Angus Young: You Shook Me All Night Long, or at least for two hours on November 12

No probs, Madame Angus Young, you know what I mean....AC/DC (and for me, Angus in particular) rocked us all at the Foro del Sol Sunday night. Like the recent Gibson guitar blast says: "No-one wallops out the massive bone-crunching tone like Angus Young on his GibsonSG." And I mean totally wipes away any doubts when he whips into whichever song they decide to play. Just to let you take a breath, no changes to the set list. Who cares???? The crowd was completely into it, young and older alike. I saw 8 year olds and some well into ACDC's age range. Met some Mexican fans sitting around me--really cool people. The stadium looked over 3/4 full and no one let up in shouting, singing, screaming for the entire thing. No one in my vicinity sat down for any of it--it would have been emotionally impossible to sit down, really.

The weather was clear and enjoyably cool. Really great night for a stadium concert. The crowd was really lively going into the stadium and clearly, they were totally in adulation of the guys. Brian, once again just ate up the crowd´s reaction, and encouraged us to really let it out vocally. A funny thing happened in one of the later songs (the title will come to me any moment now)...Brian just didn´t sing one of the lines and looked out at us...we were singing anyway, so no big deal. Brian picked it up in the next line and as Angus was walking behind him as part of the song, he casually, but deliberately bumped his hip into Brian´s backside, kind of like, whatever, dude! Bet they gave Brian hell over that one later.

I was at the guys' hotel on Wednesday night and the fans there told me that although the band had entered the hotel about 6 o'clock, at about 10 o´clock, no one had exited. I did go back after the concert, but it was really late. Apparently, after a concert or event at that stadium, the officials usually close the metro and everyone has to find their own way home. Great system! Finally found a taxi that brought me back into town. Anyway, no sightings, but okay. I did get to meet them on the previous Sunday. I just keep thinking that I might never get to see them again and, well, you know....

Mexico City if a wonderfully impressive place, so full of history, so lively, the people have all been so friendly, open and helpful! Will try to post more soon, but want the internet-verse to know that Bibi has loved it here. The concert was great, but Mexico City has been even better! Thanks, Angus, for giving me the idea to visit!

Mexico City, pretty cool

Bibi is here and ready for Thursday night, lame hotel internet situation or not. Have my ac\dc tickets, a general idea about how to get there. Mexico City is very pretty, a bit cool in terms of weather. Hope to meet up with some acdc.com folks today or tomorrow. There is country wide general strike today by workers in the electrical field, but so far no disruption for me.

OK, hope to report Thursday night, if not before!

Bibi Meets Angus Young, finally!

You could say dirty deeds were done dirt cheap on Sunday, November 8, when AC/DC rocked the house down with their high-power, explosive, exhausting show. Well, maybe not dirt cheap, but feeling that surge of anticipation when the house lights went down and you knew that FINALLY AC/DC's long awaited concert was about to begin, whoa, PRICELESS!!! The crowd reaction was intense: devil horns flashing, all our emotion pouring out in shouting, fist pumping, Bon Scott screams, and pure adrenalin. The song list was familiar to Bibi and alright! Angus and Brian were electric--Brian was working the crowd, Angus a whirling, duck walking, guitar god. Of course, the hits got the greatest roars of approval, but around me, no one sat down for the entire concert, there was just too much energy coming from the stage to settle down. It was a raucous, wild time, really loud--as God intended a rock concert to be--completely absorbing, life affirming, rock n roll will NEVER die kind of experience. As each song began, the crowd roar would drown everything out and then as everyone sang along, you could see Brian was eating it up, egging us on to total voice obliteration. By the time Angus blasted into Let There Be Rock, everyone was sweat-drenched, nearing exhaustion, but so ready to rock on with the greatest band on earth.

Began the evening with a meet n greet for some acdc.com folks, an experience in itself. What a great bunch of people!Got to show off my flag, too! I was so happy that Rolan coud go with me--he's a huge acca dacca fan, like me, and we had a great time! The evening did take a slight turn for the worse as I was walking to the car: a *x%$# person came up behind me and stole may devil horns! My voice was gone, of course, so when I yelled at him, couldn't hear me.

Of course, the next part, at AC/DC's hotel, led to almost total recovery really quickly. On Saturday night, David and Vanessa (acdc.com-ers from Denver) and I had met, had dinner at Hard Rock and just happened to visit the bar at a nearby posh hotel. While seated there, with a view to the front entrance, I thought I was imaging things when Phil Rudd walked in and scooted quickly to the elevators. But no, a few minutes later, I recognized two of the security guys from Europe with Brian and Cliff! Cliff and his companion got into the elevator, but Brian spent a few minutes with Vanessa and David. I felt like I needed to hold back, after all, I'd had my moment in Brian's sun in Amsterdam. Vanessa and David were ecstatic and I was feeling pretty good, too! So glad I was there!

