September 12, 2026
AC/DC leave Montreal Thunder Struck and begging for more
Getting onto Île Sainte-Hélène’s Parc Jean Drapeau is a bitch at the best of times, but when AC/DC are in town, apparently it then becomes near impossible to reach. And that’s before we take into consideration the lantern festival that was also taking place at the same time, on the same island.
As they said public transportation would be the easiest way to get to Parc Jean-Drapeau, I heeded said advice and took the metro for one whole stop, from Berri-UQAM to Jean-Drapeau – and it took me over an hour to do so. Now, don’t get me wrong – as much as this spot is a pain in the rectum to get to, I am grateful to live in a city like Montreal that has so many awesome spots for live entertainment – we truly are spoiled rotten in that regards.
See Also: Rush at Bell Center, Montreal
What’s worse, is that a good friend of mine told me how she had friends coming from Ottawa that didn’t even get to see the show, because they couldn’t get to it. They were in line for parking for two hours, just to be told that the parking lot was full and they would need to seek out an alternative plan. I later heard the same story from another person that wasn’t at the show, that he had run into a couple at a gas station that told him the same story. What are the chances of that happening! No seriously, that’s some strange shit right there.
The Pretty Reckless
Since it took me so long to get to the show, I missed the photographer meet and therefore didn’t get to shoot The Pretty Reckless – and moreover, because I had my camera gear on me, I also wasn’t able to clear security and watch the show either. Sadness briefly took ahold of me, but as I sat in the grass on the outside, unable to look in, I realized I could still hear the show. When life gives you lemons… and what ever the rest of that stupid ass saying is. Anyway. I still got to hear them play. That’s something!
While listening to The Pretty Reckless perform, and sounding fantastic while doing so, I couldn’t help but people watch a wee bit. So many had been stuck trying to get to the show as I had, yet not one of them seemed sour about it. Everyone was eager and obviously excited for what awaited them once they were finally through the gates and out of the lines.
With The Pretty Reckless as a soundtrack, even that was a cool moment.
AC/DC
Walking into the photo pit was astonishing. So many people. So many red glowing horns on the heads of those people. Yeah, this is the spot where the major summer music festivals happen in Montreal, and a whole lot of great one-off concerts, like this one and Iron Maiden a week or so back too, but it is still quite the sight to see it from this vantage point.
The energy in the park was electric. You could feel it in the air. Anticipation. I shared the same feelings as they did. No matter how many shows you see or cover, certain ones still put goosebumps up your arms and a shiver down your spine. AC/DC are legends, and I know that word gets over-used and misused so very often, but this is it used in its proper context.
I normally try not to know what the setlist is going to be, as to not ruin the surprise – and always fail and sneak a peek anyway. Tonight though, I thought I had been pranked. There’s no way, I thought to myself, that AC/DC were about to open with If You Want Blood (You’ve Got It). No way. Until, way, they did. I suppose when you have the discography that AC/DC have, with the amount of albums and banger tunes, some of the better known ones will have to filter to the opening of the show.
Then I realized, that means that… yeah, Back In Black was second on the list. Mind blown. That is an encore-level ditty and here it was so early – and it was symbolic of what was to come.
Thuderstruck and Have A Drink On Me, within the first six songs of the set was further proof as to how deep the realm of AC/DC goes. This was now certainly a night where expectations were huge – and met. The sound was fantastic. The stage lighting, gorgeous. The crowd, mostly old, but so what – we were still hot as hell and aging disgracefully well. Most of all though, this was a fun night. Not yet halfway through, and already this was beginning to feel like the show of the year.
When Hell’s Bells rang out, and the bell descended from the top of the stage, the terrace that I was now perched on lost its shit. I was two years old when this song came out, but it feels like I have known it my entire existence. As if it was a tune that had dropped in my teenage years. Surrounding me, were people for whom that had been the case, but on this night, you wouldn’t have known that. These people were mental. They had come to rock the fuck out and party like it was the early eighties and that is exactly what they did. All night long!
Lead singer Brian Johnson had a couple of hiccups starting the song, but considering what he has been through – he gets a pass from me. Johnson briefly had to step away from the band, due to hearing loss and a cancer scare, a time he has described as the worst period of his life, so for him to still be here doing this today, is miraculous and inspiring. The man will be turning seventy-eight years young in two days time. So, if some of the vocals were a little off, so be it!
Beyond that though, I was amazed at how hard these lads went. Angus Young is 71 years old. Still dressed as a school boy. Still hoping about on one leg. Still ripping incredible riffs. Incredible. I honest to God felt blessed to have been here, in this moment, with all these awesome people, enjoying this band that has been along with me on my entire journey for as far back as I can remember. Every kid from my generation at some point has owned a copy of Black In Black, Everyone. It was the soundtrack to pool halls when I was a teenager. It has just always been there. It still is.
Still Upper Lip, Highway To Hell, Jailbreak and Dirty Deeds Done Dirt Cheap followed as smash hit after smash hit filled the air. Around this time, I got a text message from a friend asking if I was at the show – and her saying she could hear the show from her backyard, in Hochelaga! Suddenly, I thought of the assholes that live in Saint-Lambert. The bastards that took the Heavy Montreal and ’77 festivals from us, and hoped they were hating every second of this. Up yours Saint-Lambert!
Hearing You Shook Me All Night Long was another defining moment of the show. I could play snob, and pretend I was only there for the deep cuts – but the truth is, like everyone else, I was there for the hits we grew up with. This one, man, this one has some memories associated with it.
The night was nearing its conclusion. So many classic tunes had been played and there were still so, so many more that could have made the setlist. Testimony to a legendary career, if you ask me. But there simply wasn’t enough time for them all. Whole Lotta Rosie was next, followed by a wicked rendition of Let There Be Rock, with a great solo from the one and only Angus Young. And while the band slunked off into the darkness, for the ritual song and dance from the crowd began, to urge them to come back when we all knew that an encore was coming, I reflected on how great this had been. And how futile an encore is nowadays. We know its coming. It’s a lot like tipping in this day and age – it used to be reserved for great service, and now its just excepted.
AC/DC had two more songs for us before calling it a night. First, the great T.N.T, and then For Those About To Rock (We Salute You) – that came complete with a big fuck off cannon and pyrotechnics too. And just like, twenty-one songs had blown past us in a bat of an eye. Not unlike all the years from when I first heard AC/DC until now. Life is a funny thing, but what would it be without music!?
Yes – they’re older now, but so are we. You know what though, even in their seventies, AC/DC fucking rock!
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AC/DC should have been headed to Toronto next – but their stadium fell over. There was some wind and some rain or something, and the place collapsed. Rogers Stadium. Fell down. Briefly, I felt bad for the people of Toronto… but then I realized those people that don’t get to see the show are probably Maple Leafs fans! So fuck ’em! (Its’s almost hockey season! So I had to do it! I hope Rogers Stadium is back up and running super soon.)
Getting off the island was a bitch. This time, I knew it was going to be hell. This time though, I didn’t care. I was on a euphoric cloud having just photographed and witnessed an icon of rock n’ roll, and the whole world seemed a little bit better. For now anyway. Just for now. For those that were just rocked… I salute you!
