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Rock

AC/DC Made a Surprise Appearance at Toronto Pop-Up Shop After Their Rogers Stadium Concert Was Cancelled

The rock legends made a surprise appearance at their dedicated pop-up shop on the same day as their scheduled Toronto concert (Sept. 16), which was cancelled after Rogers Stadium suffered extreme damage caused by a thunderstorm earlier this month.

AC/DC

AC/DC

Josh Cheuse/Courtesy Photo

Despite a cancelled show, AC/DC still made their presence felt in Toronto.

The rock music legends made a surprise stop at their dedicated pop-up at Steam Whistle Brewing in Toronto on Wednesday (Sept. 16), the same day as their cancelled Rogers Stadium show, and left many fans with a lasting memory after taking the time to sign autographs.


One couple came prepared with a particular request, asking if the band could sign their baby, to which lead singer Angus Young happily agreed. With a marker in hand, he inducted the newest member into the AC/DC family, before passing the tot to bassist Chris Chaney.

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The occasion was rare enough to quickly make its rounds on social media, but not the first 'rock baptism' the band has performed this year. Back in March, the group made a stop in Buenos Aires, Argentina for a trio of shows, during which Young autographed another baby's shirt.

Last week, the group's scheduled show at Rogers Stadium was ultimately cancelled after a "100-year storm" blew through Toronto on Sept. 2, knocking over several seating structures at the 50,000-capacity Downsview stadium. Although the city immediately ordered Live Nation to repair the "severe" damage, Rogers Stadium ultimately revealed that the collapsed sections would need to be removed and rebuilt, making a two-week turnaround impossible to meet.

Although the venue's season came to an early close, as AC/DC were set to play the final show of 2026, Live Nation is already looking forward to its third year of operations, which is currently set to kick off with four shows by Harry Styles, who is bringing his Together, Together tour to Toronto on May 7-8 and 14-15, 2027, joined by country singer Lainey Wilson.

"Our focus is on completing this work carefully, safely and responsibly, so Rogers Stadium is ready to welcome fans back with confidence next season," says Wayne Zronik, Live Nation Canada's president of business operations. "We’ve had an incredible summer at Rogers Stadium, and while this isn’t how we wanted the season to end, safety for fans, artists and employees will always come before any individual event."

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AC/DC's PWR/UP pop-up still gave fans of the band a chance to immerse themselves in the group's music and history, featuring famous memorabilia and show components including a cannon from their famous 1991 concert at Donington Park in England, and Young’s famous schoolboy suit that he wore on stage. Fans were able to purchase exclusive, city-specific merchandise, enter a giveaway for a guitar signed by young and also participate in photo opportunities at the shop.

AC/DC plays just three more dates before wrapping up the tour, which kicked off in 2024, including a final Canadian show on Monday (Sept. 20) at Princess Auto Stadium in Winnipeg.

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Kristina Bumphrey/Variety

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