‘We’ve got the basic thing the kids want — they want to rock, and that’s it.” AC/DC guitarist Angus Young told an interviewer not long after the band started. He was right, but only partly.  It’s not just “kids,” but fans of all ages, who love being jolted by the band’s straight forward scorched earth sound.

This was plain to see on the AC/DC’s recent 50^th Anniversary Power Up Tour, during which fans of all ages, from graybeards to those who weren’t even close to being born yet when the band started, packed stadiums across Europe to be a part of one of rock’s most unique experiences.

Cosmo Wilson was there running the boards for AC/DC on that tour just as he’s been since 1990. Back then, Wilson was out on the Rolling Stones’ Steel Wheels tour working with Patrick Woodroffe.  Near the end of that tour, Woodroffe approached Wilson about running lights for another of his clients. When Wilson asked who, Woodroffe told him it was AC/DC.

“Let me think about it for a while.” NO!  Those words never crossed Wilson lips or mind.

He immediately said yes to Woodroffe, and has been rocking with the boys from Sydney ever since. Taking time from his busy schedule, Wilson shared some thoughts about life on the road with AC/DC and the live magic that has made them one of the most successful stadium touring acts of all time.

A while back we did a story on your times with another iconic band, Judas Priest. How does working with AC/DC compare to your experience with Judas Priest? What are the similarities and differences?
“Well, they’re both classic rock bands from the 70s. Priest is Heavy Metal, AC/C is Hard Rock. They both come from the era of conventional lighting rigs. The major difference now is the size of the shows and the size of the venues. With AC/DC, the production is physically large in scale, where with Judas Priest, you have to make it LOOK large in scale. They both have their challenges, but the result is the same- making the band look larger than life. As far as lighting them, very similar, but I use strobes and strobe lighting a lot more on Judas Priest, as Priest has drum fills that scream for strobes, while AC/DC does not.

You just talked about some different lighting techniques you use for the two bands. Do you take a different approach to your work with each of them? 
“No, I pretty much run lights for both bands — and all the classic rock bands I do, for that matter–in the same way. Everything is based on odd/even hits evocative of the early days of conventional lighting rigs. The difference with AC/DC, again, is making the lights look huge.”

Everyone knows that Angus Young has a very dynamic stage presence as he moves around a lot. How does this influence you when you light the band?
“Well, as the saying goes, “Light the Money,” and that’s what I do. The fans are there to see the band, not my lights. However, in order to see the band, they have to be lit. While everybody on stage has a spot as to be seen, I make sure to put more spots as well as truss spots on both Angus and Brian to accent them and make them both the literal highlight of the show. They want to see Angus in every detail, his velvet schoolboy outfit, hat and horns, and his gleaming Gibson SG guitar, especially when he duckwalks across the stage and out onto the runway. From the minute he strolls out on stage, he is lit.”

AC/DC’s fan base is incredibly involved with the band, and vice versa. Does this impact the way you like them?
“Twofold- I light the band so the fans can see them, and I light the fans so the band can see the fans. This is what I love about a live show, the audience feeds off the energy from the band, and the band feed off the energy from the audience. When I run the lights, I want to audience to feel that Brian and Angus are initiating the cues, not me. When Angus look out into the crowd and the audience lights come on, it’s as if HE’S controlling them, not someone else. I want every single audience member to feel that Angus or Brian are looking directly at them.”

The band is celebrating their 50th anniversary with a world tour and you’ve been with them all the way. Why do you think they’re able to maintain such a high energy level?
“The entire band, including all the original members, are some of the most regular, blue collar people I have ever known. They have created music for decades. They go into the Dressing Room as everyday normal guys, but then, especially Angus, once he gets dressed in his schoolboy outfit, he changes. It is an amazing phenomenon to watch. Then they walk to the stage and start to perform and they are literally large than life.”

What is life like on the road with this band?
“Like a family. AC/DC has always welcomed back every single member of the crew from the previous tour to the new one — they feel that the success of the tour is directly attributable to the crew, and they want to carry on where we left off. They also make sure to have band/crew dinners and get togethers several times throughout the tour. They are approachable and likable. After a time, you forget that these guys are huge Rock Stars. But then, when they hit the stage, you suddenly remember.”

How has working with AC/DC influenced you as a lighting designer/director?
“Two ways- first, I learned how to design “bigger than life.” To design something so incredibly large that it’s almost unbelievable. It’s like magic. Just like when I was a kid and saw KISS, I was blown away at how large and unbelievable the entire show was- it was magic!

“Second, I learned how to interact with band members, how to define the line between friendship and working relationship. Also, and one of the most important things in my career, I learned, when it came to the design and running of the show, to be very clear and concise on what to discuss with the band- namely that the band also pay me to NOT talk to them about the lights, so they can concentrate on their performance.”

