February 19, 2020 marks the 40th-Anniversary of the death of legendary AC/DC frontman Bon Scott. To celebrate his life and legacy, Perth, Australia, will be making history in honor of the late singer by having what could be the longest stage ever. According to watoday.com.au, the Perth Festival will bring the band’s iconic sixth album, 1979’s Highway to Hell, to life by transforming a section of Canning Highway into a rolling stage calling it Highway To Hell.
The event will take place on March 1, 2020, as watoday shared the meaning behind the scheduled location:
“On March 1, 2020 – 40 years since Scott was laid to rest at Fremantle Cemetery – the southern stretch of highway from Raffles Hotel to the Old Fremantle Traffic Bridge will be closed to make way for the bands to perform Acca Dacca songs from the back of moving trucks.]
The strip of highway is said to have inspired Scott’s 1979 hit Highway to Hell.
Festival artistic director Iain Grandage said for years Scott had walked the iconic stretch of highway from the Leopold Hotel in Palmyra to Fremantle, and AC/DC lit up the Raffles Hotel with legendary gigs.”
For one-day-only, 10km of the highway will be closed as AC/DC fans, family members, and more will be invited to join the special occasion. The celebration is not only to honor the life of Scott, but it’s also a way to commemorate the city of Perth.
The festival will consist of the WA Police Pipe Band, who will lead the procession of trucks carrying multiple bands from different parts of the world, including Japan’s Shonen Knife, Finland’s Steve ‘n’ Seagulls, the Pigram Brothers, as well as the Perth Symphony Orchestra.
The world’s largest karaoke of AC/DC’s “Highway to Hell” will also take place. More information will be revealed on Halloween.
Bon Scott’s death remains somewhat of a mystery. He died sitting in his car after a night of heavy drinking. Depending on the source, he died of asphyxiation, alcohol poisoning, or hypothermia. Ultimately, he was found dead in his car as it was led to believe he choked on his own vomit.
Scott has indeed left a remarkable legacy as he worked on AC/DC albums High Voltage, T.N.T., Dirty Deeds Done Dirt Cheap, Let There Be Rock, Powerage, and Highway to Hell. The group’s 1980 effort Back in Black was more of a massive tribute to their late singer.
