Just got back from AC/DC at the Forum, trying to wind down. It's been a long time since I've been to a show that wrecked my hearing like tonight's did. Tonight was the 4th time I've seen them ('81, *'85 show cancelled,* '86, '91 previously).
I had the "paperless ticket" entry which is something I suppose Ticketmaster came up with to prevent people from scalping the best seats in the house. Basically, you buy your seat(s) online at TM, they give you a confirmation code but you never get a physical ticket, not even a PDF file ticket so in theory you have nothing to sell, especially the day of the show if you're a scalper unless you're going in with the person(s) you sold your tickets to.
I originally got a pair of 21st row seats right next to the end stage in the center of the floor and when a friend bailed a couple days after I bought them, I was able to sell my extra on eBay for a few hundred bucks, thus paying for both my tickets. The buyer met me at the Forum at a predetermined time and location and what I had to do was present the credit card I bought the tickets with at the door, the security dude scans my CC with a handheld ticket printer which spit out a little receipt for each ticket that looked like it came from 7/11 that had the seat number and in we went. Congratulations, TM - nice try. No problem for me but the couple behind didn't have the right credit card they bought their tickets with. I dunno what happened with them but they were freaking out.
After a few drinks we caught some of the opening band's set. "The Answer" was kind of like a more boring, anonymous version of The Darkness. Some solid tunes but nothing revolutionary or memorable.
AC/DC came on right about 9pm on the money and man, they were fucking loud. Not only loud, but really clear, especially Angus' guitar which could have cut through a nuclear blast. Although singer Brian Johnson was a bit buried in the mix, he sounded very strong for the entire show and overall, I'd say the sound was among the cleanest, sharpest hard rock shows in an arena (especially the notoriously shitty sounding Forum) I've heard in years. Following a short CG animated cartoon introduction video on a set of big clear video screens, they opened with "Rock and Roll Train" off the new album followed by what I'd call the only semi deep classic cut of the night, "Hell Ain't A Bad Place To Be."
Of course, as per any AC/DC show, you get the big hits, meaning the four main cuts from "Back in Black," as well as the usual suspects from the Bon Scott era. What breaks the current set up is the inclusion of 5 tracks spread throughout the main set from the new "Black Ice" album. Of those tracks, I'd say "Anything Goes" came off the best. The title track, Black Ice is a beer run song. Interestingly, aside from "For Those About To Rock" and "Thunderstruck," there were no songs in the set from any Brian Johnson album after "Back in Black" up to the new album which is basically a 20+ year chunk of their career ignored.
The band are physically really showing their age. Angus looks pretty creepy these days and someone should tell him it's just fuckin' weird for a guy who looks like a trollish, balding grandpa to be doing a semi-striptease in the middle of "The Jack." Still aside from struggling a bit with the intro to Thunderstruck, he still has all his chops even if he has slowed down a tad as far as running around the stage from the old days. But from a musical standpoint, the band as a whole sounded every bit as sharp and solid as they ever have. The only real complaint I could make was that for much of the show, the audience was pretty tame and at times it kind of sucked some of the energy outta the show.
Overall, a really solid, kinda predictable, but highly enjoyable nearly 2 hour show right down to the silly giant inflatable "Rosie" which gyrated on the huge train backdrop during "Whole Lotta Rosie."
> Just got back from AC/DC at the Forum, trying to wind down. It's been a > long time since I've been to a show that wrecked my hearing like tonight's > did. Tonight was the 4th time I've seen them ('81, *'85 show cancelled,* > '86, '91 previously).
> I had the "paperless ticket" entry which is something I suppose Ticketmaster > came up with to prevent people from scalping the best seats in the house. > Basically, you buy your seat(s) online at TM, they give you a confirmation > code but you never get a physical ticket, not even a PDF file ticket so in > theory you have nothing to sell, especially the day of the show if you're a > scalper unless you're going in with the person(s) you sold your tickets to.
