By Kayla Brogan
INDIO – On October 7th, AC/DC made a comeback after a 7-year hiatus from the rock and roll stage. Brian Johnson stood onstage at the Power Trip festival in Indio, California on Saturday night (two days after his 76th birthday) with the rest of AC/DC behind him.
In early 2016, Brian Johnson, lead singer of AC/DC, received news from his doctor that his hearing may become impaired if he continued his role of head singer of this iconic band. Axl Rose of Guns N’ Roses stepped in to complete the group’s "Rock or Bust" tour. However, Johnson regained enough hearing to make 2020’s “Power Up” album, which AC/DC framed as a tribute to founding guitarist Malcom Young, who died in 2017. The band also made plans to go on tour later that year, but their plans soon got changed due to COVID.
“If this is the band’s last hurrah, they’ve gone out with an incredible, weekend-stealing set for the ages” said Classic Rock magazine. Dressed in all black, Johnson stepped on stage and said, “Who’s ready to rock and roll?” to a crowd filled with thousands of symbols of rock and roll. The band opened with the riff of “Back in Black,” one of their most famous songs.
The band’s current lineup features lead singer Brian Johnson, drummer Phil
Rudd, bassist Cliff Williams, and rhythm guitarist Stevie Young (nephew of Malcolm Young).
Fans were incredibly happy to see their beloved band back together after decades of rock and roll. In 1979 the band released “Highway to Hell,” their first record to make it onto the US Billboard Top 100. After that song, the band gained instant popularity and became a name recognizable throughout America.
One of the most iconic aspects of AC/DC is their signature sound. From the pounding drums to the scorching guitar riffs, their music is instantly recognizable. However, it varies from each song; their cohesive nature and strong ability to duplicate sounds in a subtle manner gives their songs variety and depth.
AC/DC finished their set list with their hits including “Highway to Hell,” “Let there be Rock,” and “T.N.T”
Across their legendary career they ran wild and constantly learned how to reinvent themselves. They kept rock and roll alive for more than 50 years from their first album of “T.N.T.” to their supposed last “Power Up.” If this is AC/DC’s last run, at least they got the band back together for one last night of pure rock and roll in front of thousands of adoring fans.