Why SIT through an AC/DC concert? By Lisa Quartermain, AC/DC fan from way back
OK, AC/DC fans, will someone please answer me this: why did so many fans SIT through Saturday night's Subiaco Oval show?
We were in block 303 (on the third tier, probably closer to the beach than the stage) but none the less had a fantastic view across the stadium - and of the 20,000 fans on the grass. We didn't mind we were so far back, we were just happy to be there.
But what surprised me was how many fans in our block sat through the entire show, not rising to their feet once - even to anthems such as TNT, High Voltage and You Shook Me All Night Long. It wasn't as though we were listening to Acca Dacca in the car, you know. Our heroes were finally here and giving it large.
My sister and I were on our feet the second the boys ran on stage. Yet those around us stayed on their bums - even during the encore.
At first we felt almost awkward when we realised we were among the few in our section moving our bods to the beat. Granted, we had paid for "reserved seating", but only because these were the only seats offered to us, at $200 a pop, when we booked by phone.
If we were seeing Simon and Garfunkel I could understand fellow fans' frustration at having someone stand during the show. But this was AC/DC. AC/DC! We'd waited a long, long time for this moment and it wouldn't have felt right to just politely tap my feet.
Can someone please shed some light on this? We sat down a few times just so we didn't completely annoy anyone (especially those with ZZ Top beards) but I couldn't bring myself to take the seating arrangement literally for two hours - especially as we were right up the back. Some blocks beyond ours had more people standing, dancing and saluting their heroes, but plenty of fans remained seated, too.
Letting your hair down is what going to an Acca Dacca concert is all about. If I was lucky enough to have tickets to the second gig, I'd do the same again - stand, headbang mildly and punch my arms in the air . . . no matter what the size of the hairy bloke behind me. Actually, I would have thought he'd expect it.
FOOTNOTE: I've copped a pasting from some readers over this and that's fine. It's a forum for debate. But, as I replied to "Notabogan'' who called me One Hardcore Bogan (comment 20 below) and claimed people missed most of the show because of me, I'll just add that I am 5ft 3 , a whole inch taller than Angus Young, so hardly a threat to the masses.
274 comments on this story
Have your say Chris H of Karrinyup Posted at 10:37 PM March 09, 2010 The Author is 100% correct. Its AC/DC - who wants to sit at a concert. I'm 6'2" stood the second the boys were on, just like everyone as far as the eye could see. You wanna sit through AC/DC live? Go buy the dvd losers.
ACDC 4 Life of Sydney Posted at 10:27 PM March 09, 2010 I went to the Sydney Concert on Feb 22 and I only sat down once all night and that was when the support act where on ( No disrespect to them ) as it was said above it just wouldn't have been right to SIT at an ACDC Live Performance especially the last tour . Loved Every second of it and I'm still trying to get my voice back. But everyone has a choice and I chose to stand and so did every1 else in the stadium that night. ACDC ALL THE WAY. Thanks For a Great Performance Guys & Career for that matter
Maz of Perth Posted at 10:25 PM March 09, 2010 When I pay $150 a ticket I want to hear the band/artist perform - not the people next to me/in front of me singing out of key.
I saw them at giants stadium and most people were sitting, I tried to get an angus chant going and it didn't develop. Also, it wasn't loud when people chanted angus in whole lotta rosie :(. I tried. It was the greatest night of my life anyways haha
I was up in the seating at Hampden, and one woman was so drunk she went for a piss, and when she returned she stood for a full 4/5 seconds facing me before she realised and turned back to face the band. Tickets are wasted on some idiots.
El3ment380: I too was at the Giants Stadium show. It was the best show of the U.S. tour, but the crowd was absolutely lame in some areas. I was in the pit, where it was almost like segregation. Half the pit was going balls out, the other could have given a shit. Very odd.
You were at the same show?!?!?!?! Holy shit dude that's crazy haha. I was soaking wet and it was supposed to rain all night, then it just stopped. Amazing.
I was at that show alongside the MSG and Izod Center shows a few months earlier. As for the weather that day, it was a mess. I got out of work (being at a camp in the hot sun) only for it to rain, not fun. But still, it was well worth the troubles, great night.
When I go to an AC/DC concert I'm going to sing and dance and punch the air and have a real good time. You want to sit down and listen to the music and watch the 'show' you are in the wrong place. Fuck off to the theatre.
Or buy the latest DVD of the band...there's plenty to chose from. I wanna get up and get down. Even in all seat gigs in small venues Ive been to, its still jump up and move.
In case it diesn't get posted on this site: ========= Hi Lisa - I'm the person responsible for the letter to AC/DC respectfully asking for a setlist change - you can get a hold of me on the web's best AC/DC forum - acdcfans.net. What you experienced is the very reason for the letter - casual fans, or worse, non fans - only there because seeing AC/DC is "something you do before you die".
These are the people who only came to hear 'Thunderstruck' (if anything at all) and they weren't on their feet because they didn't know any of the other songs. These are the same people who went to the toilet during 'War Machine', 'Black Ice' and 'The Jack'.
Sadly this is what our beloved band has been reduced to - with no regard for the long term fan who has travelled the world following them on this tour and who has stuck by them through thick and thin.
I hope you enjoyed the show despite the losers around you - it's shame you weren't down in Arena 1 with the true fans.
I personally am off to Berlin to see the band's final show and to hang out with German fans who know how to party.
no worries mate. Will do. They take a while to approve the comments though. EDIT: Done. Should be up there fairly soon. You would have seen my comments on there
I have tried to post. Not sure if got on or not. Your post isnt up yet BonLives, Powerage yours is. This is mine
"Wow. I live in the UK and have been lucky enough to see the band several times here on different tours over the last 22 years, and will be in Berlin in June for what could in theory be my last chance. I used to think that seeing AC/DC in Australia would be the pinnacle for me, it being the bands adopted homeland and all. But reading some of your comments I am no longer sure. Lisa I am 100% with you on this. If you want to sit through an AC/DC (or any rock) concert, there are several really good DVD's I can recommend. All the newer ones have You Shook Me All night Long and Thunderstruck on too."
"If you want to sit through an AC/DC (or any rock) concert, there are several really good DVD's I can recommend. All the newer ones have You Shook Me All night Long and Thunderstruck on too."
i guess people can sit if they like (don't know why they'd want to, mind), but the problem is when they start asking others to sit down. That is just plain retarded....
Seriously if someone asked me to, I shit you not, actually say this. "No, Shut the fuck up. This is AC/DC for craps sake. IF you came to sit down and not move a muscle go home and watch the fuckin' DVDs and don't take away the chance for die-hard fans who missed out on tickets by coming here".
that reminds me of a Twisted Sister gig I went to when Dee Snider was demanding that the crowd rose to its feet during I Wanna Rock. One section didn't do as he instructed, so he started to berate them as only he could. Turns out they were in the wheelchair section, and he was abusing them for not standing up...
"No, Shut the fuck up. This is AC/DC for craps sake. IF you came to sit down and not move a muscle go home and watch the fuckin' DVDs and don't take away the chance for die-hard fans who missed out on tickets by coming here".
powerage the time it took you to say that youd miss LTBR inc solo.
Just reply by ensuring they are sat right behind you then mooning right in their face. Leave the old rusty bullet hole aimed in their line of vision for a second or two and they'll soon stand up, and leave probably. Works every time.