P545ORACLE 545 Mon 3 Feb C4 1711:21
1/8
AC/DC Live at the Wembley Arena
There was a time when any AC/DC record
was guaranteed to include at least one
'rock classic'. Unfortunately, the band
have, in my view, been on the decline
since they released their best album to
date "Back In Black".
Yes, I know most bands would have
trouble following up such a superb
record, but the facts must be faced:
BRIAN JOHNSTON may be a good singer,
but he is not as good a song writer as
BON SCOTT. Indeed, even though JOHNSTON
sang on the aforementioned "Back In
Black", it was SCOTT who wrote it
before he died. continues >
BSVs Index - 540 Starfile - 546
P545ORACLE 545 Mon 3 Feb C4 1711:07
2/8
AC/DC Live at the Wembley Arena
Since BON SCOTT died, the band have
only recorded one song in the really
classic mould, "For Those About To
Rock (We Salute You)".
So here we are at the Wembley Arena
about to witness another show on
AC/DC's first UK tour in four years.
The place is packed, the crowd are
going crazy but as the ligghts go down,
I for one still am not so convinced,
mainly because exactly a week earlier I
had seen MARILLION blow away all
opposition on the stage of the Odeon,
Hammersmith.
continues >
BSVs Index - 540 Starfile - 546
P545ORACLE 545 Mon 3 Feb C4 1712:44
3/8
AC/DC Live at the Wembley Arena
But anyway, the lights go down and the
band hit the stage ... now a lot of you
are probably expecting me to say
something like "I was amazed. Tonight
AC/DC proved to me that they are still
a viable force in today's hard rock
scene." Well I'm sorry ANGUS fans but
I'm not going to.
What I did see tonight was a band who
have dropped from being an exceptional
outfit to nothing special. Of course
I've never seen the band live before
and they may have always been like
this. But somehow I doubt it.
continues >
BSVs Index - 540 Starfile - 546
P545ORACLE 545 Mon 3 Feb C4 1712:13
4/8
AC/DC Live at the Wembley Arena
What, then, is wrong? That is the
question to which I am trying to come
up with an answer, but have so far
failed. They could have picked a better
set. "Sin City", "Highway To Hell" ...
I loved the songs on vinyl, but they
didn't come across live.
All I can really say is that AC/DC
appeared to be only going through the
motions. It was all so safe and
predictable; the band knew they had the
audience with them from the start, and
I didn't have to work to win them over.
continues >
BSVs Index - 540 Starfile - 546
P545ORACLE 545 Mon 3 Feb C4 1702:25
5/8
AC/DC Live at the Wembley Arena
There was no danger, no passion; all
the things that make MARILLION so
stunning. AC/DC need to return to the
support act mentality (go out and catch
them before they go back to the bar).
But there are mainly two things that
really irk me about the band. Firstly
ANGUS YOUNG. Now I admit that the guy
is a talented guitarist, and his
ability to cover the whole stage is
entertaining, but why does he have to
spoil it with spots of self indulgence?
I can take his solos when they're
relevant, but his extended run without
the band was tedious. continues >
BSVs Index - 540 Starfile - 546
P545ORACLE 545 Mon 3 Feb C4 1713:01
6/8
AC/DC Live at the Wembley Arena
My second complaint is about the rest
of the band? It must be said that the
rhythm section is utterly faceless.
YOUNG and WILLIAMS never leave the drum
riser except to add brief backing
vocals. WRIGHT does not feature on even
the best of drum solos and none of the
three are given any recognition at all.
It wasn't until the encore that the
band really came alive. A huge black
bell descended out of the darkness,
which BRIAN JOHNSTON proceeded to
attack with a sledgehammer, signalling
the introduction to "Hells Bells".
continues >
BSVs Index - 540 Starfile - 546
P545ORACLE 545 Mon 3 Feb C4 1710:11
7/8
AC/DC Live at the Wembley Arena
The fitting climax "For Those About To
Rock (We Salute You)" - two cannons
rising from either side of the stage to
blast out the cause of the song.
So there we are. I left Wembley Arena
with good sounds ringing in my ears,
but overall I was very disappointed.
They only played for ninety minutes in
all and the stage set was sparse, with
the cannons and the bell the only real
stage affects. AC/DC have released
three good albums and put on a good
live show, but at £10 a seat, not good
enough. by ANONYMOUS more follows >
BSVs Index - 540 Starfile - 546
P545ORACLE 545 Mon 3 Feb C4 1714:14
8/8
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BSVs Index - 540 Starfile - 546
BARGAIN TRAVEL BRITISH RAIL 125(ITV)