Hundreds of AC/DC diehards turned the River Walk into a sea of black T-shirts and devil horns Wednesday night, all lining up to be first through the doors of the official PWR/UP pop-up at the Hard Rock Cafe ahead of Friday's Alamodome show. The two-day installation has flipped the cafe into part mini museum, part merch HQ, complete with the tour's massive "Hells Bells" bell and a full concert cannon set up for photo ops. Fans in Angus Young schoolboy uniforms wrapped around the block to sift through exclusive tour shirts, posters and collectibles.
That wall-to-wall crowd is featured in a preview from CBS Austin, which reported the pop-up opened Wednesday evening and immediately drew long lines of fans sporting band gear and red horns. Steve Hatton, the merchandise manager running the traveling setup, told CBS Austin organizers "put this on for the fans" to give everyone a place to rally before the big night.
Pop-up Hours And Highlights
According to Hard Rock Cafe, the official PWR/UP pop-up runs 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. on Thursday and 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Friday at the River Walk location. The riverside layout gives fans space to pose with the on-site stage props and to browse the limited-edition apparel lined up throughout the cafe.
Alamodome Show Details
The pop-up serves as the warmup act for AC/DC's Alamodome date on Friday night. As listed on the Alamodome event page, the Power Up Tour is scheduled to kick off at 7 p.m. Friday. CBS Austin reported the pop-up has effectively shifted the fan focus toward the Dome and noted that "tens of thousands" are expected to pack in for the show.
Why Fans Made The Trip
San Antonio's bond with AC/DC runs deep. The band opened for Canadian hard rockers Moxy on its first United States run in July 1977 at the old Municipal Auditorium, a moment chronicled by music historians. Louder Sound and concert archives trace those early tour dates, a history that helps explain why fans still travel in big numbers for this stop.
For many who arrived early, the River Walk pop-up is not just about snagging fresh merch, it is a place to swap first-show memories, trade tour shirts and lock in plans for Friday night's roar at the Dome. Whether you have followed the band for decades or just wanted to see what all the noise is about, the PWR/UP pop-up has briefly turned downtown into a pilgrimage site for rock fans.
