July 22, 2015 From 09:00-00:00
AC/DC is an Australian hard rock band, formed in November 1973 by Scottish
born-Australian-resided brothers Malcolm and Angus Young. Not until in 1995 was
I first introduced ‘Dirty Deeds Done Dirt Cheap’ by my brother, since ever I
have been enchanted with Brain Johnson’s high-voltage vocal and Young Brothers’ overwhelming guitar tricks.
AC/DC ‘Rock or Bust World Tour’ is
revealing at wintertime in Helsinki, 2014, and with no doubt we decide this performance
will be our major summer event in 2015, and purchase the tickets in December. AC/DC is an abbreviation meaning ‘alternative current /direct current’
electricity, which symbolizes the band’s raw energy, power-driven performances
of their music, with a lightening bolt separating the ‘AC’ and ‘DC’ and has
been used on all studio albums. The pronunciation of AC/DC is colloquially
known as ‘Acca Dacca’ in Australia.
On July 22, 2015, a drizzling day, we rent
a vehicle in the morning, prepare some snacks, wear the whole black outfits,
and drive on the highway to Hämeenlinna, where a
birthplace of composer Jean Sibelius and a castle town around 99 km away from
Helsinki.
Arriving Hämeenlinna at noon, and at the
main shopping street there already are filled with hard rock biker fans,
chatting and drinking around. We visit Häme Castle for a half day tour; and
learn that this castle’s age is disputed, but its interesting history allures
to find out. Häme castle lost military importance by the end
of the 16th century, its defensive systems were upgraded in the 18th century
with bastions around. In the 19th century, the Castle became a prison until 1953, when massive restoration work started.
Häme castle has been a museum since
1988 and remains a mystic past still.
Driving back to the city mall to park the
rental vehicle, then we have to walk 3 kilometers to get to Kantola Event Park
and expect the concert start. The day is cloudy and rainy, we line up for a
souvenir t-shirt, and wait for the clouds to get clearer. Many fans around us
wearing AC/DC infamous devil horns sparkling the park, the full black t-shirts
and heavy make-ups create a atmosphere that sin city has come.
When AC/DC stage lightens up the tremendous
devil horns, showing the short film on the screen about the ‘man on the moon’,
which introduces that the tour has begun. Angus Young, wearing as same as music
video back to year 1995, a navy blue velvet casquette, a matc hing school
jacket, a pair of shorts and white socks. He rarely speaks or ‘play balls’ with fans but just keeps playing ‘Rock ‘n’ Roll Train’. Angus’ brother, also the
fonder of the band, Malcolm, at Rock or Bust Tour is replaced by their nephew
Stevie Young due to his retirement in 2014; and Phil Rudd is replaced by their
former drummer Chris Slade at 2015-16 Tour.
The set list is ‘Rock or Bust’,
‘Shoot to Thrill’, ‘Hell Ain’t a Bad Place To Be’ and ‘Back in Black’ for the opening. Of course one of my favourite classic
hits, ‘Dirty Deeds Done Dirt Cheap’ also evokes the loud scream, and on ‘Thunderstruck’,
Angus’ guitar creates a long voice wall and the high voltage image emerges. When
the ‘Hells Bells’ jingles, the four independence Bells carved AC/DC marks
stands, dangling back and forth on the stage. While Brain Johnson is leading
the fans on ‘T.N.T.’, I was quite disappointed that the audience around us
didn’t even bother taking up their fists to rage like an extreme left-winger, I
start to doubt if quite amount of these concert goers merely joining only for
killing their boring July, since cheering for the band obviously is not their ‘must-do’.
And here comes Angus Young’s 10-minute
guitar solo. He plays totally selfless as if he were baptized
by fire. Without his signature school uniform, he
runs back and forth, jumps up and down and with his ten fingers never rest. His
antics on stage make him a schoolboy with great talents rather an old folk who
sweats too much. Perhaps that’s the magic of music, the best remedy to prolong
the age of doddering.
AC/DC comes back for the encore after the
stage raining whole lotta rosie golden
drops. Nevertheless, ‘Highway to Hell’ has been such a jinx song while driving
on the freeway, especially if any of who has watched Final Destination the sequel. Still, the atmosphere never shut down in flames, the final fireworks are yet
another climax after countless of the high tides, I yell so much and can not
hear my own voice. AC/DC let not
just there, but every corner be rock.
AC/DC shook me
all night lone. For those about to rock, we salute
you.
P.S After the end of the concert, we are
forced to kept inside of the rental vehicle at the parking lot for over 70
minutes, just because over 40,000 goers are busy exiting Hämeenlinna at the same moment. Luckily, before, during and after
the concert, according to the local report, that there is no incident happening
of harassment, theft or group fight of the day.
Special Thanks: JMH
