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Caledonia
m i DC: BWCK LOUD
Ragpole correspondent and Boston resident through a surplus of tracks from its latest, but f joyous ringleaders, at times breaking into a tri-
Ragpole correspondent and Boston resident
Tom Kielty recently caught a glimpse of leg
endary Aussie rock and roll band AC/DC at a
show at the Fleet Center in Boston. Here's his
report:
The bad boys from
down under are back.
For the first time in
five years, AC/DC
returns to these
shores, and for the
first time in 10 years,
it is the same AC/DC
that recorded the
band's landmark Back
In Black. Drummer Phil Rudd rejoins the leg
endary, guitar-playing Young brothers, Angus
and Malcolm, bassist Cliff “Williams and throaty
vocalist Brian Johnson for a lengthy outing in
support of the recently released Stiff Upper Lip
All the pieces are in place for a return to the
source of some of rock and roll's truly seminal
power, and if a recent show at Boston's Fleet
Center is any indication, the band is intent on
getting as close tc that storied spot as it can,
scaring no expenses on the trip.
From the opening strains of "You Shook Me
All Night Long," when the building's wattage
must have easily surpassed many farming com
munities, it was obvious that AC/DC's longtime
commitment to showing its fans a good time
was intact. Sure, the band probably worked
through a surplus of tracks from its latest, but
if songs like the title track and "Safe In New
York" aren't instant classics, they aren't half
bad, either. In fact, on a night of steamy
humidity, the new
song "Meltdown," with
its chorus, "Man, it's
getting hot," sounded
perfect. Obviously,
most in attendance
were waiting for the
standards, though,
and they got a healthy
serving.
With the electri
fying breakout of
"Shoot To Thrill," Angus Young served notice
that if his hair has receded a bit from the days
of his youth, his legs
still have a vigor
worthy of schoolboy
short pants. In fact
through classics that
included "Rock 'N' Roll
Ain't Noise Pollution,"
"Hell's Bells," (with
the first of the night's
many entertaining
stage novelties) and
"Back In Black," the
band's energy might lead the casual observer to
believe they had indeed entered into some oth
erworldly pact. Johnson is among rock's most
ringleaders, at times breaking into a tri
umphant jig in the midst of the madness. If
there are places that his cigarette-weary voice
can no longer go, they come unfailingly during
moments when the crowd is singing along so
enthusiastically it goes largely unnoticed.
Besides, by the time the band reached the
climactic "Highway To Hell" all eyes were on
the perpetual motion of Angus Young. When he
slid into the comfort zone that Rudd and
Williams' stomping rhythm provided, he proved
that he is truly among rock's most distinctive
players, and brother Malcolm's support was
unwavering as well. As the band wrapped things
up with the knockout combination of "T.N.T"
and "For Those About To Rock (We Salute
You),"—complete with cannon fire, a warning
for those judicious about their hearing—it
became clear that
AC/DC remains one of
the planet's most
entertaining live acts.
If there is any doubt,
the show's conclusion,
which rivaled any
football stadium rock
concert erased it.
Tom Kielty
AC/DC performs at Philips Arena in Atlanta on
Thursday, August 17. Tickets are S47, available
through Ticketmaster.
BAND SPEAK
by MATT THOMPSON
Beatles; no one wanted to admit it, but they
were there. I think there's enough age brackets
within the band that we're feeding off different
decades."
WINTER'S HAVEN
Shone Minish—vocals
Jody Thompson—rhythm guitar
Dave Brown—lead guitar
Jason Fricks—bass
Freddy Dean—drums
Rock and roll may have been revolutionized
in the 1960s—and in turn, revolu
tionized that decade—but it was
during the 70s that rock music
became a true force in American cul
ture. Bands began playing stadiums
and giant arenas, and the radio was
awash with outfits each sounding
different horn the last. Sure, it all
got out of hand by the end of the
decade and sure, there was that
whole regrettable disco thing, but all
in all, the 70s were an exciting time
for rock fans. Athens quintet Winter's
Haven draws from that period to
create its own blend of power rock,
with hints towards later eras.
Longtime iriends Shone Minish,
Jody Thompson and Dave Brown—all
Banks County boys—began writing
songs together a few years ago.
Drummer Freddy Dean (of Athens band
The Perpetrators and Cookieman) came
aboard last August, and Winter's Haven
was formed.
The Dalonega-based band mixes such
disparate influences as 70s arena rock
like T. Rex and Aerosmith with George
Lynch- and Eddie Van Halen-style guitar
heroics and '80s synth-pop vocals, partic
ularly Minish's Jim Morrison-like vocal
delivery. The band's sonic delivery mixes
open-ended, spacy instrumentation with a
structured style of songwriting for a solid
display of both musicianship and song
writing.
Bassist Jason Fricks came aboard last
month, and the band has been featured on 90.5
FM's "Live In The Lobby" and has recorded a
Has it been tough breaking into Athens, what
with being an "out of town " band and being
so young?
"It's funny. Technically, the guys live way up
there, but some of them, like Jody, are real
Athens guys. It's almost a little deceiving being
an 'out of town band because everyone has
ties in Athens. It wasn't that tough,
though, because some of the people who
book the clubs heard a sound in us that
was appealing and saw that it drew
people. It hasn't been cream cheese, but
we've aiade great progress in the last
year."
Why should someone check out the
band at a live show?
"1 think your ears would like the
vacation. It gives people such an array of
music to hear in one night. There'll be a
taste of everything. It's a good show. I
have to say we deliver energy and then
bring it down. We deliver some more
and then bnng it back dowr. for the
next song. We deliver each song a little
bit different from the last one, and
we're trying to conjure up something
different with each tune we play."
What's it like being in u band that's
clicked so well?
"It's been heaven for me. To have
something like that to click that fast,
there's definitely excitement in the
band. There's a drive and ambition to
keep building on that, and an
urgency to keep building that fan-
base. We feel real confident, but
there's still that feeling of 'what
happens next?' We're really psyched
and laying building blocks. I've
never been in a band that's clicked
this fast and it's really great."
Winter's Haven plays the 40 Watt Club on
Wednesday, August 16 with Broken Sky.
short demo it's selling at shows. Dean speaks:
What does the whole '70s vibe mean to the
band?
"To me, it's not so much stuff like disco,
which was the later part of the 70s, but
almost the latter-day pio
neers of rock in the early 70s like Grand Funk.
They were selling out stadiums quicker than the
AUGUST 1 6, 2000
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