The best way to Hear and Watch Each US AC/DC Tour: 1977-2023

For practically 50 years, AC/DC has been bringing their no-frills model of onerous rock to America.

Beginning with their first U.S. present in 1977, Angus Younger and firm shortly developed a popularity as a must-see opening act. As with the remainder of the world, it wasn’t lengthy earlier than they had been headlining stateside arenas and ultimately, stadiums.

After a long time of ignoring musical traits and enduring tragedy and lineup adjustments, the band stays one of the crucial common touring points of interest within the nation. This is a fast rundown of every of AC/DC’s 16 American visits, in addition to one of the best ways to journey again in time to see and listen to every tour by way of stay albums, house movies or bootlegs.

1977: ‘Let There Be Rock’ Tour

AC/DC had been collectively for practically 4 years earlier than they first visited America on the tour in help of their fourth studio album, 1977’s Let There Be Rock. Cliff Williams took over for Mark Evans on bass after the recording of that album, becoming a member of singer Bon Scott, guitarists Angus and Malcolm Younger and drummer Phil Rudd. The band performed their first U.S. date on July 27, 1977 and went on to function a gap act for bands corresponding to Foreigner and UFO.

Nevertheless, an early success story made it clear that stardom was within the playing cards. A Jacksonville, Florida radio station was among the many first so as to add AC/DC’s music to their playlists, and consequently the band headlined and drew 8,000 followers to their first present in that metropolis.

You may see fan-shot video of the band’s Aug. 5, 1977 present in West Palm Seaside under. On Dec. 7, AC/DC performed a stay set in entrance of a small viewers on the Atlantic Recording Studios in New York Metropolis. It was launched as a promotional-only album in 1978, then launched to the general public in 1997 as a part of the Bonfire field set.

1978: ‘Powerage’ Tour

AC/DC’s popularity and stay following continued its speedy stateside progress after the Could 1978 launch of Powerage. The group spent practically three months on the highway in America, supporting Aerosmith, Alice Cooper, Blue Oyster Cult and others.

The group’s first and solely stay album of the Bon Scott period, If You Need Blood You’ve got Obtained It, was recorded on the Glasgow, Scotland cease on the tour, and launched in October 1978.  Video of three songs from that very same present had been later launched on 2007’s Plug Me In field set. (Naturally, generally one of the best ways to revisit every tour is from an abroad present.)

1978-79: ‘If You Need Blood You Obtained It’ Tour

The stay album gave AC/DC an excuse to get proper again on the highway, for a tour that included three months in America. The band co-headlined dates with UFO and opened for Journey and Low-cost Trick. Three songs from their look on BBC2’s Rock Goes to School present may be discovered on Plug Me In.

1979-80: ‘Freeway to Hell’ Tour

AC/DC formally cracked open America with the July 1979 launch of the Mutt Lange-produced Freeway to Hell, which reached No. 17 on the album charts, They had been additionally licensed stateside headliners now, spending six weeks in America as a part of a 99-show world tour.

The Dec. 9, 1979 present in Paris was filmed and launched in theaters and on house video in 1980 because the Let There Be Rock live performance film. An expanded soundtrack of the present was included within the 1997 Bonfire field set. Unknown to all, the Jan. 27 present in Southampton, England can be the final earlier than Bon Scott’s Feb. 1980 dying, inflicting the cancellation of the tour’s deliberate dates in Japan and Australia.

1980-81: ‘Again in Black’ Tour

Not sure if they might go on after the tragic lack of Scott, AC/DC had been reassured by the singer’s mom that he would have wished them to proceed. So that they recruited Brian Johnson, recorded the career-defining Again in Black and hit the highway as soon as once more in June of 1980.

The stage present featured a customized one-ton bell that descended from the ceiling because the band launched into “Hell’s Bells.” Johnson would strike the ultimate blows earlier than tackling a set that included a handful of Again in Black songs together with favorites from Scott’s period.

