AC/DC’s Melbourne Concert Was So Loud, the City Trembled
Last week, AC/DC returned to Australia — and their concert at the Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG) did more than just rock: it actually caused seismic tremors.
What Really Happened
Scientists from the Seismology Research Centre (SRC) in Richmond recorded vibrations during the show in the 2–5 Hz frequency range.
These were ground vibrations, not just sound in the air.
The SRC explained that the shaking came from two sources: the stadium’s powerful speakers transmitting vibration through the ground, and the crowd jumping together.
When people jump in unison, that synchronized motion amplifies the energy and makes the signal stronger.
How Far Did It Reach?
The tremors were picked up about 3.5 km away from the stadium.
Some people even said they could hear the concert from up to 10 km away.
Why It Shook More Than Just the Stage
According to Adam Pascale, chief scientist at SRC:
“We’re picking up the ground motion, … you’ve got speakers on the ground … but also the crowd jumping up and down is feeding energy into the ground.”
Basically, the crowd played a big role — their jumping didn’t just show their energy, it literally helped send waves through the earth.
The Bigger Picture
This wasn’t just about volume. It’s a cool example of how a live concert can interact with the physical world in surprising ways. When thousands of people move together, especially in a huge stadium, they can make the ground vibrate noticeably.
And for a rock band like AC/DC, coming back to Australia after ten years, it’s kind of poetic that their homecoming is powerful enough to be felt.