AC/DC Fans Tell Band: Change The Set List!
AC/DC fans are fed up with seeing the band on their current Black Ice world tour – because the set list hasn’t changed at all.
Every night, it’s the same songs in the same order. Now, some fans have issued a direct plea to the band via the fan website www.acdcfans.net. Here’s the message in full:
“Dear Malcolm, Angus, Cliff, Phil and Brian
“We represent an extremely vocal group of your most loyal fans. Just a handful of us have collectively attended more than 157 of your concerts (and counting) since 1978 and estimate we’ve contributed more than $84,000 (and counting) to the AC/DC juggernaut. We are just the tip of the iceberg.
“Now while those numbers may seem insignificant given your touring history and estimated wealth, for us the numbers represent a passionate investment of time and hard earned money in your music. We are AC/DC fans for life, and we wouldn’t change that for the world.
“However, there is something we’d like AC/DC to consider changing…
“The set list.
“On the current Black Ice World Tour, during which some of us having travelled across Europe, the United States and flown between the two continents (with flights already booked to Australia to catch the Australian leg), we have listened to you play the same great songs each and every night. We absolutely appreciate every song you play, but we can’t help but wonder if the band is getting a little bored of playing the same songs night after night.
“Are you aware there are thousands of fans just like us who have spent months discussing the Black Ice World Tour set list, every one of them hoping that the band will play something other than songs geared towards casual fans? The sort of fans that put money in your pockets, but who don’t have the same level of passion for your music as us. They may cheer at the concerts, they may go home happy… but they only came to hear Thunderstruck. They don’t eat, sleep and shit AC/DC like we do.
“As the greatest band on Earth, we think it is a travesty that you are not playing songs that are dear to yourselves and your long term loyal fans – the songs from albums that critics wrote off, but which we both know are some of the finest from your back catalogue.
“So, we’d like you to consider changing the set list. We won’t be rude and say ‘play this’ or ‘don’t play that’ – we’ll leave it to you to decide – surprise us! Please give us, and the many thousands like us, some hard hittin’, heavy rockin’ tracks that we, the true long term fans of AC/DC, know and love.
“Thank you for your time and your music.
“Yours respectfully in rock
acdcfans.net”
Just so you know, this has been the set list so far on the tour:
Rock ‘N’ Roll Train
Hell Ain’t A Bad Place To Be
Back In Black
Big Jack
Dirty Deeds Done Dirt Cheap
Thunderstruck
Black Ice
The Jack
Hells Bells
Shoot to Thrill
War Machine
Anything Goes
You Shook Me All Night Long
TNT
Whole Lotta Rosie
Let There Be Rock
Highway To Hell
For Those About To Rock
What do you think? Are these fans right? Post your comments!
I’m sure “Shot Down In Flames” is in the set list, and also “Dog Eat Dog” was included at Wembley and Hampden Park, not neccesarily one of the more familiar tracks.
I suppose the odd change and suprise here and there would be great, but without playing for 3 hours plus you ain’t gonna please everyone.
Hopefully they will be back in Europe next year, and by then some additions may have been made.
At least they are playing live, long may it continue.
I have to agree.Why nothing from Powerage? Why no Long way to the top? Live wire? C’mon!
Absolutely right. Saw them at MSG, 02 and then Wembley Stadium – only difference in all 3 sets was Dog Eat Dog inserted at Wembley. Must get fucking boring for the band as well !!
shot down in flames WAS played at Hampden
They’ve had pretty much the same set list for the last 25 years. With so many great songs it must be hard for them to decide what to leave out. “Long Way To The Top” is one they don’t play because Brian wants to leave that as a Bon Scott song that couldn’t be done justice by him.
[...] acá el setlist que AC/DC ha tocado en la mayor parte de los conciertos de su actual gira (vía ClassicRock): – Rock ‘N’ Roll Train – Hell Ain’t A Bad Place To Be – Back In Black – Big Jack – Dirty [...]
Idiots!
Clearly a case of more money than sense with these clowns – next they will be asking film makers to make different endings to films so that when they see it on TV its different to what they saw at the cinema!
Hosko
I couldn’t agree more. Some special “album related” nights would be welcome where one record in particular is given a complete airing, the way Bruce Springsteen is doing at the moment on his tour and other bands have done in the past. If you own the Live at Donnington, Stiff Upper Lip and No Bull dvd’s (which most fans will) you can see that this set list situation isn’t unique to just the Black Ice tour but has been virtually unchanged for years. I support this idea from the bands true fans. Obviously there are sacred songs which will always have to be played but a change would be welcome and would encourage alot of fans to take advantage of multiple shows as opposed to just a couple.
Hate it when a band with a great extensive back catalogue plays the same set list year after flippin’ year. Iron Maiden are especially guilty of this, Incredible back catalogue yet ‘Run to the Hills’ EVERY fucking night!!!
at least you are lucky enough to see them live. Stop moaning misery guts!
Agree completely with this letter. AC/DC have one of the best back catalogues in the business yet they don’t play the songs that are by far their best. Ok so not every song is considered a classic, but their lesser known tracks are brilliant and this is the same band that said they’d never do a greatest hits album or tour. Well, it sure looks like that’s what they’re doing. Mix it up boys!
Yes! AC/DC is the greatest band in the world. They have so many incredible songs, why don’t they play them?
i totally agree!! saw them in milan and they played shot down in flames (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CrqZSydEJbI) it’s almost the same tracklist in almost 20 years!
