Are AC/DC going on tour?
Throughout their entire career, even when album sales have been plummeting, AC/DC have never struggled to sell out stadiums worldwide. Why? It’s simple: because they are one of the best live rock bands on the planet. The simplicity in their song structure, raw energy, Angus Young’s face-melting riffs, and Brian Johnson’s gravelling voice personify what people love most about rock music. To put it plainly, while the band still tours, the crowds still come.
When Sam Fender played at a packed-out St James Park last year, there was a surprise appearance from Brian Johnson. The two performed ‘Back in Black’ together, with Johnson sounding as gritty and determined as ever. The ten minutes he was on stage were some of the most electric of the whole set, as the packed-out stadium sat stunned at what they were witnessing. They remain the luckiest audience in the world, as going to a Sam Fender gig and getting AC/DC is the musical equivalent of going to a swingers party and falling in love.
After the video of Johnson performing surfaced, paired with the band’s recent headline slot at the Power Trip festival in California, whispers of a worldwide tour have been getting steadily louder. They followed this by uploading a cryptic reel on their Instagram that shows their iconic lightning bolt followed by the words, ‘Are You Ready?’
So, the big question is: are AC/DC going on tour? Yes, the Australian rockers are set to hit the road across Europe in 2024. The set of dates will begin in Germany on May 17th and will conclude three months later in Ireland at Croke Park.
Tickets for the upcoming tour are set to go on sale on February 16th. They will also play shows in Holland, Spain, Austria, Slovakia, France, and two concerts at London’s historic Wembley Stadium on July 3rd and July 7th.
What songs have AC/DC played live most?
While people eagerly await news of a potential tour, it is worth pondering what a likely setlist could be if the band were to take to the stage again. With AC/DC’s consistent sound throughout their discography, there aren’t many songs that would be so left field as to be a complete buzzkill, but there are some songs people will expect more than others.
Out of the hundreds of gigs that AC/DC have performed, the top five songs that they have played the most are: ‘The Jack,’ ‘Whole Lotta Rosie,’ ‘T.N.T.’ ‘Let There Be Rock,’ and ‘Highway To Hell.’ The band have played ‘The Jack’ the most, with 1744 recorded appearances of the High Voltage hit.
What songs have AC/DC never performed live?
Given their immense back catalogue of music, there are some songs the band has never performed live. Certain tracks from less successful albums made it to a few shows and were never played live again. For instance, the commercial failure (and some would argue underrated masterpiece) Fly On The Wall was received so poorly that after a few gigs, the band were hesitant to play any of the new releases ever again.
Many of the songs the band have never played live come from their later albums. There are a couple of reasons for this, the first being that the later albums are not as hit-laden as some of the earlier LPs, but also, given the band doesn’t play as much as they used to, they haven’t had a chance to perform them.
The complete list of songs that the band have never played live include:
- ‘Baby, Please Don’t Go’
- ‘School Days’
- ‘Ain’t No Fun (Waiting Round to Be a Millionaire)’
- ‘There’s Gonna Be Some Rockin’
- ‘Squealer’
- ‘R.I.P. (Rock in Peace)’
- ‘Overdose’
- ‘Crabsody in Blue’
- ‘Gimme a Bullet’
- ‘Love Hungry Man’
- ‘Night Prowler’
- ‘Let Me Put My Love Into You’
- ‘Snowballed’
- ‘Evil Walks’
- ‘Breaking the Rules’
- ‘Night of the Long Knives’
- ‘Spellbound’
- ‘Nervous Shakedown’
- ‘Deep in the Hole’
- ‘Brain Shake’
- ‘Danger’
- ‘Stand Up’
- ‘Hell or High Water’
- ‘Back in Business’
- ‘Send for the Man’
- ‘Meanstreak’
- ‘Kissin’ Dynamite’
- ‘Some Sin for Nuthin’
- ‘Ruff Stuff’
- ‘Two’s Up’
- ‘This Means War’
- ‘Mistress for Christmas’
- ‘Rock Your Heart Out’
- ‘Got You By the Balls’
- ‘Shot of Love’
- ‘Let’s Make It’
- ‘Goodbye & Good Riddance to Bad Luck’
- ‘If You Dare’
- ‘The Furor’
- ‘The Honey Roll’
- ‘Burnin’ You Alive’
- ‘Love Bomb’
- ‘Caught With Your Pants Down’
- ‘Whiskey on the Rocks’
- ‘House of Jazz’
- ‘Hold Me Back’
- ‘Can’t Stand Still’
- ‘Can’t Stop Rock ‘n’ Roll’
- ‘Damned’
- ‘Come and Get It’
- ‘All Screwed Up’
- ‘Give It Up’
- ‘Skies on Fire’
- ‘Smash ‘n’ Grab’
- ‘Spoilin’ for a Fight’
- ‘Wheels’
- ‘Decibel’
- ‘Stormy May Day’
- ‘She Likes Rock ‘n’ Roll’
- ‘Money Made’
- ‘Rock ‘n’ Roll Dream’
- ‘Rocking All the Way’
- ‘Rock the Blues Away’
- ‘Miss Adventure’
- ‘Dogs of War’
- ‘Hard Times’
- ‘Rock the House’
- ‘Sweet Candy’
- ‘Emission Control’
- ‘Realize’
- ‘Rejection’
- ‘Through the Mists of Time’
- ‘Kick You When You’re Down’
- ‘Witch’s Spell’
- ‘Wild Reputation’
- ‘No Man’s Land’
- ‘Systems Down’
- ‘Money Shot’
- ‘Code Red’
When was AC/DC’s last tour?
Though the band have made a few guest appearances at various festivals and other artists’ gigs over the past few years, their last full tour was eight years ago in 2016. The tour was for their Rock or Bust album. It started on April 10th, 2015, at the Empire Polo Club in Indio and ended on September 20th, 2016, at the Wells Fargo Center in Philadelphia.
Since then, Angus Young has performed with fellow rockstars Guns N’ Roses, and Axl Rose has done a few shows singing AC/DC songs, but other than that, apart from the appearances referenced above, the band haven’t fully taken to the stage for some time. There’s no doubt if they were to announce a tour, fans would flock to see their favourite rock icons, given it has been so long since they’ve had a chance to.
What is the current AC/DC line-up?
The band, unfortunately, do not have their original line-up, as some of the founding members are no longer with us today. Bon Scott passed away on February 19th, 1980, due to alcohol poisoning. He was replaced by Brian Johnson, who has since cemented himself as an AC/DC legend in his own right, consistently paying homage to Scott without trying to replicate him.
Additionally, rhythm guitarist and one of the chief songwriters, Malcolm Young, passed away on November 18th, 2017. Taking over guitar duties since his passing is Stevie Young, the nephew of Angus and Malcolm. Other band members include Brian Johnson on vocals, Angus Young on lead guitar, and Phil Rudd on drums.
Longstanding touring bassist Cliff Williams will no longer be involved in the band. AC/DC have since confirmed Jane Addiction’s Chris Chaney will be deputising for him on their 2024 run of dates.
What does AC/DC stand for?
The literal meaning behind the band name isn’t the most rock and roll thing in the world. AC/DC is an abbreviation of ‘Alternating current/direct current’ electricity. These are both different flows of electricity, with alternating current meaning the flow of electric charge that periodically reverses direction, whilst direct current is a flow of electricity that only moves in one direction.
Angus and Malcolm chose the name as they thought the reference to electricity represented the band’s raw energy. The meaning behind it also influenced a lot of their early work, for instance, the lightning bolt imagery used in their name and their debut album title, High Voltage.
