AC/DC - Let There Be Rock

Performance 
Production     

Let There Be Rock was filmed at the Pavilion De Paris, on 9 December 1979, during AC/DC's Paris, France stop of their Highway To Hell world tour. The concert film was released both theatrically and on videotape back in 1980, and up until now has only been available to the general public in lackluster VHS form. This summer, Let There Be Rock finally received its due and was re-released in restored and re-mastered Blu-ray and DVD versions, and also as a Limited Collectors Edition tin that includes both the Blu-ray and DVD, a collectors card set of concert photos, a souvenir guitar pick, and a 32 page tribute booklet. Now we're talking!

For the one person reading this review who may not already know the basic AC/DC story, allow me to briefly summarize. AC/DC was formed in Sydney, Australia in1973 by brothers Angus and Malcolm Young. In 1974, Ronald Belford "Bon" Scott replaced original lead vocalist, Dave Evans, and the band went on to release seven studio albums before Scott was found dead on 19 February 1980, after another night of excessive alcohol consumption. Scott had basically choked on his own vomit in his drunken sleep, according to most reports. As you can see, Let There Be Rock was filmed only a couple of months before Scott's untimely death.

Let There Be Rock is certainly dated, but it still seems fresh. Every AC/DC tour and concert video that followed would feature a mammoth stage production, epic light show, and enough fire and explosions to give Kiss a run for their money. All of their other concert DVDs have also been first-rate, really capturing the magnitude of a modern AC/DC concert spectacle, but the1979 Highway To Hell tour that you get to witness on this DVD had none of that nonsense. Just a huge wall of Marshall amps on a minimally lit stage, and some of the loudest and proudest, bluesy, hard rock to ever come from the Australian continent.

Let There Be Rock is part concert film and part documentary. The interviewer sounds like a complete douche bag, asking some of the dumbest questions I have ever heard ("Are you waiting for the third world war?"), but the band members, who all appear to be completed wasted during each interview, take it all in stride and provide appropriately silly answers, as if to say, "are you reeeally the guy they sent here to interview us?" They also must have just watched Led Zeppelin's The Song Remains the Same, as this video has similar fantasy sequences between some of the songs, such as Phil Rudd racing an old biplane with his Porsche.

The first few minutes of the video show the road crew loading in the equipment and setting up the stage, and then moves to the band warming up and hamming around backstage before the show. Angus, already halfway dressed in his school boy uniform, looks all of about 13 years old, as he sits there fiddling with his guitar backstage. The band finally kicks off the proceedings with a loose and raw "Live Wire" under a modest light show (by today's standards) and a stripped down stage. This one is all about the music and the swagger.

The 13-song setlist features four of the best tracks off the just-released Highway To Hell album; "Shot Down In Flames," "Walk All Over You," "Girls Got Rhythm," and the title track, as well as a few older classics that you will not find on any of the Brian Johnson-era DVDs, such as "Sin City," "High Voltage," and "Rocker." The setlist is a very refreshing change of pace if you already have all of the other AC/DC concert videos, especially with Bon performing them.

The concert is presented in it's original full screen image and the picture is about as clean and sharp as you could possibly ask for, considering the source. It is a marked improvement over the VHS release, but it still looks very low budget compared to today's standards. The real prize here is the new Dolby Digital 5.1 Surround mix, that puts you right in front of the the stage at the show, and lets you hear every instrument with perfect balance and clarity. The original stereo audio mix is also included. There were no bonus features included.

It was thrilling to finally get a complete AC/DC concert DVD featuring original frontman, Bon Scott. It was also heartbreaking to listen to Scott talk about how he went from being the band's chauffeur, to getting a tryout for the lead vocalist spot, and eventually getting the gig. As with every great musician who has died prematurely, it makes you wonder how different the band would have turned out had Bon Scott still been leading them today.

You don't need me to tell you to run out and get this DVD today - so what are you waiting for?

Reviewed by Paul M. Roy - August 2011

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Technical Details

Audio Formats
Dolby Digital 5.1 Surround
Dolby Digital 2.0 Stereo

Video Format
4:3 Full Screen

Performers
Bon Scott - Vocals
Angus Young - Guitar
Malcolm Young - Guitar
Cliff Williams - Bass
Phil Rudd - Drums

Year Released - June 2011
Performance Date - December 1979

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