Chris Dalston, co-head of international touring at CAA, discussed the remarkable ticket sales for AC/DC’s upcoming “Power Up” tour, set to kick off in Germany in May, in an interview with Pollstar. Delving into the tour’s planning process, Dalston highlighted the meticulous considerations involved, especially given the scheduling challenges posed by events like the Olympic Games in France and the European football championships in Germany. He emphasized the need to factor in weather conditions, citing the scorching temperatures experienced during previous European summers and the potential risks to both fans and band members.
Addressing the tour’s kickoff in Germany, Dalston explained the decision to start there was partly to allow for a week of rehearsals and to avoid the sweltering heat expected in July and August. He expressed concern for Brian Johnson’s voice and the importance of ensuring a comfortable schedule for the vocalist. Dalston also touched upon the financial aspects, highlighting the balance between maximizing revenue and keeping ticket prices reasonable for fans.
Reflecting on the anticipation leading up to ticket sales, Dalston likened it to the excitement of Christmas Eve, admitting to feeling nervous before the launch. He recounted waking up in the early hours to find that some shows had already sold out, with an astonishing 1.5 million tickets snapped up on the first day alone. Despite the immense success, Dalston underscored AC/DC’s commitment to fan experience, emphasizing their avoidance of VIP packages and dynamic pricing to maintain affordability and fan satisfaction.
Looking ahead, Dalston expressed hope for the tour’s continuation beyond 2024, contingent on the band’s enjoyment and success. He outlined aspirations for AC/DC to extend their tour into subsequent years, provided the current leg in Europe is navigated successfully.
“We believed it was going to be one of the biggest tours ever, but you just never know until you put tickets on sale. It’s like Christmas the night before we went on sale. You can’t sleep, you’re nervous. I woke up at 2:30 or 3 in the morning and Europe had already opened — and we’d sold out some of the shows already. They sold 1.5 million tickets in one day. … It’s staggering and it gives you great faith because they’re very particular in how they conduct their business. They don’t do VIP. They don’t do dynamic ticket pricing. They never want to hear fans complaining about ticket prices being too high. There’s also a point where we have to push it a little bit because otherwise they couldn’t afford to tour — especially when they’re playing one day on, three days off. … Obviously the goal is to hopefully have them continue if they enjoy it and it works well … to try to keep them out in ’25, ’26, ’27, however long they want to go, but we gotta get through Europe first.”