On my 18th birthday I was expecting to get a cheesy card and a little bit of cash from my mom. I was right about the cheesy card, but instead of cash, I got a ticket to go see the greatest rock band of all time. All my life I had wanted to see AC/DC in concert, and on August 18, 2009 that dream came true. Unfortunately the concert was being played in Grand Rapids, MI an eight hour drive from La Crosse. My mom, sister, and I made the long road trip and had an experience we would never forget.
We picked a nice hotel in Grand Rapids because we were hoping the band would pick the same one and we would possibly get some autographs. When we got to the hotel in Grand Rapids, there were people everywhere wearing AC/DC apparel. Before we left for the concert, we heard rumors that AC/DC was, in fact, going to be at our hotel later that night, or the next morning.
We got to Van Andel Arena in Grand Rapids where everywhere you looked there were fans decked out in their fan gear more than I have ever seen at any other concert. We got our drinks and concert tee’s before the lines got to ridiculous. We watched the opening band called The Answer. It was a pretty good performance but it was nothing compared to what we were about to see. About 30 minutes after The Answer was finished, Van Andel Arena went pitch black and the crowd erupted.
Instead of having me describe to you what the opening of the concert was like, I’m going to let you see it for yourself. The first video is of the actual start of the concert and the second one is a closer up view of the first song.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LQ5BdmzwGLk
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EKU6gZlairs&feature=related
The best thing about the concert was that it was always rocking. AC/DC never took any breaks and they really didn’t play any slow songs. Everything they played pumped the crowd up and kept the energy flowing. They played a pretty big set list consisting of 20 songs. Five of the songs they played were off their new album titled Black Ice. The only bad thing was that they couldn’t play longer. AC/DC has so many hit songs that it was impossible to be able to play all of them. Some of the songs that I wish they would have played were Girls Got Rhythm, Money Talks, It’s a Long Way to the Top, and Big Balls. The songs they did play consists of:
Set list:Rock N' Roll Train Hell Ain't a Bad Place to Be Back in Black Big Jack Dirty Deeds Done Dirt Cheap Shot Down in Flames Thunderstruck Black Ice The Jack Hells Bells Shoot to Thrill War Machine High Voltage You Shook Me All Night Long T.N.T. Whole Lotta Rosie Let There Be Rock Encore:Highway To HellFor Those About To Rock
We got back to the hotel around 12:30 in the morning. I stayed up until 2:00 hoping that the band would walk into the bar at the hotel (and because there was no way I was sleeping anytime soon). At 2:00 I decided to go back to the room. The next morning I heard that AC/DC arrived at the hotel around 2:45. Sure enough when I went out to the car, I saw two limos and two tour buses. I was pretty mad that I didn’t stay up for another 45 min. I got over it pretty quickly because in my eyes, I had just seen the best band that has ever set foot on this earth.
We picked a nice hotel in Grand Rapids because we were hoping the band would pick the same one and we would possibly get some autographs. When we got to the hotel in Grand Rapids, there were people everywhere wearing AC/DC apparel. Before we left for the concert, we heard rumors that AC/DC was, in fact, going to be at our hotel later that night, or the next morning.
We got to Van Andel Arena in Grand Rapids where everywhere you looked there were fans decked out in their fan gear more than I have ever seen at any other concert. We got our drinks and concert tee’s before the lines got to ridiculous. We watched the opening band called The Answer. It was a pretty good performance but it was nothing compared to what we were about to see. About 30 minutes after The Answer was finished, Van Andel Arena went pitch black and the crowd erupted.
Instead of having me describe to you what the opening of the concert was like, I’m going to let you see it for yourself. The first video is of the actual start of the concert and the second one is a closer up view of the first song.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LQ5BdmzwGLk
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EKU6gZlairs&feature=related
The best thing about the concert was that it was always rocking. AC/DC never took any breaks and they really didn’t play any slow songs. Everything they played pumped the crowd up and kept the energy flowing. They played a pretty big set list consisting of 20 songs. Five of the songs they played were off their new album titled Black Ice. The only bad thing was that they couldn’t play longer. AC/DC has so many hit songs that it was impossible to be able to play all of them. Some of the songs that I wish they would have played were Girls Got Rhythm, Money Talks, It’s a Long Way to the Top, and Big Balls. The songs they did play consists of:
Set list:Rock N' Roll Train Hell Ain't a Bad Place to Be Back in Black Big Jack Dirty Deeds Done Dirt Cheap Shot Down in Flames Thunderstruck Black Ice The Jack Hells Bells Shoot to Thrill War Machine High Voltage You Shook Me All Night Long T.N.T. Whole Lotta Rosie Let There Be Rock Encore:Highway To HellFor Those About To Rock
We got back to the hotel around 12:30 in the morning. I stayed up until 2:00 hoping that the band would walk into the bar at the hotel (and because there was no way I was sleeping anytime soon). At 2:00 I decided to go back to the room. The next morning I heard that AC/DC arrived at the hotel around 2:45. Sure enough when I went out to the car, I saw two limos and two tour buses. I was pretty mad that I didn’t stay up for another 45 min. I got over it pretty quickly because in my eyes, I had just seen the best band that has ever set foot on this earth.
I always thought AC/DC would make a phenomonal Super Bowl half time show. How sweet would that be?
ReplyDeleteThat's so cool that you've got to see AC/DC in concert! I would definitely go if i ever got the chance, that's one unforgettable experience. :) It's funny because the high school i graduated from in Tennessee, everytime we would have football or basketball game they played "back in black" our purfect theme song ha.
ReplyDeleteYeah I totaly agree Alex. Its the super bowl, why not get the crowd all pumped up?
ReplyDeleteIf you really want to see them Tiffany I am trying to get some people to go to a show coming up in Millwaukee. And yeah they are a great pump up band so it would be perfect before a basketball game.
ReplyDeleteI want to go to a concert so bad. I have never been to one before. AC/DC would be a neat concert to go too. I would be irate if I just missed AC/DC by just 45 minutes!
ReplyDelete