The music video for the classic AC/DC song was filmed 49 years ago in the heart of Melbourne's CBD.

374 Bagpipers playing 'It's A Long Way To The Top' (Credit: YouTube)

374 passionate bagpipers have set a new world record, and it happened in the heart of Melbourne yesterday (12 November).
Ahead of the first night of AC/DC’s highly anticipated Australian tour, Fed Square presented The Great Melbourne Bagpipe Bash with the support of the City of Melbourne and ABC Radio Melbourne. Bagpipers of all ages and playing abilities gathered at Federation Square and paid homage to the AC/DC classic, It’s A Long Way To The Top (If You Wanna Rock ‘n’ Roll) music video.
Of course, the It’s A Long Way To The Top music video was released in 1976, where the band played the song on the back of a flatbed truck that drove through Swanston Street—just around the corner from where the bagpipers gathered.
Together, Victoria’s piping community smashed the long-standing world record of 333 pipers playing the bagpipes en masse in melodious (or comedic) harmony, previously held in Bulgaria from 2012.
As Consequence of Sound notes, two of the bagpipers who performed on Wednesday were Les Kenfield and Kevin Conlon, two of the three members of Rats of Tobruk Memorial Pipes and Drums, who initially performed with AC/DC in the It’s A Long Way To The Top music video.
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As the once-in-a-lifetime performance took place right in the city, thousands of spectators showed up to film and revel in the experience.
You can watch footage of the performance below.
“It didn’t strike you at the time how big this event is until now,” Kenfield said, per the Associated Press. “Now it’s one of the greatest things — probably the greatest thing I’ve ever done in my life.”
He continued, “Piping is really a dying art, young kids don’t really want to play, [whether] it’s too difficult or whatever reasons. We’re getting old. In my band, if everyone over 70 resigned, there would be no band left.”
Campbell Wilson, Senior Pipe Major of the City of Melbourne Highland Pipe Band, added via the ABC, “The biggest challenge is absolutely getting everybody to play in tune because bagpipes are essentially four instruments in one.”
Katrina Sedgwick OAM, Director & CEO of MAP Co, said of the Great Melbourne Bagpipe Bash last month, “Hundreds of bagpipers playing an AC/DC classic in the heart of the city feels like the perfect Melbourne moment. It’s a celebration of our music legacy and creative spirit that continues to define our city.
“Fed Square has always been the place where Melbourne comes together to celebrate its music, culture and community – and this will be one for the ages.”
After last night’s show, AC/DC will continue their Australian tour with a second night at the MCG on Sunday (16 November), followed by dates in Sydney, Adelaide, Perth, and Brisbane.
Amyl And The Sniffers are special guests on all dates of the tour, with local bands joining in each city. The band are hosting local acts The Casanovas in Melbourne, Large Mirage in Sydney, Oscar The Wild in Adelaide, The Southern River Band in Perth, and Headsend in Brisbane.