After the June 23 Concert, follow-up

I went back to AC/DC's hotel after the concert and my new friend, Tom, told me that the band had already gone in for the night. He was so downcast about not getting Malcolm's autograph, I saw AC/DC's head of security standing outside the hotel and encouraged Tom to speak to him, just in case there were something that could be done to get the signature. Guess he felt sorry for Tom (maybe me, too) and he told Tom what time the band would be leaving the hotel the next day. I went to my hotel and found that I could get a double room for the next night, but I couldn't get any flight change info from KLM because their computer system was down. Decided that was a sign from God--had to go home. sigh

Tom and I have emailed since I got back and he told me that he did take some time off from work and did manage to get Malcolm's autograph, plus a picture. He also posted some videos on Youtube--pretty good depiction of the excitement and fantastic music at the concert. Also got an email with photo from Eric, who sat next to me at the show. Will work on posting the latest pics!

Amsterdam Arena, June 23, 2009

What a show! The audience was really into it which made it even better. I met some new AC/DC fans--for some it was their first AC/DC concert. I told them they were in for the experience of a lifetime and the guys did not let us down! They were in top form and just rocked us all night long--or at least for about two hours. Highlight for me was Thunderstruck--I had my Texas flag with me and the crowd around me encouraged me to wave it around, but especially during this one. I had a pretty decent seat which helped make this show a bit better for me than the Paris show where we were directly in front of the stage, but given the stage set up, pretty far away. No changes in the song list, so I knew what to expect, but for the newbies around me, they were blown away. It's really cool that AC/DC never seems bored with performing. Although I knew what was coming, it was amazing how fresh the material seems each time AC/DC plays it. The camera work was way better than in Paris and all the closeups showed each of the band members working hard for us, but at the same time, you could see they were having a great time. Brian was mugging to the crowd in his inimitable way--you could see the crowd surging around the stage every time he came close to them. Angus drove us all nuts, too, his unbelievable guitar work just amazing. The screens gave us a great view of Angus's expressions--he was grinning sometimes, while he played--really looked like he was having a fantastic time wowing us. I'd been told that the sound quality in the Arena was bad, but I didn't hear any problems. It was good and LOUD, but no distortion or cut outs apparent. For both the Paris and Amsterdam shows, Angus played the Let There Be Rock (first) guitar solo on a large square platform at the end of the runway from the stage so that he's about center of the stadium playing field. Then a riser comes up from that platform above the crowd where he amazes us all with his ability to play anywhere. At the end of that portion, a huge explosion of confetti erupts, showering those around the platform. Really cool effect!
The downside of knowing the song list is realizing that as each song is played, we're closer to the end of the concert. I really felt it this time--more than in Paris--but even so, nothing can top the sequence from Let There Be Rock through For Those About To Rock in terms of pure rock showmanship and bravura. What a fantastic, unbelievable rush! The crowd was wild, singing with all the hits, jumping up and down, cheering non-stop. This can only mean that I will see them in concert again, right? Since I didn't get to meet Angus, all the more reason to figure out when the next concert date for me will be.

In the meantime, the European trip was a great one for me--got to see some old friends, family while I was there--and with their help, had the wonderful, unforgettable chance to meet both Brian and Cliff. Both of them were such accessible guys, so down to earth and genuinely happy to meet the fans. I can't make a distinction of which one was "better" to meet; they were both truly lovely to meet. I got both their autographs and a picture with Brian. Just to let you know how personable he is, though, Brian not only gave me his autograph and was very patient with the star-struck fans around him, he hugged and kissed me, saying: Thank you, darling, for being here. What a guy!! I'll post the picture asap!

Brian Johnson, what a charmer!

