Perth is gearing up for the long-awaited return of AC/DC tonight, and for some fans, honouring the rock legends started long before the first chord. A handful of punters visited Fremantle Cemetery, where Bon Scott is buried, before heading to the show on Thursday to honour the beloved musician whose legacy struggles to fade — even 44 years after his final encore.
Among them were James McKay, who had flown all the way from Scotland with his brother, Andy McKay, just to see AC/DC live in Perth — and he said skipping a visit to Bon Scott’s grave at Fremantle Cemetery simply wouldn’t have felt right. “We appreciate that AC/DC is one of the world’s most famous bands and it’s only right that we recognise the importance that Bon Scott had in the band’s formative years. And given that we’ve travelled all this way we wanted to pay our respects at his grave, to his family, and be there to see the grave itself,” James McKay said.
Frontman Bon Scott, whose voice and swagger defined AC/DC’s early sound, cut his teeth in Fremantle’s pubs, streets, and music halls, which served as the backdrop for his earliest performances. Mr McKay spent Thursday wandering the streets of Fremantle, soaking in the streets where his idol grew up, before heading to the stadium to stake out a prime spot in the mosh pit. “We have seen them in Scotland, England, Ireland, and the USA in the last 18 months, so we didn’t want to miss out on the chance of seeing them in Australia as well,” he said.
A group of hardcore AC/DC fans gathered out the front of The Ritz Carlton on Thursday hoping to catch a glimpse of the band members and get merch autographed. Long time fan Chris Bonacci saw AC/DC in Melbourne for the opening of the band’s Australian tour and said he will be getting emotional seeing his heroes perform again in Perth on Thursday night. “I play AC/DC pretty much every day, if not every second day. It’s a white noise in the back. I play it while I’m in the shower. Play it while I’m on the toilet, everywhere. It’s on all the time,” Mr Bonacci said.
The 54-year-old said his “dying wish” was to see “the boys” in person, hence why he was hanging around The Ritz Carlton where they are staying until their second concert on Monday. Brothers Nicholas, 16, and Thomas Tullio, 19, have never been to an AC/DC concert before and are looking forward to seeing them live tonight. “I’m looking forward to seeing them play live. I’ve always seen them on YouTube, so to actually see them in person is cool,” Nicholas said.
Tonight, fans will get their chance to celebrate both AC/DC and the enduring legacy of the Perth-born legend who helped define rock and roll for generations.
