AC/DC: Let There Be Rock

This gig in Paris is a crash course in what rock music is all about. A lot of music goes by the name 'rock' nowadays, but THIS is the real thing. Do not accept cheap imitations! Plug in, crank it all the way up and play 'till you drop (which Angus does repeatedly). Live registrations don't always capture the excitement and energy of a concert, but this one does.

The late but great Bon Scott gives one of his last performances. A lot of material is from the 'Highway to Hell' album, arguably the best Bon did with AC/DC. This line-up was responsible for true rock-classics such as the title-song, 'High Voltage', 'TNT', 'Whole Lotta Rosie' and the song that sums it all up : 'Rocker'. This stuff is so essential. If you've seen the movie 'School of Rock', you know why.

I saw this film when it premiered in New York City hosted by the WPLJ crew. They gave out buttons, posters all sorts of stuff. That was just the beginning. Those of you who are old enough to remember old movie theatres will remember the big single screen movie houses. We saw it at one of the best in NYC, the place must have seated 800 people and the place was packed. Flash, the lights go down. I am there with 4 of my best friends, we're in the 7th grade so about 12? The pot smoke hits the air all around us, then the music starts. It was an experience, we even had our own Angus running up and down the asiles. You can bet your ass you would never ever see anything like that nowadays.

Excellent tour footage, interviews with the band,, insights into their personal lives.. Paris 1979 . the band is at the peak of their stardom, Bon Scott leads AC/DC into Paris,, after already conquering Australia,, their native land,, the UK, they set their sights on conquering the U.S. market. featuring 12 songs of live footage from their famous concert in Paris , France. also excerpts into the band members lives,, such as hobbies and such,, it is said that Bon Scott had predicted his own death when he wrote Highway to Hell ,, not sure if it was two weeks or two months but right after that song came out,, Bon Scott had met his tragic end, down a road one night after heavy drinking,, a great documentary on one of the best hard rocking bands that we will ever see,, long live AC/DC,, and rest in peace Bon Scott.

This movie was shown at the theater at midnight the night before AC/DC played in my home town. Like all the AC/DC fans I went to see it. I feel its a time capsule of the band. Filmed on the last leg of the Highway To Hell tour in Paris. It shows AC/DC about to go to the next Level but never got to see. Who knows what there next album would have been like ? Thank god we have this film to remember Bon . I had the chance to met him in 1979 and it was just the same way he was in the film. All in all a must for any AC/DC fan. I still put in the player to watch it. Its like a fine wine. It gets better with age. This video should be shown to any new fans who don't even know that there was a singer before Brian Johnson.

Shot in France during the Highway to Hell tour of Europe, this has finally been restored and released to DVD. Why it took so long only a few can really say, but thank goodness it has arrived! If you want to see why AC/DC were cooking hotter than an 1000-ton engine on steroids, this performance shows what was up: energy and even charisma from Scott and Angus Young (not to mention the latter's quintessential strip dance, here in Bad Boy Boogie). It also features some interviews with the group - things about how Scott joined the group (he was originally their chauffeur of all things), writing vs performing, the Young brothers and how they think of one another (good overall, and booze of course comes up), and only a tiny bit of footage put outside of the concert.

One might wonder if this will go into Song Remains the Same territory at a scene like that, if their live songs will be put to the band doing this that and the other thing. Nope - this is 90% on stage, and because of that you see them doing what they do best: rocking hard, pushing the crowd into a frenzy (watch as Young goes in the audience during 'Rocker'), and it help that the songs are all 70's era - not a filler in the bunch; 'Girls Got Rhythm', 'Highway to Hell', 'Walk All Over You', 'Live Wire', and the cream of the crop comes at the end with 'Let There be Rock', which, maybe just from not being played as much as some of their songs on rock radio, has a fresh quality and brazen force that is perfect.

The camera-work doesn't get too crazy throughout - it doesn't have to, and it fits for the music that's being made on stage: show this band working their butts off and show what Scott and the Youngs and everyone else could do when on all cylinders. It's probably not the best rock documentary, but as far as just plain rock *concerts* go caught on film, it's in the top 5.