Latest news with #ShaneMerrett
Daily Mail
11 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Daily Mail
Hundreds of AC/DC fans brave the cold to line up for tickets to first Aussie tour in a decade - after ageing rockers were slammed for lacklustre gigs
Hundreds of diehard AC/DC fans braved the cold winter conditions in Melbourne on Thursday in an attempt to grab the best seats for the rock legends show at the MCG. Rock enthusiasts were ecstatic earlier this week when the Australian rockers announced they were headed Down Under this Spring for the first time in a decade. The iconic band, formed in 1973, are set to play a string of massive stadium shows Down Under in November and December. Fans stood for hours outside the Ticketek outlet in Melbourne, many chatting or scrolling their phones as they wait for the box office to open. Once tickets sales were open it was a floorer from Melbourne, Shane Merrett, who managed to score the first ticket sold. From A-list scandals and red carpet mishaps to exclusive pictures and viral moments, subscribe to the DailyMail's new showbiz newsletter to stay in the loop. Shane had come straight from work and waited 24-hours on his day off to land his first place position in the box office queue reported AAP on Thursday. Wearing and a black hoodie and resting in a camp chair to pass the time, Shane was later seen to brandish his AC/DC tattoo on his right proudly for the cameras. Shane bought eight tickets to the MCG gig for his friends and family. 'It was worth it,' he said of the long wait, much of it spent in frigid conditions,' he said the wait was 'tough'. A fan since he was 10-years-old, Merrett said he waited 'three days' at the box office for AC/DC Aussie tours in 2010 and 2015. It comes after of AC/ DC turned on their heroes after footage from their current global tour recently dropped on TikTok. In the clip, which appears to have been filmed at a recent gig in Pasadena, USA, guitarist Angus Young, 70, can be seen trying to rouse the crowd with a chant of 'Oi, Oi, Oi' during the band's hit 'High Voltage'. Once known for his ever youthful look, the blond-haired veteran rocker, dressed in white shirt, and velvet 'school shorts' was hardly recognisable as the vigorous performer he is known as. And this had fans asking whether Angus and his band were now past their prime. 'Time to retire' posted more than one user on the thread, which has attracted 1294 comments. Also seen in the clip, is AC/DC lead singer Brian Johnson, 77, who also appeared 'slow' compared to the fury of the on stage performances of the past. 'Surely this is going to be their last tour??' added one fan, while another enthusiast did not hold back: 'Damn I'm an AC/DC fan but this sucks a**.' Another fan was equally harsh messaging, 'They are done money off this?? Unbelievable.. and I'm a BIG AC DC FAN … Geezus boys!!!' Still, the post has attracted 90.3K love heart 'likes' as well as comments from fans prepared to back the famed Australian band as they continue their Pump Up World Tour. 'I have seen AC/DC six times since 1977. I would go again!' wrote one supporter on the thread, while another simply gushed: 'Awesome.' A third fan commented on the status of the US leg of the tour. '[They are] selling out stadiums. I don't think they are embarrassing themselves. The crowds having a great time. They aren't stopping.' The iconic band, formed in 1973, are set to play a string of massive stadium shows in November and December. Fronted by Brian Johnson and guitar icon Angus Young, AC/DC will hit major cities including Melbourne, Sydney, Adelaide, Perth and Brisbane. AC/DC will kick off their Australian leg at Melbourne's MCG on November 12, before heading to Sydney's Accor Stadium on November 21. From there, the legendary rockers will take the stage at the BP Adelaide 500 Grand Finale on November 30, before travelling to Perth's Optus Stadium for a show on December 4. They'll wrap up the Aussie tour in style with a final stadium gig at Brisbane's Suncorp Stadium on December 14.
Perth Now
20 hours ago
- Climate
- Perth Now
All Night Long: fan frenzy as AC/DC tickets go on sale
Freezing temperatures, hail and drenching sideways rain couldn't deter AC/DC superfan Shane Merrett as he camped outside overnight to be first in line to get his hands on sought-after concert tickets. The Aussie rock legends are gearing up for a long-awaited homecoming tour, lighting up huge stadium shows across the nation for the first time in a decade. With just a camp chair, the 47-year-old floorer came straight from work and waited outside Ticketek's Melbourne office for 24 hours on his day off to be first in line on Thursday. "It was worth it," said Mr Merrett, who snagged eight front-row tickets at the MCG for friends and family. "It was very tough conditions. I could feel my heart beating not normal, you could feel something clicking in the chest region, but I had to push on." Original band member Angus Young will lead the charge, joined by longstanding vocalist Brian Johnson, Stevie Young on rhythm guitar, drummer Matt Laug, and bassist Chris Chaney. Feeling a bit edgy after downing a few celebratory pints at the pub with tickets in hand, the self-described bogan said he was 10 when his father introduced the band to him. "I got connected with them more than he did, and I got into the tapes and then the CDs, into the boom box and into the vinyls. It just exploded," Mr Merrett said. So enamoured with the Aussie rock quintet, he waited for three days outside the ticket office when they last toured the nation in 2010 and 2015. Tickets went on sale at staggered local times on Thursday, with Sydney from 9am followed by Brisbane at 11am, Melbourne at 1pm and Perth at 1pm (AWST). Ticketek Entertainment Group's Tim McGregor said the response from fans had been huge, but the website held up to demand. "Sales have been fantastic and it's clear fans are pumped to see AC/DC back on Aussie stages," he said. "No surprises there with a band like this." Ticketek urged customers to only purchase tickets from its website and warned against buying from third-party resellers. The tour opens at Melbourne's MCG on November 12 before heading to Sydney on November 21, Adelaide on November 30, Perth on December 4 and Brisbane on December 14.
