First AC/DC reminded us how to rock last night at the Tacoma Dome. And in four hours our classic rock weekend gets extended when the mighty, mighty Metallica invades KeyArena. The band is using an in-the-round format again, with the stage in the middle of the arena floor for great sight lines. And there's a big laser and pyrotechnics show. Towering flames will singe your eyelashes 20 rows back during "One." And diehard fans will be most excited about a set list that focuses on material from 1992 and earlier, with the best songs from the new "Death Magnetic" album thrown in to keep it fresh. In Portland, Metallica even dug into the "Garage Days" material with their killer cover of the Misfits' "Last Caress." I posted a photo of the set list here on Nov. 2 in case you missed it. And here's how it looked when those guys rocked Stumptown a month ago.

Scenes from Metallica's Nov. 1 show at the Rosegarden: (From top) growly front man James Hetfield; Lars Ulrich gets the guys in the photo below him riled up; bassist Robert Trujillo works up a sweat; Trujillo, Hetfield and Kirk Hammett synchronize their shredding.
ERNEST A. JASMIN

So what exactly did you expect from AC/DC’s first stop at the Tacoma Dome in seven years? That the band would unveil the new ambient electronic sound it’s been working on with Brian Eno? That it would try out new world beat-influenced arrangements, featuring sitar and didgeridoo? A melancholy acoustic set with Brian Johnson sharing a few existential reflections?

No, no and hell to the no. AC/DC isn't about to pull any arty surprises on their fans -- you know, like those Who guys. And Sunday night at the Tacoma Dome, it was as if the band had been frozen in carbonite these last few years and thawed out in time to record a solid but not exactly revolutionary new album. The songs the band played from this year's “Black Ice” disc were, of course, the only firm indicators that 21,000 fans hadn't been warped back to the show they did in 2001 --or all the way back to some performance in 1983, for that matter.)

Many set staples and gimmicks were familiar to anyone who has seen Australia's mightiest rock export live: Brian Johnson, he of the sandpaper howl, ringing in “Hell’s Bells” with that big bell they travel with; guitarist Angus Young stompin’ and chompin’ his way through the set, and of course, clad in proper schoolboy-clad attire; a sweaty Mr. Young eventually shedding his most of his trademark gear in a striptease moment, eventually flopping around on a raised platform during his "Let There Be Rock" solo. And most satisfying was the thunder of cannons during the bombastic finale, “For Those About to Rock (We Salute You).”

Fans' devil horn headgear blinked in the arena's darkness throughout. Heavy handed double-entendres were also involved. And, Oh, I almost forgot the big, honkin’ props. A massive locomotive -- emblazoned with the band's logo and representing the new album's lead single, "Rock N' Roll Train -- provided a fun backdrop for Angus and company's antics. Eventually, said train was straddled by an even more ridiculous prop, an lewd, inflated woman that was pumped up in all the right places, if you know what I mean. This is apparently what the namesake of “Whole Lotta Rosie” looked like, assuming she's a real person.

Such arrested development would be a shortcoming for lesser bands. But this is AC/DC, people, possibly the partiest heartiest crew in all of human history. OK, Motley Crue might dispute that; the point being that part of AC/DC's appeal is that they still act like hormonal 15-year-olds trapped in AARP-eligible bodies. And you can be a Rhodes scholar, but their massively infectious sound makes you want to get in touch with our sophomoric side, too.

These guys definitely still rock, and for that we salute them.

Scenes from last night's AC/DC show: Front man Brian Johnson let's loose with his vocal chord-shredding howl; with drummer Phil Rudd, guitarist Angus Young and bassist Cliff Williams (Malcolm Young not pictured); Johnson, shown here doing some kind of monkey dance, seemed to pick up steam as the night went along; diabolical anime Angus, courtesy of a raunchy "Rock N' Roll Train" intro video. You can find a set list here, by the way, if you missed it earlier this morning.
ERNEST A. JASMIN

That ain't noise pollution, sucka! That's AC/DC rockin' the Tacoma Dome Sunday night.
ERNEST A. JASMIN

You know the routine by now. I've got a set list from AC/DC's stop at the T-Dome. Check back later this morning for more highlights and a few photos. Cheers.

AC/DC set list
Nov. 30, 2008
Tacoma Dome

Rock N’ Roll Train
Hell Ain’t a Bad Place to Be
Back in Black
Big Jack
Dirt Deeds Done Dirt Cheap
Thunderstruck
Black Ice
The Jack
Hell’s Bells
Shoot to Thrill
War Machine
Anything Goes
You Shook Me All Night Long
TNT
Whole Lotta Rosie
Let There Be Rock

Encore:
Highway to Hell
For Those About to Rock (We Salute You)

Opening act: The Answer