10 Most Overblown Stage Productions In Music Today

1. AC/DC

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tmgZpqyQLFU Of course it seems like an obvious pick, but there's good reason for that; AC/DC are the epitome of rock 'n' roll fun - ridiculous, tongue-in-cheek, raunchy, full of itself, and pretty damn entertaining. Putting aside the fact that whenever the band play festivals they erect their very own stage (main stages are so mainstream you know?), the band have frequently pushed the limits of health and safety in entertainment. Their 1996 'Ballbreaker' tour began with a huge wrecking ball smashing through the stage, before later smashing through the floor. Take that, Miley Cyrus! Their 2008 'Black Ice' tour saw them promote their first album in eight years, and in style too. Opening with typically AC/DC-like animations (devils, sex, guitars) before revealing a huge locomotive above the stage (the album's lead single was titled 'Rock 'n' Roll Train'), billowing smoke into the arena in a sort of show-within-a-smoke-machine way. Balls of flames and sparks were common throughout the show, and an array of six cannons shot off loud, smoky booms that could have been mistaken for airshow effects. Frontman Brian Johnson would find his way onto hydraulic platforms that made their way 15 feet above the crowds, dancing and screaming as only he can. Even 'Whole Lotta Rosie' would be accompanied by an inflatable 'Rosie', riding the train for the song's duration. It's that borderline ridiculousness that makes good ol' Acca Dacca so entertaining, decades after their whole school uniform-wearing shtick first graced the world's stages. Given that their last tour grossed $441.6 million across just 161 shows, it makes the band still one of the most in-demand, sought-after tickets in town, and the Australian group's rock 'n' roll crown looks set to stay perched firmly on their heads for years to come. For those about to rock, we salute you. Are there any other stage shows that you think should have made this list? Muse? Pink? Slipknot? Maybe even Spinal Tap?! Let us know in the comments section below!