AC/DC fans from across the globe rocked Angus at the weekend to pay tribute to one of Kirriemuir’s most famous sons.
Bon Scott disciples journeyed to Kirriemuir to pledge their allegiance to the late singer on what would have been his 65th birthday.
Bon Fest has been organised by local group DD8 Music every year since 2006 and pays homage to the former lead singer of the iconic rock band.
The town came to life to the background sound of Harley-Davidson engines and live music from the band’s back catalogue. A group of over 60 fans from Germany and Austria arrived in Kirriemuir by bus and they made their voices heard, waving flags and chanting as they partied in the square with other die-hards as the festivities got under way.
They arrived following a 36-hour bus trip from Berlin, which included a pilgrimage to Overhill Road in East Dulwich, London, where Bon Scott was found dead on February 19, 1980, at the age of 33.
“Bon Scott was everything to AC/DC fans,” said Christoph Maurer, from Baden in Austria. “He made them and when he died he stopped them becoming even bigger than they are today.”
Stefan Kornfeld maintains the Austrian AC/DC website and is a big collector of the band’s merchandise.
“I’ve been a fan for over 30 years after getting the album If You Want Blood (You’ve Got It) when I was eight years old,” he said. “On the last tour I went to see 16 shows. I have always wanted to come to Kirriemuir to see where Bon Scott grew up.”
Husband and wife Sven and Kaori Schuetz from Karlsruhe in Germany said Kirriemuir was a new experience for most of the party.
“Some of us were here some years ago but most of us are here for the first time,” said Kaori. “AC/DC fans are like a big family. We go everywhere together and it’s all about the music.”
Steven said, “It is like a religion for most of us.”
Fans packed the Gateway to the Glens Museum throughout the day to get a look at an exhibition featuring Bon Scott memorabilia owned by Neil McDonald, who has the biggest collection in the UK. It was the first time such a quantity of Bon Scott items have come together under one roof.
Items included a Let There Be Rock 1977 UK LP and a rare Australian cassette album, 12 Of The Best, which was an AC/DC “best of” album scheduled for release in 1978, but was scrapped at the last minute.
“The first time I met Bon Scott I was standing outside the Glasgow Apollo in 1978 before a concert,” he said. “I was carrying the last tour programme and Bon Scott drew up in a car and I asked him to sign it.
“He did and I asked if he would take it inside and get the other guys to sign it as well. He said, ‘Why don’t you come inside and ask them yourself?’ He took me inside and I met the band and they all signed my programme.
“I met Bon Scott three times before he died. I’ll never forget the day he died because it was on my birthday.”
The festivities continued with pub gigs before a concert at the town hall, headlined by top AC/DC tribute band Bon’s Balls. People camped out overnight to pick up the remaining tickets for the headline gig.
Steve Gibbons of organisers DD8 Music said the turnout highlighted the worldwide appeal of Bon Scott and AC/DC.
“We’ve had people from all over the world in Kirriemuir this weekend to celebrate his life,” he said. “You just have to take a wander about to see all the different accents. We’ve got 61 people over from Berlin.
“Bon Scott was the best singer AC/DC ever had and he had a magnetic quality when he was on stage and really embodied the spirit of rock ‘n’ roll. Good music stands the test of time and these songs defined an era.”
Bon Scott was born Ronald Belford Scott in Forfar in 1946 and lived in Kirriemuir until the age of six, when his family moved to Australia.