In between they've completed a lengthy European jaunt that few ever saw happening. What it took to get them this far has been well reported; the passing of de facto leader Malcolm Young in 2017, talismanic front man Brian Johnson's shock exit during the 2016 'Rock or Bust' tour. Tonight in a leafy corner of north Dublin however, all of this is far behind them, with AC/DC in shockingly decent form.
With no further shows planned at this point, the Irish capital is awash with every nationality, with fans travelling from all over the world to be in Croke Park. Outside the venue, both Southern and Northern Irish mingle with North Americans, Brazilians, French, Norwegians and Germans, and flags from all nations can be seen in all corners of the enormous venue, adorned with the band's trademark logo.
Inside Ireland's national stadium, the atmosphere is absolutely electric, with the capacity arena awash in a sea of devil's horns and vintage shirts.
Since playing their first shows in Ireland in 1979 on the 'Highway to Hell' tour, AC/DC have been no strangers to these shores, returning in 1982, and periodically ever since. They even recorded parts of 1990's 'The Razors Edge' here, so their connection to the isle runs deep. As such, the choice of uniform worn by perennial schoolboy Angus Young can be no coincidence; an emerald green ensemble that instantly electrifies the stadium the moment he arrives on stage.
There's no Phil Rudd holding down his metronomic beat, or Cliff Williams, the four-stringer on board since 'Powerage' in 1978, but it scarcely matters, and it's clear that it's the songs that are the real headline act. With 'Back in Black' coming right after the opener, then relative newie 'Demon Fire' and a combustible 'Shot Down in Flames', it's a rapid fire barrage of high voltage rock and roll.
Then comes what could very well be an Irish national anthem. A song that even your granny loves, 'Thunderstruck' lifts the atmosphere to fever pitch. It may be slower than on record, but it's none the less exhilarating, as Angus's incessant riffing, juddering knees, and steady headbanging ignite the 82,000 fans, with Johnson leading them through the loudest singalong of the night.
The 'Back in Black' pairing of the bluesy 'Have a Drink on Me' and menacing 'Hells Bells' mean that there's no let up, but there are deep cuts too - well, as deep as a band that's sold over two hundred million album can be - in the underrated 'Stiff Upper Lip', and later, the 'Powerage' pairing of 'Sin City' - which sees Angus break from the norm by scraping his tie along the guitar strings - and 'Riff Raff'.
With the night coming to an end, Angus looks like a man possessed, with a glint of mischief in his eyes as he delivers his "oi!"s in 'T.N.T.' (as well as earlier with his "but you ain't got the guts" line in 'Dirty Deeds Done Dirt Cheap').
All that's left is the explosive salute of 'For Those About to Rock', perhaps the most dramatic set closer of any band, with its deafening cannon blasts, moody verses, and incendiary climax.
With that, the 'Power Up' tour is done. While it's unlikely that we've heard the last of AC/DC - a full United States run must surely be on the cards for 2025 - this may very well be the final time we'll see them in Dublin. If it is, it was a hell of a way to go out.
Angus, Brian, Malcolm, Cliff, Phil, Bon, Mark, Simon, Chris... we salute you.
Photos by Steve Dempsey - Down The Barrel Photography