As AC/DC kicked off their Australian tour in Melbourne on Tuesday, a historic gathering of bagpipers broke a world record by performing one of the band’s most iconic songs. A total of 374 pipers assembled at Federation Square to play "It's a Long Way to the Top (If You Wanna Rock 'n' Roll)", surpassing the previous record of 333 pipers set in 2012 in Bulgaria. The oldest confirmed piper in the crowd was 98 years old.
@fed.square MELBOURNE WE DID IT!!!! 374 officially counted pipers showed up today, to be part of this epic World Record breaking attempt, gathering the largest ever bagpipe ensemble for a rendition of @acdc ‘s It’s a Long Way To The Top. What a moment!! We caught up with some of the pipers, from 14 year old Hayden to 98 year old Bruce, and some of the fans, to find out what brought them here, and what the experience was like Thanks for joining us, Melbourne. And to all the pipers who travelled from afar: incredible! Not one to be forgot in a hurry❤️ And big thanks to our partners @City of Melbourne and ABC radio Melbourne in the caper that was The Great Melbourne Bagpipe Bash 2025! #acdc #bagpipes #worldrecord ♬ original sound - fed.square
Federation Square holds special significance for the band, as it was the filming location for the 1976 music video of the same song. That original clip famously features AC/DC performing on the back of a flatbed truck, accompanied by members of the Rats of Tobruk Memorial Pipes and Drums, parading down Swanston Street.
Two of the original pipers, Les Kenfield and Kevin Conlon, returned for Tuesday’s record-breaking event, joining hundreds of other musicians to recreate the legendary scene. Reflecting on the gathering, Kenfield told the Australian Broadcasting Corporation, "It didn't strike you at the time how big this event is until now. Now it's one of the greatest things — probably the greatest thing I've ever done in my life."
Dubbed "The Great Melbourne Bagpipe Bash," the event coincided with AC/DC performing "Jailbreak" live for the first time since 1991, marking a triumphant start to the Australian leg of their Power Up tour. The tour will continue through mid-December in Australia before heading to South and North America in 2026.
For fans of both rock and bagpipes, the spectacle offered a perfect tribute to a song that has long bridged the gap between heavy rock and traditional Scottish music, cementing its place in music history once again.