It was so unexpected and at the same time, so easy! Raymond, the Holland cousin, gave me a clue about Amsterdam hotels and near the end of a long day of walking, walking, walking from the hotel to the Hard Rock and then to the Tuschinski, looking for leggings and having lunch by the Dam, I thought that I might as well walk in the completely other direction toward the hotel--or at least in the direction I thought the hotel might be. When I got to the hotel entrance, there were about five other fans who told me that the boys had arrived about a half hour before and had taken pictures with them. They encouraged me to hang around and once I recognized the drivers from Paris, I thought I might as well wait. The security guys that I had seen in Paris came out after a bit, as well, and I hoped that meant we would really get to see them. After only a couple of hours in the gusty cold, it happened! Cliff and Brian came out and graciously came over to us and took pictures, signed autographs for all of us. Brian was so incredibly sweet and patient with us—we were all a bit overwhelmed to be in their presence, you know—and eventually we got ourselves sorted out so that our pictures were taken. Brian hugged and get this—kissed me on the cheek—saying, “Thank you, darling, for being here!” I told him I’d see him tomorrow night for a concert I knew would be great. Maybe it was that I was so cold from standing there, but it felt like being hugged by a teddy bear when he hugged me. I know somewhere in there I told him how great he was as the AC/DC singer—just hope I was somewhat coherent. They left after spending about 10 minutes with us, just so generous with their free time; it really makes me like them even more.Somehow, one of the other bystanders declared himself knowledgeable about these things
and said that Malcolm and Angus wouldn’t be coming out. I was so cold, I wanted to go anyway, so I asked the doorman, who had sort of become an acquaintance by then, about the distance to my hotel from there. He said it was easy enough via the subway, but I didn’t feel up to it, so he said he would call a cab for me. He got busy with hotel guests and who walked out of the hotel, but Malcolm’s son. So much for “Malcolm’s not going to come out”, right? He was wearing the same AC/DC khaki shirt that I saw him wearing in Paris. When the doorman said that the cab was on its way, I thought it would be okay for me to stand on the same side of the passageway as Malcolm’s son. Then, I don’t know where this came from, but out of the blue, I said to him: So, will you be coming to the US this summer with the tour? He said he hadn’t decided yet, maybe. Then, I said: if you have any influence at all, please tell them to come to Texas, okay? He said, Yeah, they were thinking of coming to Texas maybe. And to top it off, then I said, Well, let them know Houston is the place to come in Texas because Dallas is really awful. Made him smile. Just can’t believe I spoke to him at all. What an afternoon!I missed the acdc.com gathering that took place this afternoon (sigh). Guess my lot is to carry around those Paris guidebooks in hopes that I will eventually run into Jennifer. Plan to hit the Reichsmuseum or the Hermitage tomorrow and then go to the hotel from 2-5 pm. Have to be strong on this because I have to get to the show by 7 pm if I have any hopes at all of getting a concert t-shirt from the European tour

Emmanuel, Joel, Emmanuel, Samuel--Great Copains

Just want to be sure to mention these great guys. They were standing outside AC/DC's hotel in Paris and by the time we said good-bye, see you next time on Friday after the concert, I felt like we were huge friends. Now, in my really weak French: J'ai faites la connaissance d'une groupe de mecs genials au dehors de l'hotel ou AC/DC a demeure pendant leur visite a Paris. Nous avons parle d'AC/DC d'avantage et partage nos pensees sur eux. Tous nous sommes grands fans du meilleur groupe rock du monde. Quand nous nous sommes partis, j'ai senti que nous etions grands amis, aussi. Salut, les gars! Vous savez, le prochaine journee, j'ai vu le fils de Malcolm devant l'hotel. Il est reste la depuis les longues heures qu'il (et nous) attendons que son pere sort. Il semble etre un assez bon fils.

Well, maybe you can understand me. De plus, je crois que j'ai vue Samuel dans les nouvelles au tv ce soir et aussi a votre groupe entiere devant l'hotel.

