AC/DC Continues to Electrify With Power Up Tour

AC/DC performed at Morumbi Stadium in São Paulo on Feb. 24. This marked the band's first show in Brazil in 17 years. The Australian rock group kicked off the new leg of their Power Up Tour with three sold-out dates scheduled for Feb. 22, 28, and Mar. 4.

The band played a 22-song setlist to 72,000 fans. Songs included classics like "Back in Black," "You Shook Me All Night Long," and "Highway to Hell."

Guitarist Angus Young, 70, led the performance in his signature school uniform. Vocalist Brian Johnson sang many of the band's hits from the 1970s and 1980s.

The Pretty Reckless, fronted by Taylor Momsen, opened with a 10-song set. The American band last toured Brazil several years ago.

The current lineup includes Matt Laug on drums, Chris Chaney on bass, and Stevie Young on guitar at 69 years old. This marks the first tour in Brazilian territory since guitarist Malcolm Young died in 2017 after doctors diagnosed him with Alzheimer's disease and dementia.

The show featured screens with images and the giant bell for "Hells Bells." Stacked amplifiers lined the stage as AC/DC played through their two-hour performance, blasting thunderous riffs that shook the stadium walls while pyrotechnics exploded overhead.

The Australian band started in 1973 when Scottish brothers Malcolm and Angus Young decided to make music together. Three years later, they got a record deal and toured Europe, opening for Black Sabbath, Aerosmith, Kiss, Styx, and Blue Öyster Cult.

AC/DC has sold more than 200 million albums. They earned a place in the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame. Their 1980 record, Back in Black, is the best-selling album by a band and the third best-selling in history with more than 50 million copies sold. ChartMasters wrote, "Although the single format was decreasing in popularity in the 90s, AC/DC still managed to release their 3 biggest singles after 1981."  

The Power Up Tour takes its name from an album released in 2020. Shows in the United States and Europe contained tracks from that record, including "Shot in the Dark" and "Demon Fire."