"Black Ice" Mania in the US & Worldwide

October 19, 2008

With 24 hours left until stores in the US unleach this year's most anticipated album "Black Ice," it's hard to avoid any news of this event right now.

In Manhattan and Los Angeles, Wal-Mart (in conjunction with the band's label Columbia, MTV and their merch company Ant-Hill) are opening two "AC/DC Rock Band Stores," which open at 10:00pm tomorrow night to sell the first copy of the album in the US two hours and a minute later. The stores will be open through January 4th, 2009.

In addition to the Black Ice CDs (available in 3 cover variations and a deluxe edition), the stores will also offer AC/DC T-Shirts (a selection of 9 different designs) AC/DC apparels, and the entire AC/DC CD, DVD and BluRay back catalogue.

Starting Nov. 2nd the Wal-Mart stores will also sell "AC/DC Live: Rock Band Track Pack," with a gaming station at the stores to try the game.

In both cities an "AC/DC Truck" has been driving around town this week to offer listening sessions of the album and demos of the Game. The trucks will be parked in front of the stores for the openings tomorrow.

The New York Store is located at the MTV Store 1515 Broadway in Time Square, and the L.A. Store at Hollywood & Highland.

Most Wal-Mart stores in the country have also set-up similar AC/DC dedicated mini-stores within their retail space to sell AC/DC merchandise.

Starting November 1st, a special edition of AC/DC's book "Maximum Rock & Roll" will also be available at the AC/DC Wal-Mart stores.
The book, which has been described by both critics and fans as the "AC/DC Bible," has a new cover for this Wal-Mart edition, and update on the new album not available in the previous edition from 2006.

VH1 is having an AC/DC Marathon tomorrow, and is now streaming the entire album on its website, in a section called The Leak. Quite ironic when you know what happened 10 days ago... Click here for VH1 AC/DC "The Leak."

"Black Ice" was released in several European countries within the past two days, and is virtually certain to hit #1 all over the continent.

In Italy, the AC/DC logo is being projected on the walls of Rome's Colosseum at night...

In Australia, some stores have broken the embargo and started selling the album on Friday, one day ahead of the official release date, which could make the album chart as early as next week.

The AC/DC Trucks will park at these locations in New York & LA:

New York:
10/16 - Farmer's Market NY at 15th & West Side of Union Square (12pm - 8pm)
10/17 - Military Island (Times Square) (9am - 6pm)
10/18 - Roving New York
10/19 - Wal-Mart & MTV "Pop Up" store at Times Square (9pm - 2am) (Album release 12:01am)
10/20 - Times Square (12pm - 8pm)
10/21 - Spring Street (Soho) (12pm - 8pm)
10/22 - 66-67 Street at Broadway (12pm - 8pm)

Los Angeles:
10/16 - Hollywood & Highland (12pm - 8pm)
10/17 - The Grove (12pm - 8pm)
10/18 - Roving Hollywood
10/19 - Hollywood & Highland (10pm - 2am) (Album release 12:01am)
10/20 - Hollywood & Highland (12pm - 8pm)
10/21 - Universal City Walk (12pm - 8pm)
10/22 - Farmer's Market (12pm - 8pm)

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