AC/DC ROCKS THE STADE DE FRANCE, PARIS

So unbelievable that I can even write coherently! I said I'd be brutally honest about my AC/DC experience while prowling Europe and here it is (so far): the guys were way beyond fantastic by light years! They were incandescent, they were so on fire. The fans got a show of shows--everything was clicking, in sync, in incredible technicolor and LOUD, really LOUD, just like AC/DC has always said rock should be played. I'm still hoarse from all the singing, yelling, cheering--the crowd was so into it, too! Brian and Angus were fabulous, of course so were Malcolm, Phil and Cliff, but really, the band was hot! Best songs: Thunderstruck, Shot Down in Flames, Let there be Rock, Highway to Hell. And if it gives you any comparison, when they kicked into You Shook Me all Night Long, the crowd's wild reaction and the band's corresponding energy were already past 11--on a scale of 1-10--and that wasn't the best part of the show. Ok, so maybe I'm not so completely back to coherent yet, but maybe you get the idea of the power and kick-ass, no holds barred nature of the concert.

Whoa, I still haven't come down from the high and I haven't even told you about seeing/talking with Cliff again, briefly seeing Phil a couple of more times, seeing Brian for a couple of seconds, and in a way some of the best part of the experience, meeting so many cool people outside the hotel, hanging with them, becoming a part of a fantastic crowd of AC/DC fans--totally fab! My wonderful Paris friends, Marc and Jessica, their lovely children Stephane and Mathilde have really made the trip special--it's their computer I'm using now--I feel like the trip has been way more than I had hoped, already.

Cliff Williams, in person!

omigod, omigod, omigod: BON SCOTT SCREAM HERE--just got back from meeting Cliff!!! My lovely friends in Paris invited me to dinner at their place and after we ate and played a bit of Rock Band, Marc decided we must go for drinks at the guys' hotel. YES, I am vindicated--or the value of the internet is once again demonstrated--I did know where AC/DC is staying in Paris. Incredibly posh place, of course, and the drinks--though really pricey--were good when all of a sudden, Cliff came in and sat at a nearby table! Didn't want to intrude on his time with his friends, so thought, oh, well, the place is fabulous, the drinks and company are great--and I got to see Clliff.After a short time, though, Cliff went over to the bar and a couple of fans there asked for his autograph. Decided to take a huge chance and walked over with my RS magazine and sharpie. Yes, I did have those things with me; better safe than sorry! Cliff was so gracious and is really an attentive listener. I gushed about how great AC/DC was and his valuable addition to the band's work. He took my hand and shook it in both of his, saying how he appreciated my kind words--what a guy!! Told him Marc and I would see him on Friday and he commented on how although Paris was certainly expensive, it was a great town to be in.What a night!!!

Really can't wait until tomorrow night! Just got into Paris on Thursday morning, haven't really slept since I left Houston on Wednesday and it's after 3 am now. But, will defintely be ready for the show. So incredible meeting Cliff!!

Paris--less than a week away!

Lisbon on June 3--review I read: good show. Madrid on June 5 (still saying Happy Birthday to Nana!!). Offered to take her to Madrid for this one, but she wouldn't budge! acdc abruzzo posted some mixed reivews of the show, same setlist, plus it rained, some wind. Fingers SO CROSSED for decent weather on June 12! Barcelona on June 7, Marseilles June 9...AND...June 12...(prolonged Bon Scott scream here)!!!
Have the flag ready, all the pre-departure shopping done, getting crazy packing the suitcase in my head. Trying to stay calm and organzed: the trip doesn't seem real sometimes; other times it's overwhelming thinking about it. Angus, Malcolm, Brian, Cliff and Phil--see you soon!

High Voltage--the first, still so good

For awhile now, my car cd selection has been High Voltage only, over and deliriously over again. When I bought it in mid-December in those early days of my AC/DC infatuation, it was my number three choice after Highway to Hell and of course, Back in Black. Once I heard it, though, I kept coming back to it, cranked up to eleven, listening all the way through each time, eventually wondering why, why, and how Rolling Stone could label it “a new low in rock n roll.” Did that reviewer even listen to any of the tracks on the album? Or, is the evidence all too convincing? Rolling Stone has been an irrelevant rag ever since the mid 70’s. If rock n roll was ever about feeling good and saying it really loud, look no further than High Voltage. Far from a low, it’s a raucously joyous high of a ride through rock dreams and girl fantasies by guys that clearly won some, maybe lost quite a few, but those they won were memorable, possibly even for all parties involved.

