AC/DC at Parc Jean-Drapeau: A Night of Rock, Fire and Thunder
It was a beautiful Saturday night in Montreal, and 45,000 fans packed Parc Jean-Drapeau for what would become one of those concerts you know you’ll be talking about for years to come.
The night started with Taylor Momsen’s band, The Pretty Reckless, delivering a solid, straightforward 10-song set. The band was great, as usual, with “Heaven Knows” being the highlight. They were the perfect little appetizer for what was about to be one hell of a show — pun intended.
Then the lights went out.
Suddenly, a sea of AC/DC light-up devil horns dominated the grounds. They were clearly the hottest piece of merchandise of the night — basically the AC/DC equivalent of going to Disney and getting the ears. Looking out over the crowd wearing those horns was quite a sight.
AC/DC wasted no time getting things started, opening with “If You Want Blood (You’ve Got It)” followed by “Back in Black.” Right away, I was struck by just how much energy Brian Johnson and Angus Young brought to the stage. And somehow, that energy only seemed to grow as the night went on.
The band powered through a 21-song setlist, delivering one banger after another. “Thunderstruck” was incredible live, while “Hells Bells” was simply epic. I could go through all 21 songs, because honestly, they were fantastic from beginning to end.
And let’s put this into perspective: Brian Johnson is 78 and Angus Young is 71. Yet watching them perform, you could feel the decades of rock ’n’ roll coursing through them. They’ve been doing this for five decades, and what a legacy they have created.
One of the things that made the night even more special was looking around at the crowd. There were fans of every age — families experiencing AC/DC together, younger fans discovering the band, and old-school fans who had seen them back in the early ’80s. Different generations, different backgrounds, but everyone had exactly the same thing in common: they were having the time of their lives.
During “Sin City,” Angus even decided to play his guitar with his tie. Yes, his tie. And somehow, he made it look ridiculously impressive. It was one of those classic Angus moments that reminded you why his stage persona is so iconic.
Other standouts included “Dirty Deeds Done Dirt Cheap” and “You Shook Me All Night Long.” But then came “Let There Be Rock.”
Holy moly.
I don’t even know if you’ll believe me, but Angus launched into an approximately 20-minute guitar solo, and it was absolutely mind-blowing. Watching him command the stage for that long, guitar in hand, was a masterclass in old-school rock ’n’ roll showmanship.
Eventually, the band stepped offstage, but there was no chance the fans were letting them leave without more.
For the encore, AC/DC came back with “T.N.T.” and “For Those About to Rock (We Salute You).” And, of course, they brought out the cannons. The night ended with an enormous fireworks display, sending everyone home on an appropriately explosive high.
This was one of those nights you remember for the rest of your life. The kind of concert where, years from now, you’ll be able to say, “I was lucky enough to see AC/DC.”
Are they performing at the exact peak of their careers? No. But honestly, they don’t need to be. What they delivered in Montreal was still better than what you’ll get from the vast majority of acts out there today.
For roughly two and a half hours, AC/DC delivered a masterclass in how to put on a rock show — incredible songs, huge production, massive video screens, pyro, cannons, fireworks, and a legion of absolutely crazy fans.
Five decades into their career, AC/DC still know exactly what rock ’n’ roll is supposed to feel like.
And on this Saturday night in Montreal, 45,000 people got to feel it.
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