LIVE REVIEW: AC/DC + AMYL AND THE SNIFFERS + HEADSEND @ SUNCORP STADIUM 18/12/25
Words, Photos by Cecilia Pattison-LeviThere were 50,000 people at Brisbane’s Suncorp Stadium to say farewell to AC/DC’s PWR/UP Tour. It was also time to farewell the band that put Australian music on the world map. The band formed in 1973. Their first live performance was at Chequers nightclub in Sydney on 31 December, New Year's Eve 1973, and now this was probably their last ever performance in Australia.
Suncorp Stadium was a sea of glowing red devil horns, so many merch shirts and older hard-core fans in basic black. It was the second performance of AC/DC’s two Brisbane nights and it was a congregation of all ages and backgrounds who had gathered after ten long years of waiting to see AC/DC on home soil. It was a primal rock ‘n’ roll moment.
But before this ending, there was a beginning. And AC/DC brought the new wave in Australian music with them in the form of Northern Rivers based musicians Headsend and the brilliant Amyl And The Sniffers to warm up the stage and “get those knees warmed up, cause you are gonna jump like mother**kers” stated Amy Taylor, and she added “so are we” as she stuck her tongue out in cheeky joy.
The night began with Headsend’s performance. I had been to Big Sound 2025 and the Pineapple Music Festival in November where Byron Bays’ Headsend played sets. It was announced that the three-piece band (Kyuss, Rasmus and Bon) were going to support AC/DC and that was huge news and honour for the young band. And, the band acknowledged that and thanked their “Grandad, Who is in the crowd somewhere?”.
Headsend delivered a raw 6 song set of nostalgic grunge rock energy. The band only have two official songs available, like their latest single ‘Stove’. They also delivered their other songs ‘Secrets’, ‘Reel’ and I think ‘Blindside’ (sorry if I got this song title wrong). Headsend brought the heavy sounds. The band’s rising-star status feels more like a promise of things to come, with big guitar riffs, tight bassline and dynamic drumming. Headsend filled the stadium with melodic sound and they looked right at home. It was a powerful set and a great introduction to the young NSW band who live a few hours away down the road.
Then, after a short break, it was time for the exciting Amyl And The Sniffers. I just need to declare that I am a huge Amyl And The Sniffers fan. I was told their set at the 14 December concert was plagued with a few technical issues and people couldn’t hear Amy Taylor sing. I can report that was not the case for this concert. Amyl And The Sniffers were in fine form and voice and the band was on fire!
Amyl and the Sniffers set the tone perfectly for the night. They brought the punk rock flavour to the people. And did we love it? Yes. We did! At least me, and the fans around me, were having a sing along punk rave.
Amyl and the Sniffers exploded onto the stage with cheeky swagger as ‘Nutbush City Limits’ played through the PA. The band pumped out a superb 18-song set underpinned by the drumming and guitar of Bryce Wilson and Declan Mehrtens, the fantastic bassist Calum Newton was on fire, he glowed. And, frontwoman and vocalist Amy Taylor was an incredible and unstoppable ball of energy. Like the energiser bunny, she just didn’t stop all set, with her Farrah Fawcett like bangs swinging, as she made faces, poked her tongue out and was generally having the best time.
Amyl and the Sniffers launched an electrifying and incendiary performance with ‘Balaclava Lover Boogie’, ‘Don't Need a Cunt (Like You to Love Me)’, ‘Doing In Me Head’, ‘Snakes’ and ‘Starfire 500’. The band’s swagger was on show as the next songs ‘Guided by Angels’, ‘Big Dreams’, the wonderful feminist statement in outing male violence against women, ‘Knifey’, were delivered. It was so good and then it got even better.
The band had their focus on AC/DC as they called out the band name and got the crowd to yell back. And, while Amyl and the Sniffers concentrated on the songs from their fun and fierce ‘Cartoon Darkness’ album, they covered all of their back catalogue with the songs ‘Security’, ‘GFY’, ‘Chewing Gum’, ‘Pigs’, ‘Some Mutts (Can't Be Muzzled)’ and ‘Facts’. Then, there was a run of truly great irreverent songs in the brilliant female empowerment song ‘Tiny Bikini’, the fuck you to music management and critics in ‘U Should Not Be Doing That’ and ‘Jerkin’’.
Amyl and the Sniffers closed out their set with ‘Hertz’. It was so good! I was one very happy fan. The band gave 100% of their effort and energy to their performance as they told the crowd that: “You’re gonna see the best band in the world tonight” as they thanked AC/DC for backing them.
