AC/DC's first Australian concert in a decade was so powerful that it set off earthquake detection equipment. The show took place on Wednesday, November 12, at the Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG), marking the band's return to their hometown tour after ten years.
According to the Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC), Adam Pascale, chief scientist at the Seismology Research Centre, confirmed that seismic vibrations in the two to five hertz range were registered at their Richmond office, about 3.5 kilometres from the venue. Pascale explained that both the sound waves from the speakers and the crowd's movement contributed to the readings.
“The sound waves that people were experiencing nearby and feeling something through their bodies, that’s the equivalent to what our seismographs feel,” Pascale said. He added that the crowd jumping in unison amplified the signal, making it easier to detect.
Residents nearly 10 kilometres away reported being able to hear the concert, with two people from Hawthorn, a suburb near the MCG, also confirming they could hear the show. AC/DC performed hits including 'Back In Black', 'Thunderstruck', 'Shoot To Thrill', and 'Jailbreak' for the first time in 34 years.
The 'PWR UP' tour continues with dates in Melbourne, Sydney, Adelaide, Perth, and Brisbane through December 2024. The tour is named after the band's 2020 album 'Power Up', which received a four-star review from NME.