4 songs from the February fifth, 1981 present in Tokyo may be seen on the band’s 2007 video assortment Plug Me In.

1981-82: ‘For These About to Rock’ Tour

After releasing the ultimate album of their Mutt Lange-produced trilogy, For These About to Rock (We Salute You) in November, 1981, AC/DC hit the highway with a powerful new stage prop. A pair of cannons, similar to those on the album cowl, would seem on the finish of the present and “hearth” into the viewers. Though some venues refused to let the band do that at first, it is gone on to turn into a beloved show-ending custom.

A pair of songs from the tour’s Dec. 20, 1981 cease in Landover, Maryland may be discovered on Plug Me In.

1983-84: ‘Flick of the Swap’ Tour

Trying to get again to the rougher sound of the sooner days, AC/DC went maybe a bit too far on 1983’s considerably stiff Flick of the Swap, ensuing at first of a (relative) business downturn for the group. Substance abuse points and character conflicts led to Phil Rudd being fired earlier than the band toured in help of the album. He was changed by Simon Wright.

4 songs from the tour’s Nov. 17, 1983 present at Detroit’s Joe Louis Area may be discovered on Plug Me In.

1985-86: ‘Fly on the Wall’ Tour

Though 1985’s Fly on the Wall was punchier and catchier general than its predecessor it did not catch on any higher than Flick of the Swap did, even with the band overtly courting MTV with some bigger-budget movies. Nonetheless, trustworthy followers flocked to their three month fall US tour, which featured help from Yngwie Malmsteem’s Rising Power.

This tour has but to be documented on any official albums or house video releases, however their Oct. 11, 1985 present at Austin’s Frank Erwin Heart was broadcast over the radio and has been extensively bootlegged.

1986: ‘Who Made Who’ Tour

For the primary time of their profession, AC/DC took what might be thought of a little bit of a shortcut in 1986, releasing a soundtrack to the Stephen King film Most Overdrive that was actually only a compilation with one “correct” new track and two kick-ass instrumentals alongside some outdated classics. However the title observe to Who Made Who was a giant hit, and the band capitalized with a two-month, 43-date North American tour that kicked off July 30, 1986 in New Orleans and concluded Sept. 20 in Lengthy Island. No audio or video from this tour has been formally launched.

1988: ‘Blow Up Your Video’ Tour

AC/DC’s eleventh studio album, 1988’s Blow Up Your Video, constructed on the momentum of “Who Made Who,” with the lead single “Heatseeker” bettering upon its predecessor’s chart efficiency in most components of the world. The 164-date, practically year-long world tour in help of the album started with Angus Younger rising from an enormous missile that got here out of the underside of the stage, the primary of a sequence of more and more large-scale show-opening set items the band would make use of within the coming years.

Malcolm Younger sat out the North American leg of this tour with a purpose to deal with his substance abuse points. He was changed by his nephew, Stevie Younger, however returned in time for the band’s subsequent album. No audio or video from this tour has been formally launched.

1990-1991: ‘The Razor’s Edge’ Tour

In 1989 AC/DC handled their first lineup change in six years, as drummer Simon Wright left to hitch Dio. He was changed by Chris Slade, who joined the band within the studio for what turned out to be an enormous comeback album, 1990’s The Razor’s Edge. Powered by the hits “Thunderstruck” and “Moneytalks” – the latter their highest-charting US single ever – the album bought six million copies and put the band again on high of the rock world.

The yr lengthy, 160-date world tour that adopted kicked off in Worcester, Massachusetts on Nov. 2, 1990.  The tour was commemorated with the 1992 stay album AC/DC Reside, and the house video Reside at Donington. These had been the primary official stay releases to characteristic Brian Johnson on vocals.

1996: ‘Ballbreaker’ Tour

After 12 years away, AC/DC reunited with drummer Paul Rudd previous to the recording of 1995’s Ballbreaker. The Rick Rubin-produced album did not click on fairly in addition to The Razor’s Edge however nonetheless went double platinum in America. The 11-month world tour in help of the document kicked off January 12 in Greensboro, and the July tenth present in Madrid, Spain was captured on the No Bull house video.

