Blimp Time-Hop: AC/DC Blow Up Your Video Tour Starts In Portland

33 years ago today, AC/DC played the second of two sold-out nights at the Civic Center.

These shows are particularly historic for me because they were my first time seeing the Thundah from Down Undah.

On May 4, 1988, AC/DC rocked Portland on night two of the North American leg of the Blow Up Your Video tour. Just like the first night, the show opened with a missile rising out of the stage and Angus Young jumping out of it as he started rippin’ the opening licks to Heatseeker.

And I can’t quite remember whether it was night one or night two that I first met the band. At that time, Simon Wright was on drums and Stevie Young on guitar.

Stevie, who is Angus and Malcolm’s nephew, was filling in for Malcolm for the first time. Uncle Malcolm was taking a break from the tour due to health issues. Stevie is a fantastic guitar player and his hair was about the same length as Malcolm’s, so I don’t think many Blimpsters noticed.

Check out what was posted yesterday on the Official AC/DC Facebook page. It's photo from night one of the US tour in Portland. Very cool to see a shout-out to great city from this great band!

The setlist was the same as night one, but if we were lucky enough to be there for both shows, I assure you that we had no complaints about hearing these same great f-in’ songs again.

setlist.fm

Watch Angus Young's heat seeking missile entrance on stage in the summer of ’88.

"Get Ready to Rock! Get Ready to Roll!"

Pardon me if you’ve heard this quick story already. I tell it a lot. If it had happened to you, I bet you would too.

Backstage after the show, I had the privilege sitting and chatting with Angus good long time...like nearly and hour. He gave me a fancy European cigarette and we talked and laughed. I don’t remember what we talked about, but I do remember the feeling of “bro-ing out” and smokin’ butts with Angus. Holy crap dude! Worth repeating, right?

I kept one of the stubbed butts on the mantle at our apartment on the West End as a shrine until my then fiancée, Sherry

Here's another one of the wicked killah 'new' tunes we heard live for the first time at those shows.