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AC/DC Performs Classic 'Jailbreak' Live After 34 Years
The air in Sydney’s cavernous stadium crackled with more than just the usual pre-concert anticipation; it was thick with the weight of history and the collective breath of thousands of die-hard fans holding out for a miracle. When the unmistakable, rusty-saw blade of Angus Young’s Gibson SG ripped into the opening riff of ‘Jailbreak,’ it wasn't merely the start of a song—it was a temporal rift, a thunderous blast from 1976 that sent a jolt through the very foundations of rock and roll.AC/DC, the unkillable engine of hard rock, had just performed the deep-cut classic live for the first time in 34 years, a gift so profound it felt less like a setlist addition and more like an archaeological event. For the uninitiated, ‘Jailbreak’ occupies a near-mythical status in the band's canon.Originally the title track from their 1976 EP in Australia, it’s a gritty, narrative-driven epic that tells the tale of a prisoner named Johnny, complete with dramatic sound effects of sirens and gunshots that studio executives initially found too theatrical. While it became a staple of their live shows in the late 70s, it gradually faded from setlists, last being played with any regularity during the ‘Blow Up Your Video’ tour in 1988.Its absence for over three decades turned it into a holy grail for collectors and long-time devotees, a song discussed in hushed, reverent tones on fan forums, its live resurrection considered as likely as a new album with Bon Scott. The decision to resurrect it now, on their Power Up Tour’s Australian leg—their first homecoming run in a decade—was a masterstroke of fan service, a nod to the deep, foundational history they share with their most ardent supporters.This wasn't a band simply running through the greatest hits; this was a band actively curating its legacy, digging into the raw, blues-infused soil of their early years to remind everyone of the dangerous, storytelling band they were before they became global stadium titans. The performance itself was a lesson in timeless power.Brian Johnson, his voice a glorious, weathered instrument, snarled and wailed the story with a conviction that belied his years, while Angus Young’s solo was a masterclass in controlled chaos, his duck-walk across the stage a timeless rock and roll sacrament. The rhythm section of Cliff Williams and Phil Rudd provided that unmistakable, freight-train groove, the bedrock upon which this jailbreak was successfully executed.In the broader context of their career, this move is fascinating. In an era where legacy acts are often criticized for playing it safe, AC/DC did the opposite.They took a risk on a song that isn’t ‘Highway to Hell’ or ‘Back in Black,’ trusting their audience to appreciate the deep lore. It speaks to a band deeply in tune with its own history and the desires of its fanbase, a gesture that strengthens the bond between artist and audience in a way that a dozen renditions of ‘You Shook Me All Night Long’ simply cannot. The roar that greeted those first few notes was one of pure, unadulterated recognition and joy, a sound that proved that for AC/DC and their fans, some walls are meant to be broken down, no matter how long they’ve been standing.
#featured
#AC/DC
#Jailbreak
#Bon Scott
#live performance
#Australia
#classic rock
#back catalog
#concert tour
