How Long Is Ac/Dc Concert?
AC/DC is one of the most famous hard rock bands. It was created in 1973 and has sold over 200 million records. The Australian rockers are notorious for their energetic performances, with sharp guitar chords and the voice of the band’s lead vocalist, Brian Johnson. But just how long can fans expect an AC/DC concert to last? You may be quite surprised by the answer.
An average AC/DC concert lasts about 90 minutes to 2 hours, excluding the opening acts. This is in line with most of the traditional rock music concerts from most legacy bands. Bruce Springsteen, the Rolling Stones, Aerosmith, and Metallica all stick to their concert’s duration of roughly an hour and a half. It’s enough time to perform 15-20 songs while leaving the audience hungry for more of the band’s performances. Much longer, and these aging rockers would wear themselves out on stage.
However, there are a few limitations that need to be considered. It may be as short as 60 to 90 minutes during a concert at a large stadium or at a music festival. However, their headlining shows at the smaller arenas will come much closer to hitting that two-hour mark more regularly. There might be some gasps from the hardcore fans of AC/DC, but they would still feel that it could be longer, and indeed, during their seventies and early eighties, AC/DC used to go on for as much as two and a half or even three hours, depending on the night. But those days are mostly behind them now.
However, two hours of AC/DC in their current state is still enough to give fans value for their money. More songs that will be packed in include Back in Black, You Shook Me All Night Long, Highway to Hell, and many others. Some songs can even go for five or six minutes with extended guitar and drum solos by Angus Young and Chris Slade, respectively. Thus, while AC/DC may not be delivering marathon shows as they used to before, they try to maximize the time they have on stage.
Well, as anyone who has witnessed AC/DC in concert realizes, two hours of Angus Young running around on stage is far more tiring than watching most other groups. The audience is generally left with the impression that they were the ones who staged the set. That is why it makes sense to trim two and a half hours of AC/DC down to a rock ‘n’ roll machine in their fifties and sixties. Doing much more each night would be humanly impossible.
In the latest tours, AC/DC has gone further in ensuring that they use minimum energy on stage. Another change in his performance is that Angus doesn’t perform trademark strip routines during some songs, as it is very exhausting. They also maintain a touring physician with them so that they can monitor their health and endurance levels. This has enabled the lead guitarist, Angus Young, who is 67 years old now, to be a ball of energy in every place that the group is performing. It is not an easy task for a performer who can only be described as being in the twilight of his career.
As for the setlist, AC/DC succeeds in filling their 17–20 song concerts with expected hits. Lo and behold, you will find yourself listening to a whole lot of Back in Black, without a doubt. Usually 7-8 songs from that album are played, although it is always a sure bet that Hell’s Bells, Shoot to Thrill, You Shook Me All Night Long, and Back in Black will be played. Then another 5–6 songs will be from early gems such as Highway to Hell, TNT, Dirty Deeds, and others. Intermingled with them are a couple of more obscure songs to appease die-hard fans, along with tracks from their most recent record. But let’s not kid ourselves—an AC/DC show is simply the greatest hits of those songs fans want to hear. I spent two hours doing nothing.
So how does this show length compare to AC/DC tours of the past? More to that, during their commercial and critical heyday around 1979–1983, AC/DC was performing three-hour concerts. Sets of 20–24 songs were not the exception. But that meant they had to be on top of their game, which translates to being young, ambitious, and full of energy. Reduced to accommodate seasoned veterans in their late sixties, the current show lengths of ninety to one hundred and twenty minutes should be considered a bonus by AC/DC. This full-throttle stadium rock approach means cramming even that marginally shorter run time is an achievement. Other bands half their age don’t emulate one-tenth of the energy.
Thus, although AC/DC could be considered bands that reached their prime and were ready to retire, the time they spent in the spotlight is still capable of delivering an immense rock impact. Day after day, city after city, they give it their all on stage—these songs that have been with us for 40+ years, yet they do not fail to captivate. It is always good to hope that we will do a few more tours behind them, but if we are lucky enough to get 15-20 shows in a whole career, it would be a bonus. What used to be a two-hour concert for headbanger’s delight is now apparently enough to satisfy the band and the fans. Yes, let’s enjoy the moment with this great band while we can still be shaken all night to some of their best music. When the last bell rings, there are only a handful of players who can hold their own against them, not to mention beat them.