> I originally got a pair of 21st row seats right next to the end stage in the > center of the floor and when a friend bailed a couple days after I bought > them, I was able to sell my extra on eBay for a few hundred bucks, thus > paying for both my tickets. The buyer met me at the Forum at a > predetermined time and location and what I had to do was present the credit > card I bought the tickets with at the door, the security dude scans my CC > with a handheld ticket printer which spit out a little receipt for each > ticket that looked like it came from 7/11 that had the seat number and in we > went. Congratulations, TM - nice try. No problem for me but the couple > behind didn't have the right credit card they bought their tickets with. I > dunno what happened with them but they were freaking out.
> After a few drinks we caught some of the opening band's set. "The Answer" > was kind of like a more boring, anonymous version of The Darkness. Some > solid tunes but nothing revolutionary or memorable.
> AC/DC came on right about 9pm on the money and man, they were fucking loud. > Not only loud, but really clear, especially Angus' guitar which could have > cut through a nuclear blast. Although singer Brian Johnson was a bit buried > in the mix, he sounded very strong for the entire show and overall, I'd say > the sound was among the cleanest, sharpest hard rock shows in an arena > (especially the notoriously shitty sounding Forum) I've heard in years. > Following a short CG animated cartoon introduction video on a set of big > clear video screens, they opened with "Rock and Roll Train" off the new > album followed by what I'd call the only semi deep classic cut of the night, > "Hell Ain't A Bad Place To Be."
> Of course, as per any AC/DC show, you get the big hits, meaning the four > main cuts from "Back in Black," as well as the usual suspects from the Bon > Scott era. What breaks the current set up is the inclusion of 5 tracks > spread throughout the main set from the new "Black Ice" album. Of those > tracks, I'd say "Anything Goes" came off the best. The title track, Black > Ice is a beer run song. Interestingly, aside from "For Those About To Rock" > and "Thunderstruck," there were no songs in the set from any Brian Johnson > album after "Back in Black" up to the new album which is basically a 20+ > year chunk of their career ignored.
> The band are physically really showing their age. Angus looks pretty creepy > these days and someone should tell him it's just fuckin' weird for a guy who > looks like a trollish, balding grandpa to be doing a semi-striptease in the > middle of "The Jack." Still aside from struggling a bit with the intro to > Thunderstruck, he still has all his chops even if he has slowed down a tad > as far as running around the stage from the old days. But from a musical > standpoint, the band as a whole sounded every bit as sharp and solid as they > ever have. The only real complaint I could make was that for much of the > show, the audience was pretty tame and at times it kind of sucked some of > the energy outta the show.
> Overall, a really solid, kinda predictable, but highly enjoyable nearly 2 > hour show right down to the silly giant inflatable "Rosie" which gyrated on > the huge train backdrop during "Whole Lotta Rosie."
The sound was AMAZING! Saw them in Denver last week or so and the sound was shit. Good show, but didn't need earplugs at all. The LA show was loud, but very clear. As it should be.
Angus wasn't moving around too much at the Denver show, but I thought it was because of the altitude (shit... I get winded just running up & down the stairs there, and I work out 3 days a week!) But in LA, he didn't move around too much either. He did have a bandage on his left knee, so maybe he was nursing a previous injury.
Another thing about the Denver show was that there were a ton of parents bringing their kids there. Didn't see too many kids (if ANY) at the LA Forum show.
I also noticed that they played the songs much slower this tour than when they came around in 2000. Still, it was a great show and fun time. The traffic in LA was unbelievable though.
> Just got back from AC/DC at the Forum, trying to wind down. It's been a > long time since I've been to a show that wrecked my hearing like tonight's > did. Tonight was the 4th time I've seen them ('81, *'85 show cancelled,* > '86, '91 previously).
> I had the "paperless ticket" entry which is something I suppose > Ticketmaster came up with to prevent people from scalping the best seats > in the house. Basically, you buy your seat(s) online at TM, they give you > a confirmation code but you never get a physical ticket, not even a PDF > file ticket so in theory you have nothing to sell, especially the day of > the show if you're a scalper unless you're going in with the person(s) you > sold your tickets to.
