AC/DC share behind the scenes look at their preparations before massive MCG shows
AC/DC will kick off their Australian tour at the MCG on Wednesday night, with the rock legends sharing a behind the scenes look at their preparations before they hit the stage.
AC/DC is ready to rock the MCG, but the classic rockers have one small request before showtime.
“They would like it warmer here, please,” the band’s production manager, Dale “Opie” Skjerseth, said on Tuesday. “They’ve asked when the sun is coming out.”
Their wish came true when a few hours later they performed a sound check under sunny skies.
AC/DC — guitar hero Angus Young, singer Brian Johnson, rhythm guitarist Stevie Young, drummer Matt Laug and bassist Chris Chaney — will open their 2025 Australian tour in east Melbourne on Wednesday night.
And the band is primed. To date, they’ve played 60 shows to 4m people on this Power Up global trek.
Will Keating, also a production manager on the AC/DC tour, said the band, which formed in Sydney in 1973, is still a double-edge sword — low-key by day, rock gods by night.
“What you see is what you get. They’re meat and potatoes, standard people,” he said. “They’re raw. They want consistency every time. ‘
“When they go on stage it has to be exactly the same so they … can do what they do best.
They come on stage and they go. It’s like a stream train. It’s a great show.”
With Johnson aged 78, and Angus, 70, the Power Up tour is deliberately paced for them.
“I work with a lot of ageing acts,” Mr Skjerseth said. “They pace themselves for it. The most important thing is the footing, where your feet land. You need to make sure they’re good, everyone is happy, and they’re comfortable.
Mr Keating added: “We know what they need and we know what they want.”
The legendary rockers also have strict requirements after the show — a hot cup of tea.
“Black tea,” Mr Skjerseth confirmed. “That’s what they do, they chill out. Think about it; they come out and throw down for 2 hours and 20 minutes. They do things none of us would have the energy to do in a week.”
Put simply, they’ve earned that post-show cuppa.
“I know a lot of tea gets drunk,” the band’s Australian tour promoter, Christo Van Egmond, said. “It’s always been that way.”
The numbers around the tour match the massive stage at the MCG.
The sound and lighting is carted in 28 trucks, and 24 additional trucks carry 270 tonnes of steel that makes up the stage.
The rock and riffs are pumped through 28 tonnes of speakers.
It took three days to build the stage, and another day to set up the production.
There are 155 crew working at the Melbourne shows, including 87 on production, and 38 on steel and staging.
Mr Van Egmond said AC/DC knows the prestige of playing at the MGC.
“I don’t think you could ask for a better place to start the tour,” he said. “It’s an iconic venue and an iconic band.”
He said Angus is “really excited” about the Melbourne shows. “They’re happy to be here, they’re happy to be home.”
AC/DC plays a second show at the MCG on Sunday.
Tickets are available from Ticketek.
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