Photos and review by ALYSON CAMUS
PASADENA, Calif. – A stadium will never be my first choice of venue for concerts, but it’s often the only way to see legendary acts like the Stones, Paul McCartney, or AC/DC. The iconic Australian hard rock band might be on its final tour, and since their Power Up tour – launched last year in Europe – included a stop at the Rose Bowl, it was the perfect opportunity to experience one of those over-the-top rock stadium shows in all its gigantic glory once again.
It’s something of a miracle that AC/DC still exists in 2025. Malcolm Young, who founded the band with his brother Angus in 1973, retired in 2014 for health reasons and sadly passed away in 2017. Singer Brian Johnson suffered from hearing problems after fronting one of the world’s loudest bands for 35 years, and in 2016, Guns N’ Roses’ Axl Rose stepped in to replace him on tour.
Today, Angus Young is the only original member remaining, considering that Brian Johnson joined the band after Bon Scott’s death in 1980. While purists often favor the Bon Scott era, Johnson – and his signature cap – has become an essential part of the AC/DC legend. So has his distinctive voice, capable of reaching heights that helped define the soaring thrill of AC/DC’s sound. Sure, at 77, the same purists might argue that his voice isn’t what it used to be and is now more buried in the mix – but again, he’s 77 and still tearing up the stage like few others can.
So is Angus Young, who, at 70, is still in near-constant motion throughout their 135-minute show – repeatedly pulling off Chuck-Berry-style duck walks with his guitar and leaping into the air at the end of nearly every song. He remains the star of the show, with his long white hair sticking out from under a red cap that perfectly matches his signature schoolboy uniform. He still looks like a mischievous kid straight out of class, armed with an inimitable guitar tone, technique and style. During “Sin City,” he vigorously wiped his tie along the fretboard of his guitar, stomped down the long catwalk multiple times, and delivered solo after solo to a visibly thrilled crowd. It might be too much to expect a 70-year-old to move with the same combustible energy he had in his twenties – but his roughly 20-minute guitar solo during “Let There Be Rock” was nothing short of epic.
Backed by the current rhythm section – including Stevie Young who replaced his late uncle Malcolm Young, bassist Chris Chaney, and drummer Matt Laug – the show was an ear-splitting triumph powered by a towering wall of 27 Marshall amplifiers. “We’re gonna play some rock and roll and have a party,” Brian Johnson said after the opening song “If You Want Blood (You’ve Got It).” “Won’t you join us?” There wasn’t much talking for the rest of the night, but there was certainly no shortage of rock and roll. At no point did the band or the crowd seem anything less than thrilled to be there. Among the wide array of merchandise on sale, the standout hit was the plastic red devil horns with flashing lights inside. Judging by the magical view from my seat, they were a massive success as many of the 90,000 attendees wore them proudly, creating a sea of twinkling red lights that lit up the stadium all night long.
Setlist-wise, it was probably more or less the same show AC/DC has been delivering for decades, packed with hits like (among others) “Back in Black,” “Thunderstruck,” “Hells Bells,” “Highway to Hell,” “You Shook Me All Night Long,” T.N.T.”… But the thrill of hearing this powerhouse music live remains completely intact.
On top of that, there was all the spectacle that a full-blown stadium show can deliver. A giant bell bearing the band’s logo descended over the stage during “Hells Bells.” At one point, Angus Young stood on a rising platform at the far end of the catwalk and, while lying on his back, he used his feet to spin himself in a circle, tore through another epic solo, as massive clouds of confetti exploded overhead. And for the grand finale, a battery of cannons flanking the stage fired during “For Those About to Rock (We Salute You),” before fireworks lit up the sky to close out their megawatt spectacle.
While revisiting their career full of mega-hits, the band also included “Demon Fire” and “Shot in the Dark,” two tracks from their 2022 album – the one that gave the Power Up Tour its name. Fan favorites like “Highway to Hell,” “Thunderstruck,” “Dirty Deeds Done Dirt Cheap,” and “You Shook Me All Night Long” received the biggest responses from fans, with sing-alongs that only cranked up the decibel level. The thunderous riffs of their signature blues-infused hard rock, combined with the roar of the crowd, made the night so loud that residents of Pasadena might have caught a few songs echoing through the air.
Though there were brief pauses between songs, the band hardly stopped to catch their breath until the very end of the show. They disappeared for a short moment after Angus’s epic freestyle during “Let There Be Rock,” then returned for a blistering encore of “T.N.T.” and “For Those About to Rock (We Salute You),” complete with cannons – faithful replicas of those on the album cover – and a final burst of fireworks.
This high-powered finale perfectly captured the explosive, incendiary spirit of their primal sound. Back in the ’80s, no one could have predicted that AC/DC would still be selling out 90,000-seat stadiums in 2025 – but their longevity is a testimony of the power of rock and roll, and, as they’ve always said, it’s a long way to the top.
Setlist
If You Want Blood (You’ve Got It)
Back in Black
Demon Fire
Shot Down in Flames
Thunderstruck
Have a Drink on Me
Hells Bells
Shot in the Dark
Stiff Upper Lip
Highway to Hell
Shoot to Thrill
Sin City
Rock ‘n’ Roll Train
Dirty Deeds Done Dirt Cheap
High Voltage
Riff Raff
You Shook Me All Night Long
Whole Lotta Rosie
Let There Be Rock (with Angus Young guitar solo)
Encore:
T.N.T.
For Those About to Rock (We Salute You)
