Tide of black T-shirts for AC/DC

BY MICHAEL FOX

From Wellywood to Boganville and whiteout to "blackout", Westpac Stadium is set to go off as AC/DC rock into town for the first of two concerts.

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Going to AC/DC and got grouse pics of you and your mates, or even a scoop shot of the band? Email them to yourpics@stuff.co.nz

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The legendary rockers kick off the New Zealand leg of their Black Ice tour in front of a sold out crowd tonight.

Marty Forde, 49, is heading along on Saturday the second time he will have seen the band after attending the 1991 concert at Athletic Park, a concert he described as "bloody brilliant".

"Good old rock music, you know, it's got to be good for you."

Following the "whiteout" during the All White's World Cup qualifying triumph, Mr Forde expected there to be a "blackout" tonight.

"I'd say every bogan from around the country will be there."

Among the bogans attending will be Rick and Vick Pimm who travelled down from Hamilton last night camping on the side of the road in Levin on the way down.

The pair were attending courtesy of a radio station logo which Mr Pimm had tattooed on his face in return for tickets and he'd "do it all again".

"It's all worth the picture on my face. I would never have been able to save up for the acts even if I tried, man."

The prize pack included tickets to Pearl Jam and Green Day and the "One hundred percent" bogans have been travelling since winning them in October.

Despite the bogan associations, the huge AC/DC fans said the band appealed to all walks of life.

Being a bogan meant being "easy going and take everything as it comes", while the music - AC/DC included - was all part of their culture.

"A lot of people look down on bogans but it's like, why? If anything we don’t have to wear ties or anything like that."

Fellow self-confessed bogans, Johnsonville brothers Daniel, 18, and Joe, 20, Walklin were among 20 people already at the stadium by around 10.30 this morning and were expecting to be wowed.

"Greatest rock band in the world pretty much - all their shows are usually insane," Daniel said.

Preparing for a mad dash to get to the front of the stage, Daniel said he had grown up with older brothers who were fans of rock music, leading to his love of the band.

While the band appealed to lots of people there were still the "die hard bogans" who were their greatest fans and they would be there in force.

"You can tell a bogan a mile away," said Joe.

Richard Adams, 24, from Christchurch was in town with three friends.

With all four dressed in sleeveless AC/DC singlets while claiming to be in town for a business meeting, Mr Adams said they were expecting big things.

"My mate went to a gig in London and said it's just phenomenal," he said.

"They can get a crowd going something wicked."

Sam Taylor, 26, said their plane was full of conspicuous fans coming up for the concert, but: "Everyone on my plane was saying they were going to Te Papa."

While they might squeeze a visit there in, it's no secret why there's an unusually high number of black t-shirts being spotted in town.
Meanwhile, the AC/DC crowd have infiltrated the culture vulture scene. The City Gallery tweeted: "Not the normal black clothes in the gallery today, a big welcome to all the AC/DC fans."

- © Fairfax NZ News