Metallica change their setlist for every show and they are not short of a few good songs either. The Rolling Stones dig out tunes from their history to change up the live shows. Would be great to hear tracks from AC/DC’s massive catalogue as opposed to the same old songs for the past 25 years!
They should play ‘Down Payment Blues’ again!
They have changed it a litlle do i think.
I’ve seen em 8 times on this tour so far (home and abroad), and they’re bang on form. As good as ever
But as the letter states, the setlist is getting boring now. The songs are all great but FFS, they MUST feel like they’re on autopilot gig to gig.
When you look at other stadium fillers like the Stones or even Metallica’s setlists, they ALL mix it up. I’ve even seen the Stones not play Satisfaction, Gimme Shelter, etc, but no one cared because like the DC they have ‘other’ classics that us fans are more than happy to hear.
I’m all for giving the fans ‘what they want’. But as a hardcore follower since I was about 10 (many moons ago), I dont ever recall anyone actually asking us what we want!
I’ve long since felt Powerage is the bands greatest album, a lot of diehards agree. Yet we’re getting NOTHING from it at all in the set. To me thats like the Stones not playing anything from Exile. Heresy!
Andy
Without question the most amazing live band i have ever seen.BUT the set list has remained very similar for many years now and it staggers me that they never mix it up not just for the fans but themselves to.AC/DC have countless classics to play but i doubt we will ever hear songs from Flick, Fly ,Video etc.
I expect there are quite a few thousand of us who tried desperately to get tickets and were unfortunate not to do so. Listening to those who have secured tickets for one two or three shows and moaning about it; shame on you ! Just to see them once would have been a joy for some of us.
I agree with them. Even though the majority of the songs within the set are classics, it would be great if they shook it up every now and again.
Can’t they see how arrogant they are? Yes, they’re the geeks, the die-hards, but they likely make up less than 5% of the total tour audience. AC/DC are out to please everyone and entertain, therefore they’re doing what all bands do and play the hits. If these geeks are sick of hearing them, stop going to so many gigs and get a life. If I went to see AC/DC, it would likely be once on the tour when they roll through my town and I go to hear the hits and enjoy the gig, not listen to some obscure crap that only the fanboys would appreciate. If those songs were so good, they’d have been hits.
These guys are spoilt rotten. I had only one chance to see the mighty AC/DC at Hampden and I’m extremely grateful for that. They were superb!
When there’s so much garbage in music these days it was simply cathartic to see and hear such awesome brilliance. Complaining abpout the set list is just pathetic. Real AC/DC fans or obsessive compulsives with stalking tendencies? Hmm…
Just remember that the vast majority of fans don’t have the time or money to follow bands all over the place. The band have a setlist so by and large everyone gets to see the same show. nuff said.
awww cumon!
When you get to their age they have to keep everything the same jus so’s they can remember what they’re playing.
If you’re going to moan then at least make it something worthwhile, like the price of the tickets or that rock bands never seem to do “fat b*stard” size tour shirts!
As a fan I would like to hear more ‘obscure’ songs every now and then. Especially for people seeing more than one gig per tour it’s nice to hear something new.
Metallica have it down, they never play the same setlist night after night. I suspect AC/DC are able to do the same. It’s not rocket science. Just Rock n’Roll
To set things straight. People complaining about the set list remaining the same for one year now and not for the songs quality as such.
Well, one way to see this is that yes indeed having the same set for almost a year on the road is way too repetitive, even for AC/DC.
The challenge though on the other hand is this: Whos got the balls to say what should go and what shall get on board? Tough right? ………
I love the band but I think they’ve played Shoot to Thrill on every tour since ‘88, when I first saw them, and possibly all the way back to ‘80. It’s a great track but not that great. Some variety over the years would have been warmly welcomed.
Wow. AC/DC finally puts together a setlist of all hits to please the fans and you’re all still bitching. Get a life, people.
I saw AC/DC in 1978 with Bon Scott (absolutely rocked) and then I saw them on the Back In Black tour…they’ve done nothing but re-record that album ever since. Anyone that is surprised that they are mailing it in as they have done ever since the album after Back In Black needs to get a clue.
I last saw them in 1981 – and they played 12 of these songs then!!!!!!!!! 13 if you add in Shot Down in Flames
They’re rivalling Motorhead for stale set lists
Songs they should consider:
Ride On
Night Crawler
Hail Caesar
Moneytalks
High Voltage
Rock N’ Roll Ain’t Noise Pollution
Who Made Who
Girls Got Rhythm
can u imagine the current setlist includin’ “send for the man”??????!!!!!!!!that will be fokking great!!!!!!!the only reason to change setlist!!!!!!!!!’nough said,sorry..
in related news, Backtracks is a cream dream.
It’s the latter half of their setlist when things often become boring. They must’ve ended their shows with the same 5 song sequence for at least 20 years. Motorhead are the same too and that’s the reason i’m passing on their November tour.
In Helsinki the gig was an absolute wash out, but I doubt the booze-addled Finns particularly noticed. Crowd pleasing box-ticking nonsense…I’ve had better nights watching cover bands. Slow, half arsed and generally sh1te. AC/DC are finished…total crap.
Just add stiff upper lip its a great song from their last album and many times better than anything new bands like Green Day, Paramore, or Linkin Park ever released or will ever release.