In 2005, AC/DC released the compilation video Family Jewels that sold really freakin’ well. It would easier for me to name the places where it didn’t go platinum than did. The only option was for the band was to follow it up with another. They called it Plug Me In, released it in 2007, and it is even better.
Family Jewels was fairly bare bones for what it is, 3 hours of videos on two discs. For Plug Me In AC/DC went all out. The three discs in the set are loaded with material totaling 380 minutes of rock, interviews, and Angus dancing around naked in 1976. Most of it is live too, with only a few performances set to backing tracks for Television.
The discs are made up of one to several tunes from various live events throughout the decades. All are presented in chronological order, with Disc 1 being from the Bon Scott era, the second is Brian Johnson material, and the third is mostly bonus tracks.

Since all of the content is taken from various shows, it will be way too much for me to detail for everything, so I’ll give you some the highlights and general thoughts:
Disc 1: The Bon Scott Era
- In 1976 for a show called Super Pop in the UK, they performed the most mid-tempo version of Live Wire I have ever heard. I wonder if they were told to keep it low key. And they’re using Orange amps! They must have been a show sponsor.
- It is surprising to see how often Angus wore something other than the School Uniform in the early days.
- Several clips from the ’78 Glasgow Show that was used for the live album If You Want Blood… You Got It! are here: Let There Be Rock, Rock ‘N Roll Damnation, and Dog Eat Dog which did not make the album. Bad Boy Boogie from the same show is on disc 3.
Disc 2: The (continuing) Brian Johnson Era
- The Japanese crowd in ’81 throw rolls of toilet paper at the band. I’m sure with was meant as a compliment.
- It is sad how little material there is of AC/DC’s live shows in the ’80s. The disc jumps from ’83 to ’91.
- One of Angus’ strings goes out of tune during Whole Lotta Rosie when performing in front of 1.6 million people in Russia in ’91. He handled it like a pro.
- Only Gone Shooting from the 1996 VH-1 special made it. I wish it were the whole performance.
- The band performs Ride On in Paris in 2003. I believe this is the only recording of Brian singing the song.
- Their portion of the Downsview Toronto Rocks film done after the SARS scare is here. Remember that huge outbreak of SARS? Scary times. Good thing nothing like that could happen again…

Disc 3: Between The Cracks
- It’s A Long Way To The Top (If You Wanna Rock ‘N Roll) is awkward to play live when the whole band needs to tune down a half a step to match the bagpipes.
- Guns For Hire is only one track from Flick of The Switch rehearsals here. Another one that I wish were the whole session.
- The real treat on this disc for me here is the 52 minutes from the Houston Summit show in 1983. I don’t understand why we still don’t have an official full concert video or live album from this era.
As for the set itself, the entire thing is held together well with all of the CDs having their own home in comfy plastic. The bonus trinkets include a poster, a book, and a bunch of fake replica passes which get their own pocket in the middle to keep them safe like a baby kangaroo.

