AC/DC Unleashed Raw Power with a Rare and Fiery “Riff Raff” at Letňany 2025

On June 26, 2025, Prague’s Letňany Airport was transformed into a cathedral of chaos as AC/DC unleashed their scorching deep cut “Riff Raff” before a roaring crowd of 80,000 fans. While the band’s anthems like “Thunderstruck” and “Back in Black” typically dominate setlists, pulling out “Riff Raff” was a deliberate nod to longtime fans—and the crowd knew it instantly. The raw energy that followed made it clear: this wasn’t just a concert, it was a full-blown revival.

As the sun dipped below the horizon, Angus Young charged the stage in full schoolboy gear and wasted no time launching into the blistering opening riff. No build-up, no pause—just an immediate blast of guitar fury that cut through the summer air like a lightning strike. It was the kind of unrelenting tempo that separated early AC/DC from the rest of the rock world, and hearing it live again after so many years was both jarring and exhilarating.

Brian Johnson roared into the first verse with trademark grit, his voice still as explosive as ever at 77. “See it on television every day…” he growled, with a snarl that felt more like a dare than a lyric. The speed of the delivery, the sharpness of his phrasing—it all clicked as if the song had never left the band’s bloodstream. For longtime fans, it was a moment of time-travel back to the Powerage era.

Angus, now 70, duck-walked and spun with such manic energy that even first-time AC/DC concertgoers were stunned. The catwalk across the field became his personal racetrack as he leaned into his solos with unfiltered abandon. The fury of “Riff Raff” gave him ample room to explore every corner of the fretboard, stretching out the middle solo with dive-bombing bends and call-and-response licks that felt almost punk in their rawness.

Stevie Young’s rhythm guitar was the unsung hero of the night. While Angus burned the fretboard, Stevie kept the engine running with relentless downstrokes and tight timing that echoed the legacy of his late uncle, Malcolm Young. Every chord he played added foundation to Angus’s chaos, and the synergy between the two brothers-in-spirit was palpable.

Behind them, Matt Laug handled the demanding tempo like a machine. The drums on “Riff Raff” are fast, feral, and unforgiving—but Laug stayed right in the pocket, pushing the song forward without ever slipping into slop. It was a reminder of just how complex AC/DC’s older catalog really is beneath the surface, particularly the Powerage-era material, which many critics often overlook.

The crowd responded with unmatched intensity. Though “Riff Raff” isn’t the band’s most famous track, the moment it kicked in, die-hard fans at the front screamed every lyric like it was their national anthem. Younger audience members followed suit, swept up in the song’s sheer force, while some older fans teared up at the rare resurrection of a cult classic.

Big screens flanking the stage showed closeups of Angus’s fretwork, and when the second solo erupted, the entire field seemed to jump in sync. Mobile phones lit up like a sea of stars as fans captured the moment, some too stunned to record, just pumping fists and screaming along. For many, it was the highlight of the night—an unexpected blast of early AC/DC at full throttle.

The production design for this performance matched the fury of the music. Flames blasted behind the drum riser during every chorus hit, and pulsing strobes followed the beat as if synchronized to Angus’s fingers. The chaos of the lighting mirrored the aggression of the song, making it a feast not just for the ears but for every nerve ending in the body.

This wasn’t the first time “Riff Raff” had made an impact in Prague. Back in 1979, during the Highway to Hell tour, it featured prominently in early European setlists. That historical echo wasn’t lost on the Czech audience, many of whom came prepared wearing Powerage shirts and even holding up “Riff Raff Lives!” banners—a sign of deep-cut devotion that paid off big time.

In the days following the concert, clips of the “Riff Raff” performance flooded social media. One fan-shot video, taken from deep in the crowd, racked up over two million views in just 48 hours. Comment sections exploded with phrases like “This is why AC/DC are gods” and “Who else can play this fast at that age?”—a fitting tribute to a band still pushing limits after five decades.

Music journalists from across Europe quickly labeled the Prague rendition of “Riff Raff” one of the most unexpected and thrilling moments of the entire Power Up tour. Magazines praised the band’s decision to resurrect a fan favorite, while guitar forums buzzed with breakdowns of Angus’s solo, some calling it “his most dangerous in years.”

Even after the show moved into more familiar territory with “T.N.T.” and “For Those About to Rock,” the aftershock of “Riff Raff” lingered. Fans continued to chant its chorus as they exited the venue, some pausing under streetlamps to play the solo on air guitar. It wasn’t just another song in the set—it was the night’s beating heart.

Backstage, tour staff reportedly marked the moment as one to flag for future releases, potentially for an official live album or concert film. With its rare setlist inclusion and the crowd’s feral reaction, “Riff Raff” in Prague may very well go down as the definitive version for a new generation.

By the time the buses rolled out and Letňany Airport began to quiet, there was no question that something rare had happened. “Riff Raff,” that defiant, high-speed gem from 1978, had come roaring back to life. And AC/DC, as always, proved that even the deep cuts can still tear the roof off a runway.