What can you say about AC/DC? If there are rock gods, surely it is them, this crazy classic hard rock band!

Classic rock. It feels strange to call them classic rock, but I ‘spose when you form a rock band in 1974, 52 years later – classic, you are. (Oh god, I’m classic now too I guess!)

52 years they’ve been making music, but this, the Powered Up tour, was my first time seeing them live. Talk about an item to check off the rock god bucket list! AC/DC Live!

First time seeing that notorious hop thing Angus Young does while playing guitar. First time seeing Thunderstruck, probably my fav song of theirs.

Not gonna lie, with all the storms Edmonton has been having this summer, I was nervous they’d be singin this song in an actual thunderstorm…

But my Commonwealth Stadium concert luck held out – not only did I go to the Post Malone show that didn’t get cancelled three songs in due to a massive storm, we only had just a wee bit of rain as we waited to get in to AC/DC! Thank you thunder gods! (Thor I guess) and thank you rock gods!!

Anyways – AC/DC. And all the songs you’d want them to play live, they did (setlist from setlistfm):

• If You Want Blood (You’ve Got It)
• Back in Black – this one will always be synonymous with Supernatural TV show conventions for me – makes me wanna run out and grab some salt…
• Demon Fire
• Shot Down in Flames
• Thunderstruck – the way the graphics had Brian Johnson and Angus Young lookin’ like they were made of lightning! So cool. Also, not just my favourite of their songs, not just some serious high school nostalgia, but another Supernatural reference. This song actually did take place in an episode.

• Have a Drink on Me
• Hells Bells – with the giant bell descending as the bell tolled…
• Shot in the Dark
• Stiff Upper Lip
• Highway to Hell
• Shoot to Thrill
• Sin City
• Jailbreak
• Dirty Deeds Done Dirt Cheap
• High Voltage
• Riff Raff
• You Shook Me All Night Long – “Knocked me out with those Canadian thighs” 😉 – I love a good location reference lyric change up in concerts 🙂 )
• Whole Lotta Rosie

• Let There Be Rock – ending in the longest longest, super long Angus Young guitar solo. I’m not gonna lie, I found it a bit (a lot) too long. But then, I thought to myself as he carried on – if this was the Edge and possibly the last tour for U2 – I’d probably be more then ok with a 10 min guitar solo… And I also thought (it really was a long solo – I had plenty of time to think many thoughts!) how amazing – how incredible the stamina to play so long and so well, especially in one’s 70s. What is the secret – because I’m in my 50s and everything hurts!!!

• Encore: T.N.T. – It’s been quite some time since I’ve listened to AC/DC – but somewhere in their first couple of songs this night, I kept hearing “TNT, I’m dynamite” in my head, and finally, finally there is was. Oi! Oi! Oi! Another favourite, for sure.
• Encore: For Those About to Rock (We Salute You) – For those of us who rocked, they definitely saluted us. All through the setlist and with streams of cannon fire and fireworks to end this amazing show.

And they definitely rocked the stadium. I’m clearly a concert afficionado – I go to more than the average person, I consider myself well-versed in fan/concert things – and this – this was absolutely THE loudest show I’ve ever been too! Loudest music, loudest audience.

I bought a pair of Loop Experience earplugs for concerts before the Harry Styles shows to protect my eardrums from the many shows in my future (and yes, I bought the Harry-related Pleasing Loops – they are so pretty!).

I found at the Harry shows, I took the Loops out part way through because they muted too much of the ambience – the crowd sounds in particular.

But with AC/DC, I tried removing them a number of times through the night and popped them right back in my ears immediately each time because it was sooo loud! (The Loops are good for noisy neighbours and offices too, btw :D)

I would be remiss to not mention The Pretty Reckless, who openned the night. I was unfamiliar with this band, but they rocked the night too. And great name – the double meaning of pretty. Love it.

I kinda hope this isn’t AC/DC’s last tour – I would totally go see them again.