‘We’ve got the basic thing the kids want — they want to rock, and that’s it.” AC/DC guitarist Angus Young told an interviewer not long after the band started. He was right, but only partly.  It’s not just “kids,” but fans of all ages, who love being jolted by the band’s straight forward scorched earth sound.

This was plain to see on the AC/DC’s recent 50^th Anniversary Power Up Tour, during which fans of all ages, from graybeards to those who weren’t even close to being born yet when the band started, packed stadiums across Europe to be a part of one of rock’s most unique experiences.

Cosmo Wilson was there running the boards for AC/DC on that tour just as he’s been since 1990. Back then, Wilson was out on the Rolling Stones’ Steel Wheels tour working with Patrick Woodroffe.  Near the end of that tour, Woodroffe approached Wilson about running lights for another of his clients. When Wilson asked who, Woodroffe told him it was AC/DC.

“Let me think about it for a while.” NO!  Those words never crossed Wilson lips or mind.

He immediately said yes to Woodroffe, and has been rocking with the boys from Sydney ever since. Taking time from his busy schedule, Wilson shared some thoughts about life on the road with AC/DC and the live magic that has made them one of the most successful stadium touring acts of all time.

A while back we did a story on your times with another iconic band, Judas Priest. How does working with AC/DC compare to your experience with Judas Priest? What are the similarities and differences?
“Well, they’re both classic rock bands from the 70s. Priest is Heavy Metal, AC/C is Hard Rock. They both come from the era of conventional lighting rigs. The major difference now is the size of the shows and the size of the venues. With AC/DC, the production is physically large in scale, where with Judas Priest, you have to make it LOOK large in scale. They both have their challenges, but the result is the same- making the band look larger than life. As far as lighting them, very similar, but I use strobes and strobe lighting a lot more on Judas Priest, as Priest has drum fills that scream for strobes, while AC/DC does not.

You just talked about some different lighting techniques you use for the two bands. Do you take a different approach to your work with each of them? 
“No, I pretty much run lights for both bands — and all the classic rock bands I do, for that matter–in the same way. Everything is based on odd/even hits evocative of the early days of conventional lighting rigs. The difference with AC/DC, again, is making the lights look huge.”

Everyone knows that Angus Young has a very dynamic stage presence as he moves around a lot. How does this influence you when you light the band?
“Well, as the saying goes, “Light the Money,” and that’s what I do. The fans are there to see the band, not my lights. However, in order to see the band, they have to be lit. While everybody on stage has a spot as to be seen, I make sure to put more spots as well as truss spots on both Angus and Brian to accent them and make them both the literal highlight of the show. They want to see Angus in every detail, his velvet schoolboy outfit, hat and horns, and his gleaming Gibson SG guitar, especially when he duckwalks across the stage and out onto the runway. From the minute he strolls out on stage, he is lit.”

AC/DC’s fan base is incredibly involved with the band, and vice versa. Does this impact the way you like them?
“Twofold- I light the band so the fans can see them, and I light the fans so the band can see the fans. This is what I love about a live show, the audience feeds off the energy from the band, and the band feed off the energy from the audience. When I run the lights, I want to audience to feel that Brian and Angus are initiating the cues, not me. When Angus look out into the crowd and the audience lights come on, it’s as if HE’S controlling them, not someone else. I want every single audience member to feel that Angus or Brian are looking directly at them.”

The band is celebrating their 50th anniversary with a world tour and you’ve been with them all the way. Why do you think they’re able to maintain such a high energy level?
“The entire band, including all the original members, are some of the most regular, blue collar people I have ever known. They have created music for decades. They go into the Dressing Room as everyday normal guys, but then, especially Angus, once he gets dressed in his schoolboy outfit, he changes. It is an amazing phenomenon to watch. Then they walk to the stage and start to perform and they are literally large than life.”

What is life like on the road with this band?
“Like a family. AC/DC has always welcomed back every single member of the crew from the previous tour to the new one — they feel that the success of the tour is directly attributable to the crew, and they want to carry on where we left off. They also make sure to have band/crew dinners and get togethers several times throughout the tour. They are approachable and likable. After a time, you forget that these guys are huge Rock Stars. But then, when they hit the stage, you suddenly remember.”

How has working with AC/DC influenced you as a lighting designer/director?
“Two ways- first, I learned how to design “bigger than life.” To design something so incredibly large that it’s almost unbelievable. It’s like magic. Just like when I was a kid and saw KISS, I was blown away at how large and unbelievable the entire show was- it was magic!

“Second, I learned how to interact with band members, how to define the line between friendship and working relationship. Also, and one of the most important things in my career, I learned, when it came to the design and running of the show, to be very clear and concise on what to discuss with the band- namely that the band also pay me to NOT talk to them about the lights, so they can concentrate on their performance.”