> I originally got a pair of 21st row seats right next to the end stage in > the center of the floor and when a friend bailed a couple days after I > bought them, I was able to sell my extra on eBay for a few hundred bucks, > thus paying for both my tickets. The buyer met me at the Forum at a > predetermined time and location and what I had to do was present the > credit card I bought the tickets with at the door, the security dude scans > my CC with a handheld ticket printer which spit out a little receipt for > each ticket that looked like it came from 7/11 that had the seat number > and in we went. Congratulations, TM - nice try. No problem for me but > the couple behind didn't have the right credit card they bought their > tickets with. I dunno what happened with them but they were freaking out.
> After a few drinks we caught some of the opening band's set. "The Answer" > was kind of like a more boring, anonymous version of The Darkness. Some > solid tunes but nothing revolutionary or memorable.
> AC/DC came on right about 9pm on the money and man, they were fucking > loud. Not only loud, but really clear, especially Angus' guitar which > could have cut through a nuclear blast. Although singer Brian Johnson was > a bit buried in the mix, he sounded very strong for the entire show and > overall, I'd say the sound was among the cleanest, sharpest hard rock > shows in an arena (especially the notoriously shitty sounding Forum) I've > heard in years. Following a short CG animated cartoon introduction video > on a set of big clear video screens, they opened with "Rock and Roll > Train" off the new album followed by what I'd call the only semi deep > classic cut of the night, "Hell Ain't A Bad Place To Be."
> Of course, as per any AC/DC show, you get the big hits, meaning the four > main cuts from "Back in Black," as well as the usual suspects from the Bon > Scott era. What breaks the current set up is the inclusion of 5 tracks > spread throughout the main set from the new "Black Ice" album. Of those > tracks, I'd say "Anything Goes" came off the best. The title track, Black > Ice is a beer run song. Interestingly, aside from "For Those About To > Rock" and "Thunderstruck," there were no songs in the set from any Brian > Johnson album after "Back in Black" up to the new album which is basically > a 20+ year chunk of their career ignored.
> The band are physically really showing their age. Angus looks pretty > creepy these days and someone should tell him it's just fuckin' weird for > a guy who looks like a trollish, balding grandpa to be doing a > semi-striptease in the middle of "The Jack." Still aside from struggling > a bit with the intro to Thunderstruck, he still has all his chops even if > he has slowed down a tad as far as running around the stage from the old > days. But from a musical standpoint, the band as a whole sounded every > bit as sharp and solid as they ever have. The only real complaint I could > make was that for much of the show, the audience was pretty tame and at > times it kind of sucked some of the energy outta the show.
> Overall, a really solid, kinda predictable, but highly enjoyable nearly 2 > hour show right down to the silly giant inflatable "Rosie" which gyrated > on the huge train backdrop during "Whole Lotta Rosie."
> The sound was AMAZING! Saw them in Denver last week or so and the sound > was shit. Good show, but didn't need earplugs at all. The LA show was > loud, but very clear. As it should be.
> Angus wasn't moving around too much at the Denver show, but I thought it > was because of the altitude (shit... I get winded just running up & down > the stairs there, and I work out 3 days a week!)
> around too much either. He did have a bandage on his left knee, so maybe > he was nursing a previous injury.
> Another thing about the Denver show was that there were a ton of parents > bringing their kids there. Didn't see too many kids (if ANY) at the LA > Forum show.
> I also noticed that they played the songs much slower this tour than when > they came around in 2000. Still, it was a great show and fun time. The > traffic in LA was unbelievable though.
> "The Mighty TB" <partyslam...@sowcawl.ahrahr.com> wrote in message > news:O7mdnZzuhdG8FqbUnZ2dnUVZ_qXinZ2d@giganews.com... >> Just got back from AC/DC at the Forum, trying to wind down. It's been a >> long time since I've been to a show that wrecked my hearing like >> tonight's did. Tonight was the 4th time I've seen them ('81, *'85 show >> cancelled,* '86, '91 previously).
