Hundreds of bagpipers in Australia broke a world record on Wednesday by putting on an enormous performance of AC/DC’s “It’s a Long Way to the Top.”
Thousands of spectators crammed to see the 374 pipers — the oldest being 98 years old — play the Australian band’s rock and roll hit in Melbourne’s Federation Square.
Among “The Great Melbourne Bagpipe Bash” group were Les Kenfield and Kevin Conlon, two of the three members of Rats of Tobruk Memorial Pipes and Drums who played with AC/DC in a legendary 1976 music video for the song featuring Federation Square.
“It didn’t strike you at the time how big this event is until now,” Kenfield told the Australian Broadcasting Corporation.
“Now it’s one of the greatest things — probably the greatest thing I’ve ever done in my life.”
The Australian Book of Records confirmed that the sea of tartan-wearing pipers shattered a record set by 333 pipers in Bulgaria in 2012.
After being declared world record holders, the overjoyed pipers played an encore of “Happy Birthday” and “Amazing Grace” to a cheering crowd.
Federation Square is near the Melbourne Cricket Ground, where AC/DC was scheduled later the same day to play their first Aussie gig in a decade as part of their “Power Up” tour.
Several enthusiastic spectators came to the pipe performance clad in their AC/DC T-shirts and planned to attend the concert afterward.
One AC/DC fan, Keegan Kohler, who didn’t see the record set, journeyed all the way from Columbus, Ohio, to Australia to make the band’s gig.
“I think Aussie crowds are going to be way better than the US,” Kohler said. “I think it’s going to be more eventful, more headbanging, more excitement with the crowds.”
The Guinness World Records had not yet been approached to assess Wednesday’s attempt.
With Post wires
[Notigroup Newsroom in collaboration with other media outlets, with information from the following sources]
