AC/DC’s opening night at the Melbourne Cricket Ground was a powerful event that literally shook the ground. The concert created vibrations that were detected by earthquake sensors two miles away. It had been ten years since the band last played in Australia, and their return caused seismic readings between 2-5 hertz at the Richmond Seismology Research Centre.
Adam Pascale, the chief scientist at the Centre, explained that the sensors measured ground movement, not sound from the air. “We’re picking up the ground motion,” he said. The vibrations came from the speakers and the crowd jumping up and down. Fans bouncing together created the most noticeable activity. When the crowd moved in sync, the sensors picked up stronger signals. “If everyone’s sort of bouncing in unison, it amplifies the signal,” Pascale added.
People living over six miles away reported hearing the concert from their homes, and social media was buzzing with posts about the loud volume. However, this concert wasn’t the biggest reading for the venue. Taylor Swift’s 2024 concerts at the same location produced even larger seismic signals than any other musical event tracked by the Centre.
AC/DC’s Power Up tour has been a huge success, selling over two million tickets since it started in Europe last year. Every North American show sold out before the band returned to Australia, with the U.S. leg kicking off in Minneapolis this past April.
The Melbourne Cricket Ground will host another AC/DC show on Saturday. After that, the band will perform at Sydney’s ACCOR Stadium on November 21 and 25, followed by shows in Adelaide on November 30, Perth on December 4 and 8, and wrapping up in Brisbane on December 14 and 18.
