Electrifying AC/DC shows charged by huge gear logistics

Opie Skjerseth with some of the AC/DC tour show's big guns. Photo / Mark Mitchell

Within three hours of the last notes of Let There Be Rock blasting out in Wellington tonight, 24 trucks filled with AC/DC's spectacular stage show will be on the road to Auckland.

The well-oiled tour machine that supports the veteran rock supergroup will fire up for more than 30,000 fans at the capital's Westpac Stadium this evening.

The bulk of the band's gear for its Rock or Bust world tour arrived in Auckland on Thursday morning on two 747s flying laps from Melbourne before being trucked to Wellington.

Early tomorrow, much of the stage and sound equipment will have been dismantled by the AC/DC road crew of 82 plus up to 200 locals, and will be winging its way back north to do it all again at Western Springs on Tuesday.

"It was quite a move to get all this stuff over from Australia but in the end the operation was flawless," said tour production manager Dale "Opie" Skjerseth. "Fortunately this band is as much about planning as it is about headbanging and we don't like any nasty surprises."

The band members' wild days are well behind them and backstage requests include plenty of Gatorade, mineral water, apples, oranges and grapes.

In case things get overheated on stage, three oxygen tanks with masks are often ordered for the dressing rooms.

Guitarist Angus Young also has 10 different school uniforms with him on tour so he doesn't run out of outfits.

Mr Skjerseth has been with the band for 20 years. He said this was the most spectacular AC/DC live production yet.

"We have all the bells, whistles, confetti and cannons you can get and the pyrotechnic displays at the beginning and end of each show are the biggest I have ever seen.

"It is a bit like standing in front of a freight train for two and a half hours as it passes by you, but that is what the AC/DC fans expect."

After Auckland the band will disperse for Christmas before hitting the road again in the United States in the New Year, Mr Skjerseth said.

"The thing we are all looking forward to the most is some peace and quiet with our families."