Angus Young - Lead Guitar
Malcolm Young - Rhythm Guitar
Bon Scott - Lead Vocals
Cliff Williams - Bass
Phil Rudd - Drums
By David Edwards, London:
Probably one of the two best gigs I have ever attended. (The other being Thin Lizzy Bad Reputation tour at the same venue.). Liverpool Empire knew how to rock. I think the support act was meant to be British Lions (Ariel Bender of Mott the Hoople) but I have a feeling they bailed and were replaced by Export or Marseille (Neil Buchanan of Art attack - ITV Children's program).
The gig started with the lights going down and all you could see were the power on lights on the Marshall stacks and the hum of the valves. Then a pencil torch and Angus picked out in a spotlight on top of the amps. He starts Riff Raff at ear shattering volume. Throws his cap down at the end of the the opening riff and jumps down on to the stage and the place goes nuts. Bon runs out from the side of the stage, I think he was wearing a cut off denim jacket.
The gig is available on YouTube but what you don't get is the sheer energy expended by Angus. I am listening to Bad Boy Boogie with the infamous strip tease and improv section in the breakdown.
During Let There be Rock the blinding lights on the "Let there be Light" line and then in Rocker Angus ran amok in the audience, playing in the Royal box, sprinting up the aisles and duckwalking along the edge of the balcony 40 ft. up in a way no Road Manager would let him do nowadays. He was on Bon's shoulders during Rocker with smoke belching out of his satchel enveloping everyone. I got covered in sweat and smoke and snot as they went past 2 ft. away from me, a very excited 15 year old. It was extraordinary, totally different to the sterile stadium version of AC/DC you see nowadays. That is by necessity but a lot of the songs are more pedestrian now as well. You can't expect a near pensioner to do what he did 45 years ago but it was an amazing experience.
AC/DC were always best in a hot, sweaty, intimate venue, not an Arena or Stadium. Watch Rock Goes to College in Colchester or The Golder's Green Hippodrome show to get an idea of how powerful they truly were.
The one time they supported Lizzy, they blew them off stage. There were VERY few bands able to say that as it was usually the other way round.
Ironically I am writing this 110 yards from where Bon was found dead as I live in Overhill Road, East Dulwich. Brian is a fabulous singer and took them to huge commercial success but Bon was something else. What a loss. RIP Ronald Belford.
By Ian Owen, Wales:
Have to agree with the previous review by David Edwards.
Whoever the support band were, they didn't go down very well and were complaining that people were throwing beer onto the stage, causing issues with their equipment. I seem to recall they cut their set short as a result.
This was one of three concerts that I saw AC/DC play at the Liverpool Empire and undoubtedly the best. Along with my brother (both still teenagers at that time) we went to Liverpool by train and dressed as school boys. We thought we might be the only ones so attired but upon reaching the queue to get into the venue there were dozens of Angus Young lookalikes !!
Bon was definitely dressed in a red colored sweatshirt type top at the start of the gig but that came off after a couple of songs. All other gigs I saw him at he came out in a sleeveless denim waistcoat.
At school the following day, I struggled to hear a single word during any of my lessons.
Happy days indeed.
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