Music

7,000 Belgians get ticket refunds after learning Axl Rose fronts AC/DC

by Jeremy Mersereau

May 4, 2016

Belgian AC/DC fans want Brian Johnson, not some bandanna wearing buffoon.

One thing it’s crucial to understand about classic hard rock fans, particularly those from Belgium: they like their jeans distressed, their jackets denim, and their AC/DC with Brian Johnson singing or not at all.

When AC/DC and concert promoter LiveNation charitably offered to refund tickets to any European fans who were bummed after hearing the big news about Johnson’s departure due to hearing issues and his erstwhile replacement, they probably expected a minority to take them up on their offer.

Then, 7,000 ticketholders for AC/DC’s May 16th show in Werchter, Belgium requested a refund. Good call, Belgians: I wouldn’t want the guy who wrote “One In A Million” sprung on me either. LiveNation made the following statement about the surprise cavalcade of Axl haters:

“About 7,000 tickets were registered for reimbursement. The released tickets were first offered to the existing waiting list. The remaining tickets will still be good from now on sale”

The refund cut-off date was May 2nd, so if you were set on catching an Axl-less AC/DC in Belgium later this month, you’re out of luck and will be forced to deal with seeing the personification of time’s gruesome march gyrating on stage to ‘Thunderstruck’. Sounds fun!

For anyone who wants a sneak preview of just that, here’s a recording purported to be from AC/DC’s rehearsals for their show in Lisbon this weekend: