Words: Vintage Trouble / Picture: Matthias Hombauer
American blues rock quartet Vintage Trouble are currently on the road through Europe with Australian rock behemoths AC/DC. Last week, the tour stopped off in Vienna for a show which drew the largest ever audience to an Austrian event. Following the success of this Austrian show, Vintage Trouble have written a short column about the day.
“So, Austria. May 15, 2015, 4th show into the European tour featuring the great AC/DC. Rumors have it that this is the largest attendance record in Austrian history at 105,000, breaking the previous record of both U2 and Pink Floyd, which hit in the 90,000 range. We, the band Vintage Trouble, being the opener of this monumentous event — the party starter, naturally had three interviews just prior to this gig, two being for radio, one for television. A lot was discussed—we like to spread the gospel of all things rhythm & blues—early rock n’ roll and Soul, so we are comfortable in this environment. And yet there are literally 105,000 people waiting for us to back up our every word and deliver the truth of our convictions. And so it comes — but not without further romance. AC/DC lead singer Brian Johnson and bassist, Cliff Williams, greet us just before we hit the stage, a testament to the stand-up gentlemen these men are, showing us support by just their presence, yet making us feel so much more as we soak in the essence of what staying true is all about, which is something we’d touched upon in our interviews prior.
AC/DC, consisting of guitars, bass, drums and vocals, in today’s quantized computer-ridden music that dominates most airwaves, has broken a record today. Perhaps the pendulum (which has always swung in the favor of AC/DC) is coming back around to all things raw and real. That’s where we, Vintage Trouble, truly enter this picture. We hit the stage with guitar, bass, drums and vocals, throwing ourselves unto our convictions of soul music delivered with a primitive edge all our own — and it worked unbelievably well. It truly felt 105,000 VT TroubleMakers were before us, erupting after every song, responding to our every call like they knew the protocol, hands in the air, shouting out loud, dancing in this enormous field with the sun setting over the Austrian mountaintops just beyond. It was spectacular to witness—but to feel it before us was unbelievable, the crowd chanting “ZU-GA-BE” as we left the stage, which we later learned meant “Encore!”
We’ve had some great shows, but this one truly felt like a life changing moment. Thank you AC/DC, and fans alike, for keeping all things real and raw alive. We are honored to be on this tour, and humbled daily by the influx of support passed our way.”
