Stevie Young, AC/DC's rhythm guitarist since 2014, was admitted to a Buenos Aires hospital Thursday as a precaution after feeling unwell — just days before the band is scheduled to open three sold-out nights at Monumental Stadium as part of their Power Up world tour.
The news came via a statement from the show's local promoter: Young "was not feeling well. As a precaution, he was admitted to a local hospital, where he is undergoing a full series of tests." The cause of his condition was not disclosed.
The band's camp moved quickly to reassure fans. "Stevie is doing well and in good spirits," a spokesperson said. "He is eagerly looking forward to getting on stage on Monday."
Three Sold-Out Shows, 85,000 Fans Per Night
The stakes here are hard to overstate. AC/DC is set to play Buenos Aires on March 23, 27, and 31 — all three shows sold out at Monumental Stadium, which holds up to 85,000 people per date. The first date sold instantly, pushing the band to add two more runs. This is the first time AC/DC has played Argentina since 2009, when nearly 200,000 fans attended their Buenos Aires run across multiple nights.
The band arrived in Buenos Aires Wednesday afternoon via Ezeiza International Airport, flying in directly from Santiago, Chile — where they'd already completed a leg of the tour. Mexico City is next on the schedule in early April.
The Weight of the Name
Young has held down the rhythm guitar slot in AC/DC since 2014, stepping in when his uncle Malcolm Young stepped back due to health issues. Malcolm — who co-founded the band with younger brother Angus in Sydney in 1973 — passed away in 2017 after a battle with dementia. The Power Up album, released in 2020, was written as a tribute to him.
Stevie isn't a replacement in any diminished sense. He's held the position for over a decade now, having subbed for Malcolm as far back as 1988 when personal issues briefly kept the elder Young off the road. At 69, he's a senior statesman of the lineup — and the one most physically connected to the band's original DNA.
The current AC/DC consists of Brian Johnson on vocals, Angus Young on guitar, Stevie Young on rhythm guitar, Matt Laug on drums, and Chris Chaney on bass.
The Band Plays On
No contingency plans have been announced, and none appear necessary at this point. The messaging from the band camp is deliberately reassuring — "full series of tests" suggests precaution, not crisis.
For a band that's been navigating health-related lineup questions since Brian Johnson briefly departed the Rock or Bust tour in 2016 — replaced by Axl Rose for the remainder of that run — the optics around any member's health will naturally get amplified. That's the reality when you're operating at AC/DC's scale.
Young's expected return to the stage Monday would put the story to rest fast. Until then, 255,000 Argentine fans are watching closely.
