PowerTrip Could Make News If AC/DC Plays Some of These Hits

Festivals

Last updated: 9 May 2023, 17:24:00
Published: 9 May 2023, 17:24:00
Written by: busblog
Photography by: Joey Foley, FilmMagic
Categories: Festivals Tagged: AC/DC

AC/DC has a chance to give the PowerTrip heavy metal music festival audience something special.

The Aussie legends are slated to play the Saturday night (October 8) spot after Ozzy at the Polo Fields in Coachella and they could do something they haven't done in 32 years: play their highest charted hit single, 1990's "Moneytalks."

At the end of the '80s, the masses weren't really buying new music from Angus, Malcom, Brian and the boys. After delivering one of the most popular albums in history with Back in Black in 1980, and the decent follow up, For Those About To Rock in '81, the rest of the '80s were more misses than hits for the hard rockers. Even their greatest hits/soundtrack album, 1986's Who Made Who seemed half baked.

AC/DC performs their biggest single "Moneytalks" from their #2 charting album The Razor's Edge in 1991, the last year they'd play the tune.

So it was quite a pleasant surprise when The Razor's Edge delivered not one but two huge hits: the arena rock favorite "Thunderstruck," and the catchy anthem "Moneytalks." It gave the band the first #2 album of their career, leapfrogging Back in Black which peaked at #4.

As the Professor of Rock noted a few weeks ago using Setlist.fm as his proof, AC/DC played "Moneytalks" in 1990 and '91 during The Razors Edge Tour and then never again. To quote the professor, "how could the highest charting song of this band’s career become their most underrated hit?"

Only Angus and Brian can tell us why the tune has been buried since before Grunge broke. But whatever the reason, if they whipped it out at PowerTrip, it would easily be one of the major highlights of the three day festival.

AC/DC hasn't performed since 2016 for the Rock or Bust tour. Angus is 68 years old and singer Brian Johnson is 75. Could PowerTrip be a kick off of a farewell victory lap around the globe? If so, resurrecting "Moneytalks," and a few other hidden gems they haven't rocked in ages, would be icing on the cake.

"Kicked in the Teeth Again"

AC/DC only played this song twice live. This is from one of those performances in San Francisco.

First played: September 2, 1977

Last played: September 3, 1977.

This cut from the grossly overlooked Powerage hooks you from the opening strains and contains one of Angus's best solos. A Bon Scott-fronted AC/DC played it live twice at the Old Waldorf in San Francisco and never touched it again.

"Landslide"

Only played once: November 3, 1983 at Market Square Arena, Indianapolis.

Flick of the Switch was AC/DC's first truly disappointing album. But after eight killer albums in a row, the band was overdue for a clunker. This particular tune, though, is a real rocker with another scorching solo. No matter the audience, they would be singing along to the chorus in minutes.

"Rock 'N' Roll Singer"

Live from Birmingham, UK July 31, 1976 during the Lock Up Your Daughters Tour.

First played: December 31, 1973.

Last played: December 8, 1976.

AC/DC have performed more hours of songs off their second album, T.N.T. than any album in their discography. Leading the way is "The Jack," "High Voltage," and the title track, which have each been played over 1k times. Granted, "Rock 'n' Roll Singer" is a very Bon type of song, but it would make an excellent bookend to the band's epic career if they started playing it now with Brian as the narrator.

"It's a Long Way to the Top (If You Wanna Rock 'n' Roll)"

First played: January 20, 1975.

Last played: December 17, 1979.

Maybe the reason this song was cut from the set list after Bon died was because as AC/DC's popularity exploded, they evolved away from bagpipes and into enormous church bells and cannons.

Not only do fans adore this song, but PowerTrip's closing headliner, Metallica, open their shows with a recording of AC/DC's version before the arena lights dim.

Artists from Lucinda Williams to Keith Urban to even Hanson have covered it. Weirdly, it's been performed more by others than AC/DC, even though it would be an instant crowd pleaser.

We may even know the right bagpiper.

"Touch Too Much"

First played: Feb 7, 1980.

Last played: June 15, 2016.

Highway to Hell was such a breakout album for AC/DC with so many great songs, it's somewhat understandable that this toe-tapper might have been lost in the shuffle and was only performed once during the Bon era. But the fact that Brian has never sung it is a bit ponderous.

It took W. Axl Rose to convince the band to re-learn it when he fronted the group in 2016 when Brian lost his hearing, temporarily. The Axl-led AC/DC played it 3 times in Europe and then never again. Since Guns n' Roses is opening PowerTrip, on Friday night, what a glorious way to bring out their pal to rock this groovin tune again.