AC/DC Pittsburgh, PA (A Parent's Perspective) Show Review

The Pop Punk Dad
13 minutes ago
3 min read

I think that it's safe to say that there's no need for an introduction here. Even people living under a rock know who the hell the legendary hard rockers AC/DC are. The band that started in the early 1970's and paved the way for heavy metal and is one of the pioneers of arena rock. The legendary hard rockers, along with up-and-coming alternative rock band The Pretty Reckless, led by femme fatale Taylor Momsen, have graced North America with some select dates recently on the AC/DC PWR UP TOUR. With the North American dates, the band is also hitting major global cities like Berlin, Germany, Madrid, Spain, Paris, France, and Edinburgh, Scotland, just to name a few.

Thursday, May 8th, 2025, AC/DC rolled into Pittsburgh, PA at the Acrishure Stadium, previously known as Heinz Field on their PWR UP Tour, in support for their 2020 album Power Up. The show kicked off in the early, May evening with hard rock band The Pretty Reckless, who played for nearly an hour with tracks like Death by Rock and Roll, the title track from their 2021 album, and the opening song for the night, with other songs like Make Me Wanna Die, a throwback from 2010's Light Me Up album, and closing out the night with tracks Heaven Knows from 2014's Going To Hell and Take Me Down from 2016's Who You Seeling For.

With a band like AC/DC, you only need one opening act, if that, at all. There are few artists in the world that can pull this feat off, and AC/DC is one of them. The hard rockers from Sydney were up next, with nearly 3 hours of the night left to go.

Opening the night with "If You Want Blood" (You've Got It) from their 1979 album Highway to Hell, AC/DC took the stage to a nearly sold-out Pittsburgh Stadium, home to the Pittsburgh Steelers. Next, a fan favorite, Back In Black, the track infamously portrayed in every Iron Man movie.

As the night trickled on, the legendary rockers played every single hit under the sun, including Thunderstruck from their 1990 album The Razor's Edge, and Hell's Bells where a giant bell descended from the stadium ceiling. Then, bringing more hits to the forefront with tracks Highway to Hell and Shoot to Thrill, and one of them. my personal favorite, Dirty Deeds Done Dirt Cheap. During track High Voltage, lead guitarist Angus Young, took his signature schoolboy tie off during a guitar solo, flossed it through his guitar strings, and threw it into the crowd for some lucky fan.

The hits continued with You Shook Me All Night Long, with an explosive confetti cannon guitar solo from Angus Young during Let There Be Rock, where the stage lifted into a platform while he performed. The band exited the stage, only to return with tracks TNT and For Those About To Rock as an encore, followed by a giant fireworks display to cap off the night.

AC/DC is a multi-generational band. I say this in the most sincere and heartfelt way. Looking throughout the crowd the entire night, I saw literal multi-generations of fans scattered throughout the Pittsburgh stadium. Grandparents bringing their grandkids, mothers bringing their mothers, and of course, the diehard older generation who just came as a couple to have a good time. AC/DC will always be one of the most legendary bands in rock history, and their diehard fans, young and old, help support that fact.

Check out photo gallery, highlights, and more below!

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