Hard rockers AC/DC promote tour with pop-ups
A legendary Australian rock group will offer a pop-up shop in every city on its upcoming 2026 North American tour.
Hard rock band AC/DC, whose 1980 album "Back in Black" has sold an estimated 50 million copies worldwide since its release, is hosting the final leg of its three-year “Pwr/Up” stadium tour across North America from July to September 2026.
The official AC/DC Pwr/Up Pop Up will travel with the tour. Each location will feature exclusive pop-up merchandise, AC/DC-themed food and drink, props, custom visuals, interactive photo moments, ticket giveaways, fan preview events, and the opportunity to enter to win a guitar signed by AC/DC lead guitarist Angus Young.
Merchandise and fan collectibles include premium apparel, accessories, posters, limited-edition items, and pieces created specifically for the pop-up. The store will also offer early access to a limited quantity of the official city event shirt and poster, available at the pop-up one day before they go on sale online or at the stadium.
Select locations may also feature live performances from local School of Rock music school house bands and local radio broadcasts. In each city, 100 consumers will be selected by random draw to eceive a free exclusive gift.
Throughout the tour, the pop-up will also have the chance to enter exclusive in-person giveaways, including concert tickets, merch prize packs, VIP bags, city event shirts, and other prizes. Each pop-up will feature a mock stage environment where fans can take photos with a replica Angus Young guitar and enter on-site for the chance to win the guitar at the end of the North American run.
During select Pwr/Up tour U.S. stops in 2023 and 2025 as well as during AC/DC’s summer 2024 tour of Europe, the band opened a temporary pop-up "High Voltage Dive Bar" location. The pop-ups served alcoholic beverages and also offered customers the chance to purchase exclusive merchandise and limited-edition vinyl records.
[READ MORE: Hard rock band AC/DC kicks off U.S. tour with pop-up shop]
Another legendary rock band, the Rolling Stones, has also operated pop-ups to bolster its presence in the U.S. In October 2023, the British Invasion superstars opened two U.S. pop-ups of its RS No. 9 retail format in New York City and Los Angeles to promote its “Hackney Diamonds” album.
Overseen by AC/DC merchandising partner Perryscope Productions, the AC/DC Pwr/Up Pop Up will open in every city on the 2026 North American Tour the day before each show and will also operate on show day. The full schedule is:
- July 10–11: Charlotte, N.C. at Charlotte Beer Garden.
- July 14–15: Columbus, Ohio at Newport Music Hall.
- July 18–19: Madison, Wis. at The Annex.
- July 23–24: San Antonio, Tex. at Hard Rock Café.
- July 27–28: Denver at BrewDog.
- July 31–Aug. 1: Las Vegas at Hard Rock Café.
- Aug. 4–5: San Francisco at Hard Rock Café.
- Aug. 8–9: Edmonton, Canada at Starlite.
- Aug. 12–13: Vancouver, Canada at Commodore Ballroom.
- Aug. 26–27: Atlanta at Hard Rock Café.
- Aug. 30–31: Houston at Heinke and Pilot.
- Sep. 3–4: Notre Dame, Ind. at The Bend Lounge.
- Sep. 7–8: St. Louis at Ballpark Village.
- Sep.11–12: Montreal, Canada at Foufounes Electriques.
- Sep.15–16: Toronto, Canada at The Steam Whistle.
- Sep. 19–20: Winnipeg, Canada at The Pyramid.
- Sep. 24–25: New York City at Hard Rock Café.
- Sep. 28–29: Philadelphia at Hard Rock Café.
