AC/DC and The Pretty Reckless Rock Notre Dame Stadium

by Tom Wojcik and Photos By Rob Grabowski

Notre Dame Stadium - South Bend, IN - Friday, September 4, 2026

As temps reached 100 degrees on a Midwest Friday night, fans nestled in from all over America's Heartland and tri-state area, even California, to witness one of rocks last treasures at Notre Dame Stadium. With imminent thunder in the distance, the show went on without flaw.

The Power Up Tour (coming to an end this month after nearly 100 shows, 3 years, and half a million tickets sold), featured openers The Pretty Reckless from New York City. The band has largely been the opener warming up audiences outside of Australia.

AC/DC raised the heat with opener "If You Want Blood (You've Got It)" from 1979, followed by the unmistakable "Back In Black," and newer track "Demon Fire" from the Power Up album. No frills rock 'n' roll, just lined towers of amplifiers, stacked eight across and three high. Outside of the ceremonious Hells Bell, thunderous cannons, some fire here and there, AC/DC do not need the large production to prove they can deliver what they have been doing since 'Happy Days' was still on the air.

Just shy of his 79th birthday this October, vocalist Brian Johnson's boyish grin gleamed from ear-to-ear as the frontman barely stopped bouncing across the stage for nearly 2 hours. To most people, Angus Young is AC/DC. Gone is the original band, gone is its following line-up, currently replaced with Stevie Young (filling in the rhythm guitar slot of uncle Malcolm Young), bassist Chris Chaney (Jane's Addiction, Alanis Morrisette, Methods Of Mayhem), and drummer Matt Laug (Alanis Morrisette, Autograph). Very few have steered the rock 'n' roll roller coaster better than AC/DC, and no matter who is on the train, audiences will always line up for the ride.

The only song representing the aughts was 2000's "Stiff Upper Lip," but the band did a well-though out set list with material equal of original vocalist Bon Scott. The Aussie outfit shook the historic stadium, thousands of red horns flickering aside iPhone flashes. While Angus will always be on the Mount Rushmore of rock's greatest guitarists, ending the main set with an extended version of "Let There Be Rock," his lengthy guitar solo seemed ill-placed to finish the show.

Returning to the stage to anticipate the nearly 30,000 chanting "Oi, Oi, Oi!", AC/DC tore through "TNT" and "For Those About To Rock (We Salute You)," as cannons could be felt pounding chests and fireworks melted the already sweaty sky.

AC/DC Set List - Sept. 4, 2026
If You Want Blood (You've Got It)
Back in Black
Demon Fire
Shot Down in Flames
Thunderstruck
Have a Drink on Me
Hells Bells
Shot in the Dark
Stiff Upper Lip
Highway to Hell
Shoot to Thrill
Sin City
Jailbreak
Dirty Deeds Done Dirt Cheap
High Voltage
Riff Raff
You Shook Me All Night Long
Whole Lotta Rosie
Let There Be Rock (With Angus Young solo)