When AC/DC lead singer Brian Johnson give up performing in 2016 whereas combating listening to loss, many feared the band’s long term may need come to an abrupt finish. Fortunately, final evening (Oct. 7) at Power Journey at Empire Polo Subject in Indio, Ca., Johnson and his bandmates obliterated any doubts about their ongoing viability at their first present in additional than seven years, reclaiming their rightful place as one of many best laborious rock bands of all time.
AC/DC’s 24-song set shook the desert ground, with Johnson, 76, instantly testing his vocal powers on opener “If You Need Blood (You’ve Bought It)” and sending the viewers into rapture with “Again in Black.” Big variations of “Thunderstruck” and “Have a Drink on Me” preceded “Hell Bells,” which was adopted shortly afterwards by a crowd participation-enhanced “Soiled Deeds Carried out Dust Low cost.” Kudos to whoever considered the $20 AC/DC satan horns flashlight offered on the merch stands final evening, as its widespread utilization within the viewers successfully punctuated the darkish moments between songs and added tremendously to the general revelry.
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Unsurprisingly, when guitarist Angus Younger struck the opening lick of “You Shook Me All Evening Lengthy,” the multi-generational crowd united to sing alongside, and Johnson smiled like a hero whose superpower had been returned to him. Flames shot above the band throughout “Freeway to Hell,” whereas the 68-year-old Younger undressed right down to shorts and an open white shirt whereas strutting throughout the stage throughout “Entire Lotta Rosie.”
Past the hits, the group supplied the stay debuts of “Demon Hearth” and “Shot within the Darkish” from its 2020 album POWER UP, in addition to Johnson’s first performances of “Riff Raff” since 1996 and “Canine Eat Canine” since 2009. AC/DC closed the primary set with ”Let There Be Rock,” with Younger soloing excessive within the air on a raised platform after which on prime of a Marshall amplifier stack. The present wrapped with “T.N.T.” and “For These About to Rock (We Salute You),” punctuated by cannon hearth and a big fireworks show.
AC/DC wasn’t the one group turning again the proverbial clock, as opener Judas Priest additionally defied Father Time throughout its 18-song efficiency. As 72-year-old lead singer Rob Halford proclaimed, “Judas Priest has been heavy steel for 50 years.” Solely Halford and bassist Ian Hill stay from the unique lineup, however the songs on Saturday got here quick and livid, with a delightfully more durable edge than lots of their authentic variations.
When Halford joined the band on stage as “The Hellion” transitioned into “Electrical Eye,” he walked considerably haltingly with a cane to the entrance of the drum set. He remained there for the primary two minutes whereas delivering his trademark high-register vocals, however in a transfer paying homage to Willy Wonka, he then burst ahead unencumbered and proceeded to prowl the stage for practically two hours.
Judas Priest put a deep deal with the hits, and any query about their suitability to fill in for authentic headliner Ozzy Osbourne was put rapidly to relaxation and buried deep beneath the mud of the Empire Polo Subject. The acquainted introductory guitar wail of “Heading Out to the Freeway” was met with an enormous roar, and guitarist Ritchie Faulkner took the lead all evening in offering stage theatrics and guitar wizardry, together with his introduction to the grinding “Diamonds & Rust.”
Maybe no track higher demonstrated Priest’s “we’re going heavy tonight” method than 1986’s “Turbo Lover,” which in its authentic type had extra of a synth/hair steel taste. It was delivered with a blistering tempo, as drummer Scott Travis and bassist Hill drove the purpose dwelling with a pounding rhythm. Elsewhere, the pace and depth on “Firepower” was considerably astonishing for a band shaped in 1969.
Halford engaged the group in a name and response a la Queen’s Freddie Mercury at Reside Assist earlier than the band tore Fleetwood Mac’s “The Inexperienced Manalishi (with the Two Prong Crown) and “You’ve Bought One other Factor Comin’.” After closing the primary set with “Painkiller,” Halford roared again onstage on a bike for a four-song encore, starting with “Hell Bent for Leather-based.”
Within the first massive onstage shock of the pageant, authentic guitarist and songwriter Glenn Tipton joined the band for the 1980 track “Metallic Gods” from the traditional British Metal album. It was simply the second such look since 2018 by Tipton, who’s battling Parkinson’s Illness, and offered one other jolt of power because the present wound down with “Breaking the Legislation” and “Residing After Midnight.”
As an added deal with, Priest revealed throughout the set that its subsequent album, Invincible Defend, might be launched on March 8, 2024. Power Journey concludes tonight with performances from Device and Metallica.
To see our operating record of the highest 100 best rock stars of all time, click here.