>> I had the "paperless ticket" entry which is something I suppose >> Ticketmaster came up with to prevent people from scalping the best seats >> in the house. Basically, you buy your seat(s) online at TM, they give you >> a confirmation code but you never get a physical ticket, not even a PDF >> file ticket so in theory you have nothing to sell, especially the day of >> the show if you're a scalper unless you're going in with the person(s) >> you sold your tickets to.
>> I originally got a pair of 21st row seats right next to the end stage in >> the center of the floor and when a friend bailed a couple days after I >> bought them, I was able to sell my extra on eBay for a few hundred bucks, >> thus paying for both my tickets. The buyer met me at the Forum at a >> predetermined time and location and what I had to do was present the >> credit card I bought the tickets with at the door, the security dude >> scans my CC with a handheld ticket printer which spit out a little >> receipt for each ticket that looked like it came from 7/11 that had the >> seat number and in we went. Congratulations, TM - nice try. No problem >> for me but the couple behind didn't have the right credit card they >> bought their tickets with. I dunno what happened with them but they were >> freaking out.
>> After a few drinks we caught some of the opening band's set. "The >> Answer" was kind of like a more boring, anonymous version of The >> Darkness. Some solid tunes but nothing revolutionary or memorable.
>> AC/DC came on right about 9pm on the money and man, they were fucking >> loud. Not only loud, but really clear, especially Angus' guitar which >> could have cut through a nuclear blast. Although singer Brian Johnson >> was a bit buried in the mix, he sounded very strong for the entire show >> and overall, I'd say the sound was among the cleanest, sharpest hard rock >> shows in an arena (especially the notoriously shitty sounding Forum) I've >> heard in years. Following a short CG animated cartoon introduction video >> on a set of big clear video screens, they opened with "Rock and Roll >> Train" off the new album followed by what I'd call the only semi deep >> classic cut of the night, "Hell Ain't A Bad Place To Be."
>> Of course, as per any AC/DC show, you get the big hits, meaning the four >> main cuts from "Back in Black," as well as the usual suspects from the >> Bon Scott era. What breaks the current set up is the inclusion of 5 >> tracks spread throughout the main set from the new "Black Ice" album. Of >> those tracks, I'd say "Anything Goes" came off the best. The title >> track, Black Ice is a beer run song. Interestingly, aside from "For >> Those About To Rock" and "Thunderstruck," there were no songs in the set >> from any Brian Johnson album after "Back in Black" up to the new album >> which is basically a 20+ year chunk of their career ignored.
>> The band are physically really showing their age. Angus looks pretty >> creepy these days and someone should tell him it's just fuckin' weird for >> a guy who looks like a trollish, balding grandpa to be doing a >> semi-striptease in the middle of "The Jack." Still aside from struggling >> a bit with the intro to Thunderstruck, he still has all his chops even if >> he has slowed down a tad as far as running around the stage from the old >> days. But from a musical standpoint, the band as a whole sounded every >> bit as sharp and solid as they ever have. The only real complaint I >> could make was that for much of the show, the audience was pretty tame >> and at times it kind of sucked some of the energy outta the show.
>> Overall, a really solid, kinda predictable, but highly enjoyable nearly 2 >> hour show right down to the silly giant inflatable "Rosie" which gyrated >> on the huge train backdrop during "Whole Lotta Rosie."
>> The sound was AMAZING! Saw them in Denver last week or so and the sound >> was shit. Good show, but didn't need earplugs at all. The LA show was >> loud, but very clear. As it should be.
>> Angus wasn't moving around too much at the Denver show, but I thought it >> was because of the altitude (shit... I get winded just running up & down >> the stairs there, and I work out 3 days a week!)
> A whole 3 days? Wow you must be super human!
Well, super human compared to all the other geeks on the internets.
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