Wednesday, June 24, 2009

Amsterdamnation

I hope you had a superblast last night in Amsterdam!
Here's some eye candy for those about to rock, but couldn't make it to Amsterdam. Or also for those who just like to relive it - from another angle:

Photos (Prettydisorder)
Article (RTL)
Article (Parool)

Tuesday, June 23, 2009

Have fun in Amsterdam tonight!


I hope you all have a blast and a real Amsterdamnation tonight (and a safe trip home)! Post your reviews!

Saturday, June 13, 2009

AC/DC Stade de France Paris!


Last night, the Stade de France in Paris was the scene for 80.000 crazy AC/DC fans to witness the band perform in France for the 4th time this year. ACDC Belgium had to be there after all the testimonials we heard about the energetic enthusiasm of the French crowds at previous shows. See some nice footage from around the Stade here (incredibbly hilarious - as from 1min40). The closer we got to Paris, the more AC/DC fans we could spot. Arrival at the stadium was very friendly and warm, Angus look-a-likes were shaking hands and taking pictures, drinking beers and some of them were stuffing themselves with hamburgers to secure a certain level of calory intake.

I must admit that things litterally heated up already during the course of the afternoon when a 25°C heat wave sucked the water out of our bodies while waiting for the gates to open and storm the "pelouse d'or" (fancy French name for the standing fanclub pit upfront). Technical difficulties during the sound check did not help when gates finally opened about an hour behind on schedule. Ordering beers was rather difficult, but their size (50cl) largely compensated that. It makes me laugh when I think that our neighbours in the south offer (sell with a higher margin is actually a better way to describe it: 6 € per pint) larger pints while our neighbours in the north (the Netherlands) sell much smaller ones than in Belgium. That underlines the typical Belgian compromise philosophy, I guess. Not too many spectators present yet for the first band: Café Bertrand, a typical (?) french hardrock band.

I missed most of The Answer, while I was queueing for both toilets and beer, but they started of energetic as always with lots of "merci beacoups". When halfway a sound technician messed with the volume, it became clear that their show would have been loads better at louder volume. During the break the Stade was portraying commercials for the AC/DC show, anounced by the sound of the Hell's Bell. Everytime this would make the crowd cheer.


Outside temperature in the meantime came down a bit with the sun being hid behind the Stade's walls. That drastically changed when the Rock 'n Roll train video hit the huge video screen. The band in great shape as most of the other times and particularly into pleasing the French crowd. It is true that the crowd was heavier than anywhere else. Holding tight to the mojo barrier beside us (Mal's side against cat walk) and trying to breath normally, a weird heating effect was playing: barrier right temperature was about 23°C and from barrier left an everlasting heat wave (must have been 40°C+) tried to escape from the pit. No wonder that after 6 songs a thunderstorm emerged, marked with the occasional Thunderstruck. No changes in the setlist (while everyone was silently hoping that Ride On would be added), but it was the first time that I heard Dog Eat Dog live: Brian is doing this track with impeccable brio and incredible voice!

Instead of rocking all the way during Let There Be Rock, this time I had to stay focussed on survival. Very nice show and atmosphere, thousands € worth of devil horned lighting, friendly crowd and excellent well deserved hotel afterwards! We salute you Paris!

More nice pictures: here.

Monday, June 8, 2009

Ac/Dc fan packs now available in Belgium

De volgende 4 geremasterde AC/DC albums zijn nu verkrijgbaar als limited edition box set: For Those About to Rock, Back in Black, Highway to Hell en High Voltage. Bij de aanblik van de mooie cardboard doosjes, kreeg in last van een klein gevoel van nostalgie: het doosje (met daarin een cd, key ring, gitaar pick, een sticker en een tijdelijke tattoo) heeft erg veel weg van een mini uitvoering van de op vinyl verschenen 3 LP box met daarin Dirty Deeds, Powerage en High Voltage. Het concept is niet nieuw dus, maar het ziet er wel leuk uit - en betaalbaar! Een aanrader voor wie de muziek nog niet op CD heeft! Ook de Live at Donnington DVD is nu opnieuw beschikbaar als limited edition.
The following 4 remastered AC/DC albums are available as limited edition box seg: For Those About to Rock, Back in Black, Highway to Hell and High Voltage. I became rather nostalgic when opening this beautiful cardboard box: it looks a lot like the boxed LP set with Dirty Deeds, Powerage and High Voltage from the early 80's. This one has also some accessories: a key chain, guitar pick, a sticker and a temporary tattoo. So the concept isn't new, but it has a nice (affordable) touch to it. Ideal pick up for those who don't have these on CD yet. The Live at Donnington DVD has also been reissued as a limited edition.

Sunday, June 7, 2009

1 on 40 Australians plan to see AC/DC's Black Ice tour!

Ongeveer 1 op 40 Australiërs is van plan om AC/DC's Black Ice tour bij te wonen begin volgend jaar. Volgens de organisatie werden een half miljoen tickets in no time verkocht. Dat maakt de Black Ice tour de snelst verkopende tour ooit in het land van de kangeroes. Er werden twee extra concerten ingelegd in Sydney en Melbourne nadat de eerste show uitverkocht in 10 minuten. Perth en Brisbane hebben allebei ook een tweede show uitverkocht. Perth was zelfs uitverkocht in 7 minuten tijd!

About one in every 40 Australians plan to see rock legends AC/DC when their Black Ice tour comes Down Under early next year. Promoters say about 500,000 tickets were sold in no time. That makes it the fastest-selling concert tour ever offered in Australia. Two extra concerts have been added in both Sydney and Melbourne after the first sold out within 10 minutes. Perth and Brisbane have each sold out a second concert. Fans in Perth bought all the tickets for the first concert in just seven minutes.