The tour featured what is likely to be essentially the most spectacular stage present of the band’s profession, as each evening started with an enormous wrecking ball pulling down the facade of an enormous constructing, with Angus Younger rising triumphantly from the rubble.

2000-01: ‘Stiff Higher Lip’ Tour

The stage for AC/DC’s 143-date Stiff Higher Lip tour was dominated by a 40-foot bronze statue of Angus Younger, resembling the quilt of their 2000 album of the identical identify. The large Angus breathed smoke and shot hearth out of its guitar. (Can we convey again the times of large sensible stage results? I get that it is costly however what number of extra occasions can we simply take a look at the identical video screens?)

This was the third straight AC/DC tour to be documented on house video, this time beneath the no-fuss identify Stiff Higher Lip Reside.

2003: Membership Exhibits

To have a good time the 2003 re-release of their again catalog and their induction into the Rock and Roll Corridor of Fame, AC/DC carried out a handful of particular exhibits at theaters a lot smaller than the stadiums and arenas they’d been taking part in for the final twenty years. These live shows additionally discovered the band digging additional into their Bon Scott-era catalog, for gems corresponding to “Rock ‘n’ Roll Damnation” and “What’s Subsequent to the Moon.” Their June 17, 2003 present on the Circus Krone in Munchen, Germany was filmed and launched as a part of the 2009 Backtracks deluxe version field set.

2008-10: ‘Black Ice’ Tour

After an unusually lengthy eight yr break, AC/DC returned with the 2008 album Black Ice, and one other large stage present, this time that includes an outsized prepare – tied to the album’s hit single “Rock ‘n’ Roll Practice” – dominating the proceedings.

The band’s three-night December 2009 stand in Buenos Aires was captured on the 2011 stay album and residential video Reside at River Plate. Sadly, this is able to be Malcom Younger’s final tour with the band – and that was simply the beginning of the difficulties they’d endure the following day trip.

2015-16: ‘Rock or Bust’ Tour

After one other lengthy break, AC/DC returned in late 2014 with the album Rock or Bust. It was the primary album they recorded with out Malcolm Younger, who was pressured to step away from the group to battle dementia and different well being points. His nephew Stevie took his place on the album and the following tour, which turned out to be fairly chaotic.

After his arrest and well-documented authorized points, Phil Rudd was pressured to sit down out the tour and was changed by a returning Chris Slade. Close to the tip of the tour, singer Brian Johnson was ordered off the highway by his medical doctors, who stated he risked everlasting listening to loss. Weapons N’ Roses singer Axl Rose stepped in to assist, filling in for Johnson for the final 23 dates of the tour. Because the tour neared its completion, bassist Cliff Williams introduced that he would retire from the band, leaving Angus Younger because the final man standing from the llneup the band had maintained for practically twenty years.

Neither a Johnson or Rose-fronted present from this tour has been launched thus far, however some enterprising and gifted followers have finished an ideal job chronicling the tour on YouTube.

2023: Energy Journey

Malcolm Younger died in November 2017, a few yr after the conclusion of the troubled Rock or Bust tour. The next yr Johnson, Rudd and Williams returned from their respective listening to issues, authorized troubles and retirement to hitch Angus and Stevie Younger for the recording of the wonderful 2020 album Energy Up. The document was assembled from tracks Angus and Malcolm had beforehand written collectively, and was devoted to Malcolm.

The pandemic stored AC/DC off the highway for a number of years, however in 2023 the band took the stage for the primary time in seven years, on the Energy Journey pageant in Indio, California. Johnson and Williams joined them, however Rudd was changed by Matt Laug, previously of Alice Cooper and Slash’s Snakepit.

In 2024 the group mounted a full-scale European tour, with Laug nonetheless on drums, and former Jane’s Habit bassist Chris Chaney taking up for an apparently re-retired Williams. That very same lineup will tour North America in 2025.