It's been an earth-shattering few weeks in Melbourne’s music scene. Literally. Fans at Oasis sent seismic shockwaves through the city, while metalheads at Metallica rode the lightning to thunderous effect.

But those were just tremors compared to last night, when over 80,000 AC/DC fans packed into the MCG, brandishing the band’s iconic insignia and devil horns, ready to raise a little hell as Acca Dacca shook the earth all night long.

This wasn’t just another rock show. This was AC/DC’s long-awaited Australian return — their first performance back home since 2015 and the opening night of the Aussie leg of their POWER UP world tour. The demand for tickets was nothing short of historic, with the band shattering Ticketek records after selling 320,000 tickets nationwide in a single day.

Sure, Sydney might lay claim to the band, but Melbourne has long been where the band was immortalised. From the flatbed rolling down Swanston Street to the newly refurbished AC/DC Lane, this city’s connection with the band runs deep. Last night, that legacy roared back to life. The show also marked AC/DC's first Australian performance since the death of founding member Malcolm Young.

Formed in 1973 by brothers Malcolm and Angus Young, AC/DC defined hard rock with their no-nonsense, bone-rattling sound. With over 200 million albums sold worldwide, they’re not only one of the most influential bands in music history but also one of the most enduring. Their album Back in Black is the third-highest-selling record of all time.

Added only last month to the bill, The Casanovas led the marathon with pure pub-rock muscle. Entrenched in Melbourne’s music scene since 1999, the trio wasted no time shaking the foundations at the ‘G with their crunching riffs and classic no-fuss, hard-rock tunes.

They opened with the blistering Keep It Hot, immediately proving themselves. Shake It, Livin’ in The City, and Born to Run landed hard, setting the tone for the night. By the end of their set, there was no doubt that The Casanovas had gained a few thousand extra fans. The crowd was buzzing, fists in the air, ready for the next onslaught.

Blame it on the peroxide or blonde ambition, but punk’s always been littered with bleached agitators and icons: from Lita Ford and Cherie Currie, to Debbie Harry, Courtney Love and Melbourne’s own Brody Dalle. Amy Taylor is the latest to join the riot.

Since kicking off the year in Australia with their Cartoon Darkness world tour, Amyl and the Sniffers have torn through Coachella, Glastonbury, and a string of sold-out shows across the US, South America, and Europe. They’re also up for six awards at next week's ARIA Awards. Last night, the journey came full circle as they opened for AC/DC on home turf.

Formed in 2016, Amyl and the Sniffers are a Melbourne-bred punk juggernaut. Fronted by the deliciously feral Amy Taylor, the band, including Bryce Wilson on drums, Declan Mehrtens on guitar, and Gus Romer on bass, ripped through a ferocious set, unleashing crowd favourites like the gnarly Security, Tiny Bikini, and Jerkin like a blast of aggro-punk chaos.

Looking every bit the 70s roller-disco queen in a blue sporty number, complete with fluffed hair and neon pink blush, Taylor charged the stage with unbridled energy. They closed their set with U Should Not Be Doing That, a song which just days ago earned the band their first Grammy nomination, and the irresistible, fuzz-drenched Hertz.

If their schedule wasn’t hectic enough, the band have just announced a free pop-up show in Fed Square this Friday alongside Public Figures.

As the stage reset, the air was thick with a rowdy sort of anticipation, and perhaps a touch of scepticism, as fans wondered whether AC/DC could still deliver the high-voltage show their reputation demanded.

On the giant screens, a muscle car speeds down a highway to hell towards the venue, while in the stands, a sea of devil horns pulsates like a living inferno as the all-too-familiar opening riff of If You Want Blood (You’ve Got It) tears through the speakers.

Naturally, Young emerged in his signature crimson schoolboy uniform, and while he may have appeared frail at first glance, the seventy-year-old was as spritely as ever, sneering at the crowd with his devilish grin. Young spent the night in a constant state of undress, gradually peeling off layers of his uniform, at one point even playing guitar with his tie. He was joined by his nephew, rhythm guitarist Stevie Young, bass player Chris Chaney, and drummer Matt Laug, as well as vocalist Brian Johnson, who sported his trademark newsboy cap.

And let’s be honest: Johnson’s bark doesn’t have the same bite anymore, but last night, that didn’t matter. After everything he’s been through, from being diagnosed with Barrett's Syndrome in 2009 to severe hearing loss that forced him to quit in 2016, just seeing him onstage felt like a victory. He tore through every song with a bloodthirsty force, and between songs, his maniacal laugh echoed through the stadium, a reminder of the menace he still is. Last night, it wasn’t about precision. If you want perfection, put on 1992’s Live. Last night, it was about the roar of 80,000 fans and the power of raw, classic rock. 

Rightfully enormous, the stage featured a wall of Marshalls and massive screens, as well as a runway, perfect to show off Young’s iconic duckwalk. Cannons turned For Those About to Rock (We Salute You) into a full-blown artillery assault, while the giant bell from Hells Bells reverberated through the ‘G, sending shivers across the crowd. The scale of the production was staggering: 300 tons of steel, 28 tonnes of PA, and enough lighting, audio, and video kit to fill over a thousand road cases.

The band ploughed through the set without mercy, a relentless barrage of anthems from start to finish. Hits like Back in Black, Shot Down in Flames, Thunderstruck, Highway to Hell, Shoot to Thrill, Dirty Deeds Done Dirt Cheap, High Voltage, and You Shook Me All Night Long all landed like a sledgehammer. Whole Lotta Rosie incited the “Angus” chant, while in the encore, T.N.T. unleashed a stadium-wide “Oi! Oi! Oi!” chant. The biggest surprise of the night came with the band’s first live performance of Jailbreak since 1991.

As expected, there was one song that every die-hard fan in the crowd knew they wouldn’t hear. It's a Long Way to the Top (If You Wanna Rock 'n' Roll) was last played in December 1979, just two months before the untimely death of Bon Scott. Its absence is a matter of reverence, sacred ground, untouchable but not forgotten. Still, only a couple of kilometres from Swanston Street, you could almost hear the sound of bagpipes echoing faintly in the collective memory of the city.

The Power Up tour wouldn’t be complete without a nod to the record that inspired its name. Two songs from the 2020 album found a spot on the setlist: Demon Fire and Shot in the Dark. The latter, in particular, slotted seamlessly alongside the band’s other hits, crackling with the same swagger and grit that defined the band’s earlier work.

As the last cannons fired, one truth remained undeniable. Legends never fade. They just turn up the volume.

New tickets are now on sale.