AC/DC in Columbus

About AC/DC

AC/DC formed in Sydney in 1973 when Scottish brothers Malcolm and Angus Young decided to build the simplest, dirtiest rock and roll machine possible. For five decades, they've been weirdly consistent about it. Angus's guitar work is all controlled chaos—he can make a riff do more with less than almost anyone else. The band's signature sound came together fully with Back in Black in 1980, an album so commercially dominant it basically taught the world what stadium rock should sound like. They've cycled through vocalists and drummers, but the formula held. Their songs work because they're built on the most basic rock DNA: a hook that lodges in your brain, rhythm section that doesn't overthink it, and Angus playing like he's got a personal vendetta against the amp. AC/DC never chased trends or tried to evolve beyond their wheelhouse. That restraint is kind of the point.

Loud, sweaty, and exactly what you paid for. Angus tears through solos while the crowd loses its mind on every familiar riff. No surprises, no deep cuts. Just the hits played with the understanding that everyone came for the same reason.

Known for Back in Black, You Shook Me All Night Long, Highway to Hell, Thunderstruck, T.N.T.

AC/DC + Columbus

AC/DC rolled into Nationwide Arena in September 2016 with the kind of setlist that reminded you why they've been selling out arenas for decades. They opened with 'Rock or Bust' and didn't mess around—straight into 'Shoot to Thrill' and 'Hell Ain't a Bad Place to Be' before hitting you with 'Back in Black.' The deep cuts landed hard: 'Got Some Rock & Roll Thunder' and 'Rock 'n' Roll Damnation' showed they weren't just playing the obvious choices. By the time they got to 'Thunderstruck' and 'High Voltage,' the arena was locked in. They closed it out the way AC/DC knows how, with 'For Those About to Rock (We Salute You)' sending people out into the Columbus night. Twenty-four songs, no apologies.

AC/DC in Columbus News

• AC/DC adds 17 new ‘Power Up’ 2026 tour dates in Columbus, Madison, & more MLive.com · Nov 4, 2025
• AC/DC Columbus tickets: Best prices, promo codes for ‘Power Up Tour’ 2026 Cleveland.com · Nov 3, 2025
• AC/DC to perform at Ohio Stadium in Columbus during 'Power Up' tour in 2026 The Columbus Dispatch · Nov 3, 2025
• AC/DC to bring 'Power Up Tour' to Ohio Stadium next summer 10TV · Nov 3, 2025
• AC/DC Extend ‘Power Up’ Tour With 2026 Dates Rolling Stone · Nov 3, 2025

Live Music in Columbus

Columbus has always been a rock city, the kind of place where a band like AC/DC finds an audience that gets it. The city's got a working-class sensibility that lines up with AC/DC's no-frills blues-rock approach—this isn't a place for pretense. From the local clubs on High Street to bigger venues like Nationwide, Columbus audiences show up for straightforward, powerful rock and roll. AC/DC fits that perfectly.

Columbus road trip to see AC/DC?

Stay in German Village, where the restored brick townhouses and tree-lined streets feel like an actual neighborhood rather than a tourist zone. Dinner at Harvest Bistro on High Street for refined American food done without fuss. Spend the afternoon at the Columbus Museum of Art, then walk through the Short North corridor—the gallery district has real energy without feeling manufactured. Catch the show at Nationwide Arena, then grab drinks at Drinkery in German Village for something low-key.