After the concert on Sunday, a few of us gathered outside the hotel and YES, YES, YES, finally got to meet .... ANGUS YOUNG, ROCK GUITAR GOD EXTRAORDINAIRE!!!! Got to re-meet Cliff, got his autograph and also, really cool, got to speak to the elusive Phil and got his signature. The smallish crowd (maybe 15 of us) then got the thrill of a lifetime when Malcolm and Angus worked our line, one at each end, so all of us got both autographs and, when requested, photos with each of them! Bibi felt really honored that Ross, Malcolm's son, agreed to take the photo of me and his uncle. I could barely speak and at that, I can't say all of it was coherent. Guess Angus has gotten accustomed to that kind of behavior, though. I know others have mentioned this, but until I experienced it myself, I didn't really feel how Angus and Malcolm are so kind and gentle with the fans, so generous with their time and energy, especially after the incredibly energetic, body-punishing show. It meant so much to me that Angus actually listened to what I was saying and responded, although, of course, I was totally blown away that I was even speaking to him. Also, surprized that next to Angus and Malcolm, Bibi seemed like a giant.

Still processing the whole experience and treasuring my High Voltage cd cover that now bears the autographs of Cliff, Phil, Malcolm and Angus. Unbelievable!

Hope to post tomorrow night from Mexico City....hasta la vista, y'all!

Countdown to Sunday, November 8

Even the staid Houston Chronicle is in on it today: Prepare to rock, prepare to salute.
8 p.m. Sunday at the Toyota Center, 1510 Polk.

Maybe the acdc.com group that will be in town will get together; we'll see. Rolan can do my share of the drinking, right? It doesn't seem real, though, the day is finally almost here. Bibi is staying calm, though, and trying not to think too hard about all the upcoming excitement. LET THERE BE ROCK!!!

It's A Long Way to the Top...

...if you're waiting for an AC/DC concert! November 8 is just a bit over a week away and whoa, the waiting is definitely the hardest part. Steve emailed that the New Orleans show was hot! and loud! It's like Bibi has always thought: it's no good if it's not loud.

Been difficult getting over the loss of the cds, but thank the maker for computer music files and the Ipod. Have already replaced two of the key works: High Voltage, Dirty Deeds Done Dirt Cheap. Will make do with copies of the rest until Christmas and make sure to send out a wish list for Powerage, Let There Be Rock, If You Want Blood, Black Ice (deluxe version), The Razor's Edge, Who Made Who, Ballbreaker and Stiff Upper Lip, plus Live!, of course.

Of course, been thinking a lot about the upcoming Mexico City trip. It's finally cool weather here and I've been told it will be colder down south. Just hope I can determine the best clothes to take with me.

Hopefully, Bibi is sufficiently recovered to maintain more regular postings now. we will see...

Kicked in the Teeth Again: all my AC/DC cds were stolen today

Bibi's faith in humanity has been severely tested: all the AC/DC cds in the car were stolen today. It was a beautiful day, the top was down and when it was time to put the top up, all of them gone, gone, gone. The only one left is the one in the cd player, Highway to Hell. Will Bibi ever purr again? It's such a blow, like all the oxygen was sucked out of the environment. All you can say is: a pox on them! What jerks! Bibi was led to believe she lived in a safe neighborhood. Really wondering about that now.

can't write anymore right now; too depressing, thinking of rebuilding from this loss. (sigh)

It's a Long Way to the Top, If You Wanna Rock n Roll

Excerpt from a Buffalo, NY, paper:

As AC/DC returns to Buffalo, some thoughts on the band’s endurance
By Jeff Miers, News Pop Music Critic

Last week, Harper Collins released a book by veteran music journalist (and former Rolling Stone contributor!) Anthony Bozza, beneath the imprimatur “Why AC/DC Matters.” The book is a hoot, but it’s also more than just that — it seeks to undo decades of nasty criticism by claiming for the band’s musical legacy the highest of honors. According to Bozza, AC/DC’s primal art is fully actualized, its apparent simplicity belying the consummate skill beneath.
“You could argue that they’re a metal band and that metal fans are dedicated,” writes Bozza on his Web site ( www.AnthonyBozza.net ). “But AC/DC’s music transcends that. It’s much more primal and fundamental, which is the real case for their widespread appeal. There is a reason that Chuck Berry and all the forefathers of rock and roll started a revolution. It was because there was no denying the electricity of the music and the magnetism of the back beat. It spoke to, and continues to speak to, generations of fans. AC/DC’s contribution to music history runs parallel to that.”
Bozza raises an interesting point. For what feels like forever, the popular wisdom concerning AC/DC suggested the group was a heavy metal act. Most of the folks who’ve suggested as much must not really know what heavy metal is, but oh-so-clearly, AC/DC ain’t it.
In a nutshell, heavy metal is largely a European construct. It is grandiose music, delivered with incredible energy and volume, but its motifs are largely classical. It has virtually nothing to do with the blues. AC/DC, though the band hails from Australia and Scotland, is a proponent of American art forms — most clearly, the Chicago blues of the 1950s and ’60s, and the deepest strains of American rock ’n’ roll. The band has much more in common with the Rolling Stones than it does with Black Sabbath, for example, and its allegiance is to Muddy Waters, Little Richard and Jerry Lee Lewis, not Satan. (Har, har.)
If you took Chuck Berry’s “Carol,” say, and cranked it through a wall of Marshall stacks, you’d get something an awful lot like “Whole Lotta Rosie,” “Riff Raff” or “Problem Child.” The reason so many young people are succumbing to the swank and swagger of AC/DC’s bad boy boogie today is the same reason people fell for Jerry Lee, Elvis and Little Richard; the same reason proper English society was absolutely horrified by the Rolling Stones’ raw sexuality; the same motivation behind a million parents banging on a million teenaged bedroom doors and screaming “Turn that awful noise down!”
It’s the power of that back-beat. It’s got the life force in it.