AC/DC guitarist hospitalised forward of giant Buenos Aires live performance
Highway To Hell legends AC/DC are a man down after guitarist Stevie Young was hospitalised in Buenos Aires just days before a run of huge stadium gigs in front of 200,000 fans
Stevie Young is Angus Young’s nephew(Image: Getty Images)
AC/DC guitarist Stevie Young has been hospitalised in Buenos Aires just days before the band are due to play a massive concert there.
The 69-year-old rocker is the nephew of Australian AC/DC founders Malcolm and Angus Young and been on the road with the Back In Black legends since 2014.
Young was admitted to hospital in Argentina earlier this week, although no specific details regarding his health issues have been confirmed.
Some 200,000 fans are due to attend three shows at the Estadio River Plate as part of the band’s Power Up world tour, and there were concerns over possible gig cancellations due to the news.
However, spokesperson for AC/DC allayed fears: “Out of an abundance of caution, [Stevie] was admitted to a local hospital where he is undergoing a full battery of tests.
“Stevie is doing well and is in good spirits. He is looking forward to getting on stage on Monday.”
The late Malcolm Young, who passed away in 2017, had personally suggested Stevie Young replace him in the AC/DC back in 2014 due to the onset of dementia.
His brother Angus Young recalled: “It was Malcolm himself [who said we should carry on]… and the logical choice to fulfil Mal’s role on the project was my nephew Stevie.
“He had filled in for Mal in 1988 and he had done an American tour, a whole American tour, and he did it well.”
Stevie knew all of Malcom’s riffs and Angus added: “He just plugged into what we were doing, ’cause he’s of the same age era as Malcolm and myself.
“He was my eldest brother’s son. You know, we all grew up together. Mal played that style how he played that rhythm style. Stevie, you know, he emulated that.”
Ac/DC’s tour continues in Mexico City afterwards, followed by a US stadium tour running into September.
The Power Up tour has made a small fortune for the rock legends and grossed over $69 million (£55 million) from just seven European dates in 2024.
By the end of this year it is expected to have made profits of well over half a billion.
AC/DC’s Power Up album topped charts around the world in 2020 and marked the return of Geordie singer Brian Johnson following hearing difficulties.
For the latest breaking news and stories from across the globe from the Daily Star, sign up for our newsletter by clicking here.
