AC/DC brought their 13-date U.S. tour to a thunderous close in the only city worthy of the finale: the Rock Hall capital, Cleveland. The 2003 Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inductees sold out Huntington Bank Field, where a gloomy, midge-filled evening couldn’t stop fans from eagerly filling the stadium, ready to witness the legends in action.
Opening the night was The Pretty Reckless, fronted by former Gossip Girl actress Taylor Momsen—a band she started before she was even old enough to vote. While the lineup has changed over the years, Taylor’s commanding presence remains its heartbeat. Clad in a personalized Browns jersey with “Momsen 25” on the back, she immediately won over the hometown crowd. (Maybe she should suit up for the Browns in 2025. She can’t be much worse than some of the sorry excuses for professional athletes that went 3-14 in 2024.)
As is tradition, opening acts often perform with a scaled-down setup, saving what’s to come for the headliner, but that didn’t stop TPR from igniting the crowd. Their set, timed perfectly with the setting sun, gave Taylor a chance to admire the sea of glowing AC/DC devil horn headbands in the crowd. “This is what it’s all about,” she exclaimed. The energy in the stadium was already electric before the headliners had even emerged.
Momsen wasn’t too nice to a fellow CleveRock staffer back when she played on Warped Tour. Before shooting a video interview, she emphatically told her tour manager, “I ain’t fucking sitting next to that guy” — referring to the aforementioned Cleverocker, who was drenched in sweat and wearing a ridiculous hat. (In all honesty, it’s hard to blame her. Still mean, though! She seems to have matured since then, and has grown leaps and bounds in her music career.)
Momsen and Co.’s nine-song set started with “Death by Rock and Roll,” concluded with “Take Me Down,” and included highlights “Make Me Wanna Die” and “Going to Hell” in between.
At exactly 8:35 PM, AC/DC stormed the stage. The “Power Up” tour has sparked speculation that it could be the band’s final U.S. run—and if that’s the case, they’re going out in pure rock and roll style. Angus Young (guitar) and Brian Johnson (lead vocals) led the charge, joined by longtime rhythm guitarist Stevie Young (Angus and Malcolm’s nephew; never confused for NFL great, Steve Young), drummer Matt Laug, and former Jane’s Addiction bassist Chris Chaney.
Australia’s greatest export kicked things off with “If You Want Blood (You’ve Got It)” as Angus burst onto the stage in his signature schoolboy uniform. At 69 years old, his energy rivals that of a teenager. Guitar in hand—sometimes just one hand—he tore through solos with his trademark facial expressions. Whether or not he invented the finger pull-off technique is debatable, but he certainly helped make it legendary.
Some fans were anxious to hear how Johnson’s voice would hold up after years away from the stage. The answer? He sounded fucking awesome. For a band whose legacy spans five decades, it’s hard not to brace for age to take its toll. But not tonight. The frontman delivered every note with grit and power, sounding as strong as he has in the last 20 years.
Johnson had previously stepped away from AC/DC (allegedly “retiring”) due to significant hearing loss that he reportedly attributes to his extensive involvement in car racing. I’m a concert photographer by trade, not an audiologist, but the loud volume at his band’s concerts just might have been a contributing factor. How loud, exactly? Dave Matthews Band saxophone player Jeff Coffin, who was in attendance with several of his bandmates and crew ahead of DMB’s show at Blossom Music Center on Friday, registered the volume at 112 db-A. (Any audiologist will tell you that is TOO LOUD!)
Stage production was nothing short of epic. A 15-foot bell descended during “Hells Bells,” nearly engulfing Angus. Flames—both digital and real—erupted during “Highway to Hell.” The stage’s massive wings allowed Angus and Brian to connect with fans on all sides of the stadium. And during “Let There Be Rock,” a hidden 20-foot scissor lift rose from the catwalk to elevate Angus mid-solo for an incredible 15-minute guitar odyssey.
Roughly 45,000 fans packed the venue. The cool, foggy weather was a welcome break from Cleveland’s recent rainy streak. A sea of Marshall stacks (48 total, with just a few mic’d for sound) framed the enormous wall-to-wall LED screens. The production was big, loud, and unapologetically AC/DC.)
AC/DC needs help from an over-the-top production. Their instantly recognizable songs and second-to-none showmanship could stand alone, without any spectacle. Let’s not kid ourselves, though, big venues require big productions, and AC/DC’s was larger than life.
AC/DC gave the fans what they wanted. They revved up the crowd with one of their biggest hits, “Back in Black” (the title track from the #2 selling album of ALL TIME), just three songs deep into the set. If this song didn’t excite a particular audience member, they were dragged to the show by a friend.
Three more songs into the set, another banger, “Thunderstruck,” appeared on the setlist. The loud intro chats of “THUNDER!” and one of Angus’ most blistering guitar solos made this one of the memorable numbers on the evening.
No AC/DC show would be complete without the gents giving fans “Hells Bells,” “Highway to Hell,” Shoot to Thrill, and their signature song, “You Shook Me All Night Long.”
The encore had every soul on their feet. As Angus strummed a single chord and the drums thundered in, the crowd erupted into a stadium-wide chant of “Oi! Oi! Oi!”—a distinctly Aussie expression that echoed through the mouths of 45,000 Americans during “T.N.T.” Angus himself joined the chant, egging on the crowd with glee.
Then came the cannons.
As “For Those About to Rock (We Salute You)” closed out this unforgettable show, 12 cannons rose from behind the stage and its wings, ready for a final salute. Brian’s cry of “FIRE!” triggered a thunderous 21-gun salute, each blast pounding through the chests of everyone in attendance. The night closed with a celebratory extended fireworks display—one final explosion of sound, light, and power to mark the end of an unforgettable US tour. The fireworks in the sky were spectacular, but paled in comparison to the figurative fireworks set off by AC/DC tonight.
If this was AC/DC’s last U.S. performance, they left nothing on the table.
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