See AC/DC bring the POWER UP tour to Madison's Camp Randall Stadium on July 19, 2026. Expect hard rock classics, songs from POWER UP and an opening performance by The Pretty Reckless. Plan your ticket purchase, transport and stadium arrival well in advance
AC/DC brings POWER UP to Camp Randall Stadium
Camp Randall Stadium in Madison becomes one of the key stops on the North American leg of the POWER UP tour on July 19, 2026. The program is scheduled to begin at 19:00, and the ticket is valid for one day. This is a stadium designed for mass gatherings and a band whose sound was built for large open spaces: a solid rhythm, short and memorable guitar motifs, choruses that the audience takes over after only a few bars, and Angus Young's stage presence as the central point of the performance.
Madison is the third stop in the current North American series, following the opening in Charlotte on July 11 and the performance in Columbus on July 15. The concert arrives during the early phase of this part of the tour, before a series of stadium dates in the United States and Canada. AC/DC is not coming with a shorter festival program, but with a full stadium production.
Ticket sales for this event are underway.
Why POWER UP is more than a nostalgic tour
AC/DC was formed in Sydney in 1973, and the band did not adapt its musical identity to trends, but instead refined it within the clear framework of hard rock and rock 'n' roll. Angus Young's guitar drives the songs with direct riffs, the rhythm section remains tight and economical, and Brian Johnson's vocals give the compositions their recognizable roughness. That is why songs from different periods naturally stand side by side in the concert repertoire.
The tour is named after the latest studio album, POWER UP. The album was released in 2020, contains 12 songs and reached number one in 21 countries. Among its most prominent tracks are "Shot in the Dark", "Realize", "Demon Fire" and "Through the Mists of Time". The emphasis is on a precise guitar attack, choruses without unnecessary embellishment and songs capable of filling a stadium.
The touring lineup consists of Angus Young on lead guitar, Brian Johnson on vocals, Stevie Young on rhythm guitar, Matt Laug on drums and Chris Chaney on bass guitar. It is a lineup built for a demanding stadium repertoire.
- "Back in Black" and "Highway to Hell" form the foundation of the band's recognition even beyond the hard rock audience.
- "Thunderstruck", "Hells Bells" and "You Shook Me All Night Long" are among the songs that most quickly turn a stadium into a collective choir.
- "Shot in the Dark" and "Demon Fire" connect the current phase of the band's career with AC/DC's classic sound.
- "T.N.T." and "For Those About to Rock (We Salute You)" have played a powerful role in the closing sections of concerts for years.
The listed titles describe the character of the tour, but they do not represent a set list announced in advance for Madison. The order, song selection and duration may vary from city to city.
What the beginning of the North American leg shows
The most useful indication of what the audience can expect comes from Charlotte, where AC/DC opened this leg of the tour on July 11. The performance included 21 songs and combined the greatest hits with deeper cuts and tracks from the POWER UP album. Alongside "Back in Black", "Thunderstruck", "Highway to Hell" and "Dirty Deeds Done Dirt Cheap", the band performed "Sin City", "Jailbreak" and "Riff Raff", while the newer album was represented by "Demon Fire" and "Shot in the Dark".
A special place was given to "Let There Be Rock", with an extended guitar section by Angus Young. That moment describes AC/DC's concert model well: the songs are not radically rearranged, but at key points room is left for a physical and highly direct lead-guitar performance.
Charlotte is not a guarantee that Madison will receive the same repertoire. Nevertheless, the performance confirms that the program has not been reduced to only a few of the best-known singles. It covers the period with Bon Scott on vocals, the classic albums with Brian Johnson and newer songs, which is important to fans who, alongside the big choruses, also want to hear less frequently performed concert titles.
The Pretty Reckless opens the evening
The program also features The Pretty Reckless, the Taylor Momsen-led band that has been connected with AC/DC through several consecutive legs of the tour. Their sound is more modern and darker, with elements of alternative rock, hard rock and grunge. The songs "Heaven Knows", "Make Me Wanna Die" and "Death by Rock and Roll" give them enough directness for a large stadium, while the current phase brings the album "Dear God" and the newer titles "About You" and "For I Am Death".
The combination also works beyond the genre label. The Pretty Reckless brings more contemporary production and a different vocal color, while AC/DC then takes over the evening with simpler and more monumental riffs. The opening act is therefore not merely a short warm-up, but an established rock band with its own hits and new material.
The exact stage times for the individual performers have not been published in the information for Madison. The announced start of the event is 19:00, so arrival should be planned early enough for the security check, finding the entrance and getting to the assigned place.
What a concert at Camp Randall Stadium looks like
Camp Randall Stadium is located at 1440 Monroe Street, on the western side of the University of Wisconsin-Madison campus. The stadium opened in 1917, has a double-deck grandstand structure and a current capacity of 76,030 for sporting events. Concert capacity may differ because of the stage, production zones and floor layout.
Floor places and seats in the general grandstand sections are planned for the concert. The floor provides a stronger feeling of proximity to the stage and of the physical impact of the sound, while the grandstands offer a clearer view of the entire production. The upper levels increase the distance from the performers, but provide a wider view of the stadium, the audience and the lighting. When choosing a place, it is important to align expectations: some people want to be in the denser crowd in front of the stage, while others want a seat, easier access to an aisle and a view of the entire space.