Leave aside It’s a Long Way to the Top and The Jack—sure, go ahead try to ignore them—and focus on only five of the cuts: Rock n Roll Singer, Live Wire, Can I Sit Next to You Girl, TNT, and High Voltage (I’ll obsess over Little Lover another time, okay?) and you’ve got a straight on, kick ass, rock n roll set that—raw and ready--crashes the house down. We’re willing captives to a bunch of cocky, rowdy, rock band guys who, in their first album, no less, already know: “I got the devil in my blood, Tellin' me what to do (and I'm all ears). Gonna be a rock 'n' roll singer, gonna be a rock 'n' roll star.” They make no promises they can’t keep: “send you to heaven, take you to hell, I ain’t fooling, can’t you tell?” and play their hearts out night after night, no doubts in their collective mind that they are going to make it as rock stars and/or with all the girls they meet (on their rocking highway to hell): ‘cause I’m TNT, I’m dynamite. When Bon yells “stick this in your fuse box” and Angus lets it rip with his killer guitar solo, well, who can even think straight, much less question their creds? By that point, we desperately want to be or be with these guys--“hotter than a rollin’ dice. Wilder than a drunken fight.”

Moving on to a dive-y bar with a live band, admit it, who hasn’t wanted this exhilarating question on a Saturday night? “Can I sit next to you, girl?” Especially if it’s coming from the no name, kinda cute, wannabe rocker up there on the stage? If he had the guts to ask, could she say no? As listeners, we're outsiders getting an unforgettable and irresistable feel for the rock band life highs and lows, and we’re included as a necessary element of the total experience--so awesome! The crowning jewel among these rubies and pearls of rock gemstones is High Voltage. AC/DC is rarely given credit for lyrical styling, but High Voltage is a superb example of Bon Scott’s diamond in the rough, spot on writing gift. The cool hook is setting the song as a series of questions: from family, or (possibly) a girlfriend’s father, and maybe, one day, an interviewer: why I grow my hair, why I’m in a band, why I like to sing, why I like to play. Only one answer, one reason: the band does it for HIGH VOLTAGE ROCK AND ROLL!!! When Bon screams: wine, women and song, jeez, all the rock elements—words, drums, guitars--come together and the power the music gives the band washes over us mere mortals as we’re swept up in AC/DC’s pulsating rhytm and rush into complete abandon to the moment.

The free for all feel of the seamless collaboration between words and music so evocatively conjures up the band's--and our--rock n roll dreams and adventures, real or only wished-for, that today when we listen, we’re inexorably sucked into a dizzy, wild tumble of right here, right now lyrics with no subtle meanings to confuse or distract us, scorching, pure guts guitar breaks exquisitely laid over heart pounding drums and aggressively hard as a rock bass and rhythm guitars. Just give yourself up to the sweaty, driving, good-time energy and love it, love it, love it.

Whew…anybody for a cigarette? Before listening to High Voltage again…cranked up to eleven….

Paris--almost there!

Less than one week and I leave for the city of light, city of dreams, city of AC/DC on June 12!!! Bon Scott scream here!!! Found a preview--videos from the Bercy show in February: http://www.flickr.com/photos/hibou48/sets/72157614565567066/
Can hardly wait!
Most of the preparations are done, but lots left to do: the Texas flag is almost done. Decided to stay with the Canon I have. Photos in the stadiums are just about pointless anyway. The important pictures are the ones with Angus and the guys, right? Will just buy a new flat iron over there--can give it to Tialda, et al--also cuts down on the luggage. Got the cleaners, but need to do laundry this weekend, wash the car--a cat doing laundry and washing cars, those are really pictures to hold on to! Got the book for the flight/Paris bedside--The Lost City of Z--looks really good. Verified the flight time, the Paris hotel, made the TGV reservation for Amsterdam. And they say cats can plan for only 30 minutes in the future!