AC/DC concert sparks seismic swings in Melbourne

The opening concert of AC/DC's Australian "Power Up" tour on November 12, 2025 at Melbourne Cricket Stadium caused unexpected seismic activity. Seismic equipment recorded sound waves in the range of 2-5 hertz in the office of the Center for Seismological Research in Richmond, located about 3.2 km from the stadium. According to chief scientist Adam Pascal, these fluctuations were strong enough to feel the movement of the earth.

Pascal explained that the sound waves felt by people nearby are equivalent to signals recorded by seismographs. They capture the vibrations of the ground rather than the sound from the air, emphasizing that both the vibration from the speakers and the energy generated by the jumping crowd amplify this effect.

ABC reported that residents living about 10 kilometers from the stadium also heard the sounds of the concert. The phenomenon became particularly noticeable during Taylor Swift’s 2024 concert and Oasis’ Live ‘25 tour of Australia, each of which triggered a significant spike in seismic signals.

The AC/DC Power Up tour used massive equipment: 300 tons of steel and 28 tons of sound amplification systems. The energy consumption of the concerts reached 500 kW, and a team of 155 people worked at each concert. AC/DC's last tour of Australia and New Zealand took place in 2015, and the band now plans to return with 11 shows around the country.