Live/Wire ‘as close as you can get to the excitement generated by the real AD/DC’

Live/Wire, AC/DC Show at Arlington Arts, Snelsmore, on Saturday, February 27

Review by BRIAN HARRINGTON

Nobody would accuse AC/DC of subtlety or finesse and, true to that ethos, Live/Wire are a powerhouse of electrifying energy.

Tonight they gave us a loud and proud 2-hour 20-minute single set which battered it's way through the hits and more, with barely a pause for breath. Podge Blacksmith as Brian Johnson and Simon Davies, as Angus Young in particular never stopped moving and the sold-out, capacity audience loved every second.

Given that AC/DC won’t be touring or coming to Newbury anytime soon, this is as close as local audiences can get to the excitement generated by the real AD/DC - and it is very close indeed. There is great attention to detail and a genuine love and respect for the music they play.

In the year since they last appeared Livewire have substantially changed their setlist, so there was no chance of boredom setting-in or familiarity breeding contempt.

AC/DC sold over 200 million albums worldwide so, to put it mildly, there is no shortage of source material which fans know inside out. This was evident in the number of people in the packed standing area raucously singing along at every opportunity. There were plenty of horned salutes too - always a good sign.

It didn't take long before monster tracks like It's A Long Way To The Top (If you Wanna Rock 'n' Roll), Back In Black and Shoot To Thrill were hammered out or for the deep sonorous chimes heralding Hell's Bells to rock the auditorium.

By the end of the evening Simon Davies had been on a foray through the audience, playing as he went and had been lifted on to the shoulders of a roadie for yet another circuit of the hall.

A great night finished with an encore including Let There Be Rock, Bonny (Loch Lomond), Highway To Hell and finally For Those About To Rock (We Salute You).

Great stuff.