Sam Fender brings Brian Johnson onstage to perform AC/DC classics in Newcastle
See footage of Brian Johnson – who Sam Fender calls “the prime example of a Geordie who has never forgotten his roots” – perform two AC/DC classics at Newcastle’s St. James’ Park.
Over the weekend, Newcastle singer-songwriter Sam Fender headlined his home city’s St. James’ Park across two nights – and at the second of the two shows, he brought a local legend onstage.
AC/DC frontman Brian Johnson joined Sam and his band on June 10 to run through rock staples Back In Black and You Shook Me All Night Long – and the surprise guest appearance marked his first live performance since the Taylor Hawkins tribute show in London last September (while also being a pretty decent practice run before this year’s massive Power Trip in October).
Taking to social media after the pair of gigs – which saw him play to over 100,000 people – Sam posted: “The last few days have been insane. Sharing the stage with Brian Johnson was a dream come true. When we first started seeing success with our band, me and Dean used to watch interviews of Brian to keep ourselves grounded – he is the prime example of a Geordie who has never forgotten his roots.”
Sam also posted about his first guitar teacher who he brought out onstage, adding: “Phil Martin, I wouldn’t have been able to do any of this if it wasn’t for your tutelage and back when I had my first band (when we were bairns, 14 or 15) you let us rehearse in the Gasworks practice rooms for free. We need more people like you in our community.”
Watch fan-shot footage of Brian performing with Sam Fender below:
AC/DC will return to the stage at Power Trip at Empire Polo Club in Indio, California on October 7. Sam Fender, meanwhile, is one of this summer’s Reading & Leeds headliners.
Read this: How AC/DC’s Back In Black changed rock music forever