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Rock History Meets Hallowed Ground: AC/DC Delivers Unforgettable, Sweltering Performance at Notre Dame Stadium 

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21 hours ago

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Photos and review by Edward Spinelli

There is a unique kind of magic that occurs when rock-and-roll royalty collides with sports lore, and that intersection was fully realized on Friday night. On an insanely sweltering summer evening, Australian rock titans AC/DC brought their global POWER UP Tour to Notre Dame Stadium, turning the historic “House That Rockne Built” into a temple of pure, unfiltered electric no frills rock and roll.

 For a stadium deeply rooted in football tradition, welcoming a band with over five decades of pedigree felt like a monumental event. From the parking lots packed with fans sporting glowing red devil horns to the massive, packed-house crowd inside, the anticipation was palpable. Special guest The Pretty Reckless kicked off the night, priming the audience with a fierce, heavy set. But when the lights dropped for the main event, the crowd of generations erupted.

 The opening chords of “Back in Black” tore through the Indiana air, laying down any doubts about the band’s staying power. Led by the everlasting guitar schoolboy Angus Young and the gritty, powerhouse vocals of Brian Johnson, AC/DC barreled through a relentless, nearly two-dozen-song setlist. While the members are now aged between 65 and 77, what they might have scaled back in youthful gymnastics, they more than made up for in sheer grit, enthusiasm, and timing.

 The hits rolled out like a tidal wave of rock anthems: “You Shook Me All Night Long,” “Hells Bells,” and “Highway to Hell”. A true highlight of the evening came during “Let There Be Rock,” featuring Angus Young’s mandatory, blistering extended guitar solo that saw him shredding with the same manic precision that made him an icon decades ago.

By the time the final cannons blasted during the grand finale of “For Those About to Rock (We Salute You),” I was left completely spent and thoroughly awed. It was a nostalgic, high-octane reminder of why AC/DC remains peerless and on the Mount Rushmore of legendary rock acts. For South Bend, this wasn’t just a concert, it was a cross-generational celebration that fans will be talking about for years to come and if this is the last time these rock giants hit Notre Dame, well it was all worth it.

The Pretty Reckless :

A musician performing on stage, playing an electric guitar and wearing a black jacket.
A female lead singer performing on stage with an expressive pose. Behind her, a large backdrop displays the band's name 'The Pretty Reckless' in bold lettering. The stage is illuminated with blue lights.
A performer with long, light-colored hair wearing a black leather jacket, singing into a microphone and raising one hand in the air on stage.
A performer passionately singing into a microphone on stage, wearing a black leather jacket, a plaid skirt, fishnet stockings, and black combat boots.
A singer in a black leather jacket performing on stage, with long blonde hair and dramatic makeup, holding a microphone.
A female singer performs on stage with a microphone, flanked by band members. A large screen behind displays the band's name, 'The Pretty Reckless,' highlighted by colorful stage lights.
A performer singing passionately on stage in front of a large audience at an outdoor concert, wearing a leather jacket and holding a microphone.
A singer performs on stage, wearing a loose plaid shirt and layered necklaces, holding a microphone with one hand while the other hand is raised behind their head.
A musician with long black hair passionately playing a red guitar on stage.
A vocalist performing on stage, leaning down towards a microphone stand with long, light-colored hair and wearing a black leather jacket.
Singer performing on stage with a microphone, wearing a plaid shirt and multiple necklaces.
A singer with long, blonde hair wearing a black leather jacket and fishnet stockings, performing on stage with a microphone.
A singer with long, white hair wearing a black leather jacket, holding a microphone stand on stage.
A performer on stage singing into a microphone, wearing a black leather jacket and platform boots, with one leg raised and a large crowd in the background.
A male musician playing a red guitar while a female singer shares the microphone, both performing on stage.
A performer singing on stage, wearing a black leather jacket and a checkered mini skirt, with fishnet tights and combat boots, while engaging with the audience.

AC/DC :

Close-up of a passionate male singer performing on stage, wearing a flat cap and a sleeveless shirt, holding a microphone.
A musician wearing a blue cap and a suit, passionately playing an electric guitar on stage with focused expression.
Musician performing on stage while playing an electric guitar, wearing a blue cap with the letter 'A' and a suit.
A guitarist performing on stage wearing a navy suit, tie, and a cap with the letter 'A', surrounded by bright concert lights.
A musician performing on stage with an electric guitar, wearing a blue cap with an 'A' on it and a purple suit. Amplifiers are visible in the background.
A guitarist performing energetically on stage, dressed in a dark suit jacket, shorts, and a cap, surrounded by a crowd with lights in the background.
A musician performing on stage, playing an electric guitar and singing passionately. He is wearing a dark suit and a blue cap with an 'A' on it.
A male singer performing on stage, wearing a black sleeveless shirt and cap, passionately holding a microphone.
A musician performing on stage with one hand raised, wearing a blue hat and a suit, playing an electric guitar.
A guitarist performing on stage in front of Marshall amplifiers, with a focused expression while playing an electric guitar.
A singer passionately performing on stage, wearing a gray cap and a black sleeveless shirt with 'Harley-Davidson' logo, holding a microphone.
A musician wearing a blue cap and dark suit, intensely playing an electric guitar on stage with bright lights in the background.
A male singer performs energetically on stage, wearing a sleeveless black shirt with 'Harley Davidson' logo and a gray hat, with bright stage lights in the background.
Musician performing live on stage, wearing a blue cap with an 'A', expressing intense emotion while playing the guitar.
A musician playing electric guitar on stage, wearing a suit and a cap, with red stage lights in the background.
A musician passionately playing a bass guitar on stage, with amplifiers in the background.
A musician playing an electric guitar on stage, silhouetted against bright stage lights and a large crowd in the background.
A musician in a suit and hat passionately playing an electric guitar on stage.
A musician passionately playing an electric guitar on stage, wearing a blue cap and a dark suit.
A rock musician on stage playing a guitar, wearing a black suit with shorts and a hat, in front of a large, illuminated backdrop with the text 'PWR UP'.
Musician performing on stage, playing an electric guitar with intense expression, illuminated by stage lights.
A musician passionately playing an electric guitar on stage, wearing a blue cap and a suit, with an expressive facial expression.
Drummer performing on stage with drums and cymbals, passionately playing music.
A male singer passionately performing on stage while holding a microphone, wearing a black sleeveless shirt and a flat cap, with a colorful band logo displayed in the background.
A musician performing on stage, playing an electric guitar while wearing a blue cap and a suit.
Illuminated display of Notre Dame Stadium sign with an AC/DC logo and American flags in the background.

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