AC/DC first concert for London's Olympic Stadium

AC/DC will be the first band to perform a major concert at the former Olympic Stadium in London’s Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park. The concert, scheduled for the 4th June, will be the first major event in the Stadium after the transformation works are finished. The Stadium has been undergoing work since 2013 to turn it into a year-round, multi-use venue. The work includes installing the largest roof of its kind in the world, a community track, innovative retractable seating, spectator and hospitality facilities and external landscaping.

http://www.accessaa.co.uk/acdc-to-perform-first-major-concert-at-former-olympic-stadium/

Swiss promoters call for anti ticket-tout laws

Audience magazine reports that Swiss promoters have called for tougher consumer protection laws in the fight against secondary ticketing and websites such as Viagogo, whose worldwide headquarters is in Geneva. Members of the Swiss Music Promoters Association (SMPA) have called for the Government to help tackle touts and inflated ticket prices on resale sites.SMPA Board member Dany Hassenstien said that existing Swiss consumer protection laws did not go far enough toprotect fas against touting and also called for Europe wide action to identify the best solutions in the battle against touting and secondary ticketing.

And in New Zealand, promoters are becoming increasingly concerned about the growth of fake ticket scams and online touting, some of which is linked to Viagogo. Ian Magan, local organiser for Australian promoter Garry Van Egmond’s AC/DC tour, has already issued two “cease and desist” warnings to Viagogo and is considering legal action.

AC/DC to retire?

The Sydney Morning Herald has reported that AC/DC founder, guitarist and songwriter Malcolm Young, 61, has returned to Australia with his family and is believed to be unable to continue playing due to illness. Young is the older brother of lead guitarist Angus Young, and is said to have suffered a stroke. The newspaper said the band, which has sold more than 200 million albums in a forty year career, could announce its demise within days as the Sydney based band have reportedly had made a “pact” that they would not continue if a member was forced to leave. 

Update from The band's official website: http://www.acdc.com/us/home:  confirmed: "The band will continue to make music" but that Young would be taking a break after "forty years of life dedicated to AC/DC", but did not reveal details of his illness saying "Malcolm would like to thank the group's diehard legions of fans worldwide for their never-ending love and support" and the band said"In light of this news, AC/DC asks that Malcolm and his family's privacy be respected during this time."

AC/DC join the digital age

Australian rockers AC/DC have agreed to let their entire catalogue, including individual tracks, be sold on Apple’s iTunes as digital downloads, after long refusing, Fellow refuseniks  including The Beatles, Kid Rock and Metallica who had all previously joined iTunes, leaving just Garth Brooks as the only major recording artist to continue to  hold out. 

AC/DC’s catalogue will be available in every country where iTunes Store operates. Additionally, there are two special digital compilations, one that includes all 16 studio albums,and another that has those plus four live albums.