Camp Randall is an open-air stadium, so the experience also depends on the weather. A summer evening may include sunshine, heat, humidity or rain. The forecast should be checked immediately before departure. Rules for umbrellas, cameras and particular types of bags may depend on the concert, so visitors should rely on the latest information from the organizer rather than on rules for sporting events.
Tickets for this event are in demand.
Arrival, parking and movement around the stadium
The area around Camp Randall is part of an active university campus and an urban neighborhood, so a car is not the only practical option. Visitors staying downtown can combine walking and public transport. Metro Transit publishes timetables and real-time bus tracking. Route O runs along the Randall, University, Johnson and Brooks corridors, but current departures and detours should be checked on the day of the event.
Concert parking is organized across several campus parking facilities. Advance sales of parking permits end two weeks before the concert, after which spaces on the day of the event depend on availability at each location. Information about parking facilities that will accept vehicles without a permit secured in advance is published after advance sales have ended.
The closest options include Lot 16 on Randall Avenue, Lot 17 north of the stadium, Lot 20 on University Avenue and the Lot 80 garage on Dayton Street. A limited number of spaces in Lot 17 at 1525 Engineering Drive are designated for accessible parking. Lot 64 is intended for buses and limousines, while recreational vehicles and other oversized vehicles are not permitted in university parking facilities.
The rules state that most concert parking facilities open at 12:00. Certain parking facilities near First Congregational Church open four hours before the gates open. Overnight stays in vehicles are not permitted, and all vehicles must leave after the event.
- Tailgating is permitted with a valid parking permit and only immediately adjacent to the holder's own parking space.
- Fire lanes, traffic lanes or additional spaces may not be occupied with chairs and coolers.
- Open flames, grills, fires, tents and canopies are not permitted.
- Open containers of alcohol are permitted only within designated university parking facilities, not on sidewalks or green areas.
- Outside food and drinks are not permitted inside the stadium.
For the period before the concert, the city announced a new phase of work on John Nolen Drive, with a change to the traffic pattern beginning July 14 and a detour for part of the Capital City Trail between Lakeside Street and Broom Street. Visitors arriving from the southern and central parts of the city should allow additional time, particularly if they are using a bicycle or traveling through the John Nolen Drive corridor.
Entry and practical preparations
Mobile tickets with tap-to-scan technology are used for the event. The ticket should be saved to a digital wallet before arrival, while the internet connection is stable, and the screen brightness should be increased before scanning. Every person in the group should know who is holding their ticket so that the line is not delayed.
The exact gate-opening time has not yet been specified. Because the program begins at 19:00 and the stadium accommodates a large number of people, arriving at the last moment increases the risk of waiting at security and having a long walk to the section. After scanning, additional time is often still required to reach the seat or floor area.
- Save the mobile ticket outside the internet browser.
- Charge the phone and agree in advance on the entrance where the group will meet.
- Check the rules for bags, cameras and permitted items.
- Choose the return option after the event, including parking, bus transport or a pickup location.
- Check the weather forecast and current traffic notices.
People who need mobility assistance should check the accessible entrance, the route from the parking facility and the location of the section in advance. The concert layout may differ from the sporting layout, especially on the field.
Who will find the concert especially appealing
Longtime fans have the opportunity to hear songs from the 1970s and 1980s in the format for which they are most natural today: on a large stage, with collective choruses and the guitar in the foreground. Audiences who know AC/DC through radio, films and sports arenas will receive a direct overview of the catalog without needing to know every album.
The concert will also attract younger rock fans who want to see the classic stadium model. With AC/DC, the power comes from precision and from the moment when thousands of people react to the same riff, while The Pretty Reckless broadens the generational range of the evening.
Camp Randall emphasizes scale rather than intimacy. The audience's reaction arrives in waves from the stands, while the band, screens and lighting form part of one large image. In that environment, "Thunderstruck", "Back in Black" and "For Those About to Rock (We Salute You)" achieve their full collective effect.
It is worth securing tickets in time.
Madison as part of a concert trip
Madison is the capital of the state of Wisconsin and a university city whose center is located on the isthmus between Lakes Mendota and Monona. Camp Randall is situated next to the campus, west of the immediate downtown area, so the concert can be combined with a short visit to State Street, the area around the Wisconsin State Capitol or the waterfront by Memorial Union Terrace.
Downtown is compact and suitable for walking, but a concert evening places pressure on traffic and parking. For visitors staying overnight, accommodation with a walking or bus connection to the campus is practical. Dane County Regional Airport is located near the city, and the drive downtown under normal conditions takes less than 15 minutes. Heavier traffic around the campus should be expected on the day of the concert.
After the concert, it is useful to know the parking-facility number in advance and to arrange a meeting place several streets away from the main flow of the audience. International visitors should save the address of their accommodation and their return plan before entering the stadium.
Sources:
- AC/DC - information about the POWER UP tour, the Madison date, the current lineup and the POWER UP album.
- Wisconsin Badgers - event time, information about Camp Randall Stadium, parking, tailgating and mobile tickets.
- The Pretty Reckless - the Madison performance, the current tour and the album "Dear God".
- Ultimate Classic Rock and NextMosh - the repertoire from the opening of the North American leg in Charlotte on July 11, 2026.
- Metro Transit, City of Madison - bus routes and departure tracking.
- City of Madison - traffic changes on John Nolen Drive and the detour for the Capital City Trail.
- Destination Madison - context about the city, campus, downtown area and arrival from Dane County Regional Airport.