Daily Loaf

If AC/DC has fired its last cannon in Florida, the fans at Amway Arena in Orlando enjoyed a raucous final salute on November 19.

The 35-year rock veterans with Hall of Fame credentials put on a fast-paced two-hour set — no room for ballads at an AC/DC show — featuring classics (four songs from 1977’s Let There Be Rock and four from 1980’s Back In Black) and newer songs (four from last year’s Black Ice). And although they’ve been on tour for more than a year, the band seemed no worse for wear: Guitarist Angus Young was a blur as he ran from the stage to the catwalk and back again, legs pumping to the rhythm provided by the near-motionless Malcolm Young on rhythm guitar, Cliff Williams on bass and Phil Rudd on drums. If not for their occasional strolls forward to sing some background vocals before retreating back into the shadows, you’d think AC/DC was a two-man operation.

If Young was all sweat, lead singer Brian Johnson was all smiles — shaking hands, pumping his fists and belting out classics with a sharper growl than he had at last year’s show in Tampa. There were no angry scowls on stage; the mood was more of a friendly gathering or a reunion of sorts. And by the looks of greybeards with dated concert gear mixed with younger fans wearing new purchases from the souvenir stands, it was clear that many in attendance had seen the band before. No doubt they had heard them many times, as nearly every song had the entire arena helping out with the chorus. Not so with openers Megaphone, a local band that performed a capable set and probably deserved a bit more recognition than they received from the crowd.

As rock legends who were paying their dues in the mid-70s, the band could take the stage with a spotlight and a few amps and draw thousands. But AC/DC brings a few props with them and gets an assist from some modern technology as well. From the introductory cartoon to the wrecked train that dominates the stage, newer visuals take their place with the now-expected giant bell and the row of cannons to close out the show. Fire, confetti and constant visuals on the giant monitors helped keep the senses alert, too. But with AC/DC, the show has always been about the music, and they stuck to the formula with minimal banter (“Are ya ready?” suffices as an acceptable intro) and a long run of expected classics. Theirs is not an experimental performance with deep cuts and forgotten tunes from an album nobody remembers. It’s a hit list of songs you’ve heard a million times before and will certainly hear again if you still listen to the radio. But they didn’t seem tired of playing them, and the fans certainly didn’t seem tired of hearing them. For those in attendance (the show was well-attended but had a few empty seats) it was the right formula of nostalgia and proof that the old dogs can still hunt.

Whether they’ll hunt in the Sunshine State again remains to be seen. The band will travel to Latin America and then return to its native Australia for a run of dates in 2010. They also have to make up some dates in the United States that were postponed when Johnson (who lives in Florida, as does Williams) needed a medical procedure for an ulcer-related ailment. But beyond that, Johnson has talked openly about retirement and the band isn’t what you’d call prolific these days: They’ve released just three albums of new material in the past 15 years. Considering their age (Johnson is 62; Angus and Malcolm are 54 and 56, respectively), it would be a challenge to wait five or six years (or longer: It was eight years between 2000’s Stiff Upper Lip and Black Ice) and embark on a long tour again.

But while fans will speculate on the band’s future, they’ll also remember this recent show as a success, and relive the moments stored on digital cameras and cell phones that were waving and flashing throughout the night. If they turn out to be the last memories of AC/DC playing in Florida, at least they’ll be good ones.

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