Picture this: it’s a perfect spring evening at the legendary Rose Bowl—70,000 fans packed into the stands, faces glowing with anticipation. The kind of crowd that spans generations: parents who grew up on Back in Black, kids discovering rock glory on You Shook Me All Night Long, and everyone in between wearing devil horns and air-guitar smiles.
The Pretty Reckless kicked things off, laying down a fiery, rock-charged opening set full of attitude and swagger. You could tell they warmed up the crowd just right—Taylor Momsen channeled a ‘70s punk queen energy with every note, her stage presence pure magnetism.
Then came the lights dimming for AC/DC. The roar. The raw electricity. Angus Young exploded onto the stage in his schoolboy uniform, guitar shining, legs pumping, and instantly you knew: this is more than just a concert. It’s a full-on rock resurrection.
Setlist
Let’s get into the exact setlist—this was a 21-song onslaught of favorites and fire:
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If You Want Blood (You’ve Got It)
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Back in Black
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Demon Fire
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Shot Down in Flames
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Thunderstruck
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Have a Drink on Me
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Hells Bells
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Shot in the Dark
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Stiff Upper Lip
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Highway to Hell
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Shoot to Thrill
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Sin City
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Rock ’n’ Roll Train
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Dirty Deeds Done Dirt Cheap
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High Voltage
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Riff Raff
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You Shook Me All Night Long
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Whole Lotta Rosie
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Let There Be Rock
Encore:
20. T.N.T.
21. For Those About to Rock (We Salute You)
(Opening act: The Pretty Reckless; start time for AC/DC was around 8:30 PM.)
The Energy
The crowd exploded from the moment Angus shredded the first chords of “If You Want Blood.” That iconic guitar riff ripped through the stadium like lightning, setting the tone for what turned into an unforgettable night.
Brian Johnson—despite being 77—delivered vocals that were gritty, spirited, and unmistakably AC/DC. Sure, time’s left its mark, but when he belted out those choruses, you could still feel the old magic. It wasn’t perfect, but it was earnest, and that’s what made it so damn right.
Angus? He didn’t miss a step. Jumping, bouncing, soloing like a man half his age, he was a one-man force of nature. And then there’s Stevie, Chris Chaney, and Matt Laug—solid, tight, and delivering thundering grooves. Watching them rip through “Thunderstruck” and “Highway to Hell” was like being inside a living, breathing rock machine.
Visually, it was a spectacle—bursts of lightning on the screens, dramatic lighting, and the sheer adrenaline of the band made the stage feel like its own realm. You couldn’t just watch—your heart synced with every beat of “Hells Bells,” every blast of “TNT.”
Highlights & Crowd Moments
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“Thunderstruck” hit like a tidal wave. That opening scream, those lightning bolts from the guitar… the stadium erupted. It’s one thing to know you’re at an AC/DC concert; it’s another to feel that anthem sweep the whole building into one singular roar.
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“Rock ‘N’ Roll Train” brought that new-school AC/DC swagger—modern, raw, and relentless.
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“You Shook Me All Night Long” got people singing at the top of their lungs. Families, fans, random strangers—they all joined in in one massive karaoke moment.
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The encore was a knockout. “T.N.T.” showed off that playful cockiness, while “For Those About to Rock (We Salute You)” closed the night in a salute of cannon fire and communal joy.
The Vibe
This show had heart, heat, and heritage. It wasn’t about reinvention—it was about shaking the rafters with what they do best. There was a sense of history, of time compressing down to those riffs and shouts and crowd high-fives.
I felt like I was part of something that transcended generations. Grandparents nodding along next to teens pumping fists, everyone united under that raw rhythm. No pretension, no gimmicks—just pure, sweat-drenched, unapologetic rock ‘n’ roll.
There was a bit of that familiar AC/DC formula, yeah. You could predict some of it—you expect Back in Black, Highway to Hell, Let There Be Rock. But when the band executes it like this, who cares about predictability? It’s a slam dunk every time.
Tiny Quibbles
If I’m being nitpicky: a few of the vocals felt buried in the mix—Brian wasn’t always front-and-center, especially during songs like “Hells Bells.” And stadium acoustics can be tricky—some corners probably echoed a bit. But inside the heart of it, up close? Pure bliss.
Final Thoughts
If you were there, you know. It was one of those nights that sticks with you—when you can still feel the rumble in your chest days later, and every time you play one of those tracks, your soul just remembers.
This concert wasn’t a farewell—it was a reminder that rock’s heart still beats strong. AC/DC didn’t reinvent anything, but they reminded us why we fell in love with rock in the first place. It was sweat, strings, and a little bit of swagger from a band that’s earned the right to storm stadiums—and hearts—like this.
So, Rock ‘n’ Roll Train, Full Throttle Fan, and Devil’s Horns Up. That’s AC/DC at the Rose Bowl on April 18, 2025. And man, what a ride.
The Videos