Australian rock icons AC/DC have installed an official PWR/UP pop-up shop in downtown Vancouver, setting the scene for the band's Power Up Tour visit to BC Place on Aug. 13. The pop-up, staged inside the Commodore Ballroom, offered a VIP preview for ticket holders where fans could browse memorabilia, take photos and buy tour merchandise.
Merch, memories and the Commodore’s atmosphere
The Commodore installation blends merchandise display with historical touches from the band’s past. Video screens around the venue showed footage featuring both Bon Scott and Brian Johnson, prompting conversation among attendees about the band’s long relationship with Vancouver — a city the group has recorded in and returned to many times.
- Location: Commodore Ballroom, downtown Vancouver.
- Associated show: AC/DC Power Up Tour at BC Place, Aug. 13.
- Offerings: tour memorabilia, photo opportunities and limited-edition merchandise.
At the top of the Commodore’s staircase, a neon installation declared the space the AC/DC Pwr/Up Dive Bar, a tongue-in-cheek nod to the band’s early career in rough-and-tumble live rooms. Fans clustered around displays and a cardboard cutout of a bronze statue honouring former singer Bon Scott — a replica of a monument in Kirriemuir, Scotland, the singer’s birthplace.
Every diehard fan wishes the group had rolled through a Vancouver dive bar on its way up.
Limited-edition box set and collectibles
Among the items distributed to guests at the preview was a printed card announcing an AC/DC Limited Edition Box Set. The set is inspired by a May 1976 photograph of guitarist Angus Young wearing his schoolboy stage uniform. According to materials handed out at the preview, the limited run comprises 500 box sets that reference the iconic costume and include a variety of branded items.
| Item | Detail |
|---|---|
| Venue | Commodore Ballroom, downtown Vancouver |
| Tour | Power Up Tour stop at BC Place, Aug. 13 |
| Limited box sets | Limited edition of 500, inspired by an Angus Young photo |
The preview evoked memories of the band’s decades-long career. Fans recalled past AC/DC shows in the city while watching archival footage that alternated between Scott-era performances and those featuring Brian Johnson. The setup — equal parts shrine and retail outlet — highlighted how major touring acts now use pop-up experiences to deepen local engagement and sell premium merchandise tied to their brand.
For Vancouver’s live-music ecosystem, the pop-up and concert are a reminder of the city’s ongoing role as a stop on international tours and a market for high-demand memorabilia. The Commodore, a storied venue in its own right, played host to the temporary shop, leveraging its central location to draw downtown foot traffic in the lead-up to the BC Place stadium performance.
While the pop-up celebrates the larger-than-life persona of AC/DC and its history, it also feeds into a growing trend where fans seek immersive, tangible connections to artists beyond the concert stage. For local businesses and venues, such activations can provide a brief economic boost through ancillary spending by concertgoers and visitors who attend preview events.
As Vancouver welcomes the band to BC Place, the pop-up at the Commodore offered a final, compact chance for fans to rub shoulders, relive memories and pick up a piece of rock history before the tour rolls into the stadium.
