for Brisbane based AC/DC tribute band Accadacca, during which time I would have seen the band play most of these songs around 200 times, meaning not only do I know how the songs should be played, but I also know what songs feature pieces of individuality from the band that accompany the music. So it is fair to say that around 200 times I have stood side of stage as Jessie (Angus) launched flawlessly into Sin City, patiently awaiting the solo towards the end of the song that also heralds the start of a mini strip by Angus that sees the great man strip down almost to his underwear.
Now, catching Jessie‘s stage attire is one thing, but the thought of seeing a man of Young‘s ageing years do a striptease during the song was more than a little disconcerting, but thankfully Angus must have felt the same way because that crowd engaging part of the song was cut considerably shorter and the entirety of his outfit – besides his tie which was used to play a wicked mini solo – remained attached to his body.
High Voltage provided one of the many highlights, with an extended jam towards the end showcasing the talent still at AC/DC‘s disposal, with Johnson relaying his pride to the crowd via a stirring speech that alluded to their brand of Aussie rock being embraced the world over and how proud we all should be that homegrown music has such a global impact.
After finishing with Let There Be Rock, the crowd were having none of the possibility that AC/DC may have departed their sight for the last time, enticing the band back to the stage to finish off the night with T.N.T and For Those About To Rock. While a pessimist could feasibly draw negatives from the show – including what sounded like bad guitar tuning during Thunderstruck and the odd timing discrepancy in one or two songs – AC/DC provided a sensational closing chapter for their fans, some of whom have been with the band for over 50 years.
It was a fitting and triumphant finale from a band who could have, for all intents and purposes, justifiably pulled stumps many years ago, but tonight they proved that while the flame still burns and the hunger still drives, the only enemy is within yourself. And right now, the only enemies AC/DC have are the jealous minority who favour no one.
Not even the rock Gods.
AC/DC’s Power Up Tour finishes up its Australian run at Brisbane’s Suncorp Stadium on December 18. Limited tickets available https://acdc.ticketek.com.au/
