A 16-year-old girl reviews the AC/DC concert from Arlington, Texas
At Coachella, event planners offer IV fluids in case of emergency, while at the AC/DC show on Monday night event planners offered IVs of prune juice.
OK, maybe that didn’t exactly happen but it looked like more than a few people there could have used a fresh squeeze of the good stuff. Especially when the concert went past 10 p.m.
AC/DC is the band I know because of the their single “Thunderstruck,” which is the unofficial soundtrack for all of those college sorority videos on Instagram in what looks like an audition to be a Dallas Cowboys cheerleader.
On Monday night at AT&T Stadium, the group that is as old as my dad played AT&T Stadium for about 65,000, many of whom now need hearing aids, probably because they saw these guys too much when they were all younger.
The band formed in Australia in 1973, when phones were on walls, and TV had three channels.
The group is touring again for the first time since 2016, with lead singer Brian Johnson having successfully undergone treatment for significant hearing loss. Although Monday night is a date on their Power Up tour, the name of their new album, this felt more like a farewell tour. Guitarist Angus Young is 70, and Johnson is 77.
While watching and listening to their 21-song set that lasted about 2 hours and 10 minutes, it struck me, “What happened to rock bands?” Gen Z has plenty of musical options, but lacks in popular rock ‘n’ roll bands. So, who is the next AC/DC? Or the next Def Leppard?
Solo artists and musical acts are everywhere, but a band that rocks, like AC/DC? Or all of those rock bands that started in the ‘60s or ‘70s, when they’re all done, do they take that sound with them?
This AC/DC concert was essentially a glory days fest, for the band and the fans. Johnson said little to the fans, but seemed to genuinely enjoy himself. The night was evidence enough that if you give old people a chance to take off their clothes, they will. Anywhere.
Young, 70, started the evening in his iconic school boy suit; jacket, hat, knickers, a tie and a button up shirt. By the end of night, only the shorts and half of the shirt remained.
The band played two songs off their new album, but they gave the audience what they wanted, a run through their hits. When they played “Back in Black,” “Thunderstruck,” “Hells Bells,” “Highway to Hell,” “Shoot To Thrill” or the rest, they sounded the way they should, with some exceptions.
“Thunderstruck” moved a little slower than the studio version, but no one seemed to care.
Young was the show. His 10-minute guitar solo at the end of “Let There be Rock” stood out. He played until his fingers were red. At one point, he dropped down to spin around while playing on his back, and that sent me into a panic; I thought the man had died.
My biggest complaint was that I had no clue what I was listening to, because every lyric was drowned out by the music. Johnson should have asked subtitles be added to the video boards.. The instruments were incredibly loud, and I can’t imagine what that did to some of the oldies’ eardrums.
To say that AC/DC has a similar song style is an understatement. As a person who’s is not a fully dedicated fan, I could not tell the difference between most songs.
The fans there were some of the most dedicated dorks I’ve seen at a concert. For a generation that makes fun of Swifties, nearly everyone in attendance on Monday night were the same. They just wore devil horns, and the same cheap, over-priced concert T-shirts like a Swiftie.
The lines for merch’ looked no different than the Swift concert, other than the customers on Monday night were the grandparents.
Johnson and Young may be in their 70s, but they still put on a show. Johnson still has his renowned raspy voice, and Young moves pretty well; he can still make his guitar speak many languages. AC/DC gave their fans what they wanted, and the only thing bittersweet about the whole night is that it felt like the last time.
If it is, hopefully a younger group picks up their sound and keeps rockin’.
Vivian Engel is the daughter of Star-Telegram columnist Mac Engel. They attended the AC/DC concert at AT&T Stadium on Monday together.
This story was originally published April 15, 2025 at 12:38 AM.