With a presentation done this well and the staggering amount of content, Plug Me In is an easy recommendation to every AC/DC fan. The DVD menus are presented like they are in an old arcade game or cabinet. The arcade games themselves are not playable, but you can program your own setlist or play the tunes randomly. The image quality is quite good on an HD set too. I watched them all on my 4K TV and, unlike Family Jewels, it all looks like the videos have been enhanced from the source material.
It is not easy to find this attention to detail put into physical media today. This is a must buy. Worth every penny. Be sure to grab the 3 disc collectors edition or we are not friends.
5/5
Nice set. I like how you mentioned the fake ops replica. Otherwise Deke would have been all over you.
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lol, it was actualy John T. Show who called me out on my Live at Donington review for saying the included back stage pass is a fake. He probably just beat Deke to the punch.
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I’m not a troublemaker like the Snowman. lol
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I’ve been waiting for this one to show up here. This is a great set especially as you mention the live 83 Houston show the best is when they added that funny looking thing at the end of Jonno’s mic at the end of Bad Boy Boogie! Funny as Johnson doesn’t notice until pretty music the end of the song. lol That is the selling point along with some cool packaging as well.
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Yeah, what was that thing? lol It was funny how they caught his reaction on camera too.
I don’t know why there isn’t more full live shows from the ’80s released already. I’d love to see a live follow up for every album.
I can keep an eye out for it if you’d like. I see the 2 disc version quite a bit but the 3 disc one is harder to come by. Actually, everything is hard to come by now since I never go anywhere, lol
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I got the 3 disc set fella. I’m good!
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Oh, you’ve been waiting for this to show up here on the blog, not here in Thunder Bay. I’m slow on the uptake today.
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All good as Iām sure you were psyched out as I was when Bill almost ripped his kids poster in that 70 dollar record
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That was hilarious! I’m left handed and he is always going on about awkward I am. Now I have plenty to fire back with, lol.
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That was Gold man. lol
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We can be friends! I have the 3 disc version!! I need to give this a listen.
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Yes! A friend!
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Yeah!!
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I’ve never seen this before! Coooooool!!!!
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It is really goooooood!!!!
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Absolutely!
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It all looks very good. It’s a shame there’s a lack of material from between 1983-91. I saw them in 85 on the Fly on the Wall tour and they were phenomenal.
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Yeah, how could they not have someone rolling at all times. Jimi Hendrix sure did!
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I would like to have this…I have a couple of bootleg concert videos but I would like something with better quality and or sound.
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Come to think of it, I have plenty of bootleg concerts on CD and vinyl but none on video. I probably can find the online.
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They are becoming more common place now. I just got the Beatles at Budokan…I hope these bands will clean them up and release them proper.
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Money left on the table!
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I agree the Flick of the Switch era was incredible! Why the heck they dropped “Bedlam in Belgium” from their setlist? I have no idea!
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They get convinced that people don’t like these songs from somewhere. And it is not me!
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Well…that’s dumb! Geez AC/DC are more than just Back in Black and the Bon Scott years!
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Ageed! Write a letter to Angus, lol
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We should write one together since I need the AC/DC expert to help me out lol!
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Ha ha, you’re already one!
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Oh no, I’ve got a long way to go haha! You on the other hand have been listening to this band since your teens, you have books on them, give insightful reviews on their work, and you do your research.
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Well, you have an ear, Lana. You pick up on stuff that I never do. You got the tools and the talent!
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Awww thanks for your kind words Kevin! It’s interesting you said I have a good ear because my friend said the same thing when I was watching him tune his toms for his drum set. Let’s just say we both have different perks: you have the brains while I have the ears!
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We’re in trouble if we’re relying on my brains.
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Ah but you’ve actually seen them live! I haven’t. Wait you’ve seen them live right? I thought you did.
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Yes, twice. Once in 2001 and 2009 for the second. I want to see them again but it seems like that won’t be for a while.
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You saw them on the Stiff Upper Lip tour?!?! Lucky! Do you remember the setlist? You may be right, stupid covid!
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Yeah, if you look at my Stiff Upper Lip review, my ticket stub is in the last photo. I keep it with the CD. It was fairly early in the tour so they had yet to get all crazy with the set list. Apparently I saw the debut of Safe In New York City though. Slash’s Snake Pit was the opening act. https://www.setlist.fm/setlist/acdc/2000/air-canada-centre-toronto-on-canada-bd61586.html
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Oh I’m sorry! I completely overlooked the ticket in that last pic. Wow, they even played “Satellite Blues.” Too bad they didn’t play “Problem Child” or “Up to My Neck” from ‘Stiff Upper Lip Live.’ Like you said, it was before they started to spice up the setlist. I’m still jealous you saw them on that tour though.
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I’m no fan of music DVDs normally, but I got this one when it came out. Worth it for the ‘Rock Goes To College’ gig, that was absolutely top-notch stuff.
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Oh yeah! That was fun watching them on such a tiny stage. I had that in my notes. I don’t know how I missed adding that in.
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