By Charlotte Tonkin
One of the biggest-selling rock and roll bands in the world has arrived in New Zealand for its first show of the new decade.
When AC/DC takes the stage in Wellington tomorrow night, it will mark the band's fifth decade of performing.
Looking more like tourists than multi millionaire rockers, AC/DC arrived in the capital by chartered jet.
Thirty-seven thousand fans will enjoy the first of three two-hour New Zealand shows.
"We've now got three generations of audiences," says promoter Garry van Egmond. "We have the 15-year-old, his father and the grandfather, and our female audiences has increased. It's a much wider audience."
Promoters expect a third of the crowd will be from the South Island. So far, 122,000 tickets have been sold for all shows.
"It's a high-energy show, visually it's a good fun concert," says van Egmond. "They're very personal, and I know audiences will love it."
The custom-built stage has taken four days to construct. It is the largest stage ever built in New Zealand, and has taken a team of hundreds to set up.
It is hungry work, so a specialised catering team tends to the culinary needs of the crew and the band.
"All they're into is good, nourishing food," says caterer Joanie Meredith.
In two days, the crew have eaten their way through 80kg of potatoes and 400 eggs. It is expected they will eat 300kg of meat during the tour."
As for the band, Meredith says they're not fussy.
"The myth about M&M's and pulling out a certain colour, it's all mythology."
Kiwi audiences can expect pyrotechnics, lighting and sound without the threat of a power outage, even in Auckland, as the show travels with its own power supply.
"If they bring everything themselves, they know it will work," says van Egmond.
The band's work for 2010 will start tomorrow night when Hell's bell will be tolling.
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