At this point, it is important to recognise that AC/DC were supported by the 1970’s punks in Australia and Britain when they were first starting out. Amyl and the Sniffers are a modern part of that lineage of bands in underground clubs and pubs in the UK and here. It was a great full circle moment!
Then, there was a short 30-minute break as the stage was built for AC/DC. There were stage stairs, barriers, bells, cannons put into place and even panelling was replaced in the big screens. It was readying everything for a 19-regulation song set and 2 song encore.
For the “PWR Up” Tour, AC/DC's line-up featured Brian Johnson (vocals), Angus Young (lead guitar), Stevie Young (rhythm guitar), Chris Chaney (bass), and Matt Laug (drums). And, AC/DC hit the stage like a sledgehammer with the opening chords of ‘If You Want Blood (You’ve Got It)’ blasted out over the venue.
After at least a decade away from Australian stages, AC/DC let us know that this show was about old-fashioned rock ‘n’ roll and they band delivered with blues and ‘old-skool’ swagger. Then, the crowd lost their collective minds when ‘Back In Black’ was delivered. It was a reminder that the song commemorating Bon Scott, and his untimely death in 1980, is an event and memory embedded in our national DNA.
I was wondering what this meant for the younger fans in the crowd. The lovely young men standing next to me at the barrier had been toddlers last time the band toured Australia and had no memory of Bon Scott. But they rocked out hard with us older fans to ‘Demon Fire’, ‘Shot Down in Flames’ and then 50,000 fans lost their minds as Angus Young’s delicate guitar riff for ‘Thunderstruck’ rang out over the venue.
AC/DC took things down a notch as they played the fan favourite (for older fans) with thumps on the heart and fists in the air for ‘Have A Drink On Me’ in memory of Bon Scott. Then, the bell lowered dramatically over the stage and Angus Young as ‘Hells Bells’ started. It was so, so good! The band mixed their musical eras with skill as ‘Shot in the Dark’ brought new songs along with ‘Stiff Upper Lip’ with its deep blues roots and groove. Then, the car, and the highway flashed onto the huge screens as the chords of ‘Highway to Hell’ revved and roared out and the crowd sing along was huge. Angus Young was loving it, as he duckwalked and ran around the stage, as 50,000 people sang and yelled out every word with hands in the air.
Then, my generation’s AC/DC showed why this band is the “best band in the world over the last 53 years” as stated by Brian Johnson to the crowd. It was pure rock grit as: ‘Shoot to Thrill’, ‘Sin City’, a fun and raw ‘Jailbreak’ (who doesn’t remember watching Bon Scott getting shot in the back on Countdown), and the dark ‘Dirty Deeds Done Dirt Cheap’, the brilliant ‘High Voltage’ and ‘Riff Raff’ where Angus Young played his guitar with his tie. The band kept the show’s energy up as the crowd travelled back in time. Brian Johnson spoke to the crowd: “This is Australian rock ‘n’ roll’. The best ever. I am just the messenger’.
The stage went black for a minute, then, ‘You Shook Me All Night Long’ turned the stadium into the world’s largest sing along. The imagery for a ‘Whole Lotta Rosie’ and the last song in the regulation set, ‘Let There Be Rock’ demonstrated why AC/DC’s legacy and back catalogue is the rock ‘n’ roll best.
Brian Johnson, then, wished the crowd well and said goodnight for the band as they left the stage. Except for Angus Young, he stayed and performed a ten-minute guitar masterclass. He moved all over the stage and showed people his skill and speed as the sweat dripped off him. It was astonishing and amazing.
Then, with no breather, Angus Young led in ‘T.N.T.’ and the “Oi, Oi, Oi’s’ as 50,00 voices lifted into the air across Brisbane. It was marvellous! Then, the spotlights were on the cannons that were in place for ‘For Those About to Rock (We Salute You)’ and it exploded (literally) as AC/DC closed out the night with cannon fire that rattled the stadium. The band wished everyone a happy Christmas and they left the stage to a huge roar of thanks from the crowd.
It was a fantastic night. Fans deflated like balloons (or beach balls – not one in sight Shirley Manson would have loved it) in exhaustion as the lights came up. It was smiles everywhere. AC/DC had delivered a night of pure rock ‘n’ roll. I am glad I was there for this momentous concert celebrating a band’s career, their global impact across music for 53 years, and lives well lived.
