Bonfest organisers take ‘hard’ decision to cancel 2021 Kirriemuir rock event

Kirriemuir Bonfest organisers have taken the tough decision to cancel the live event for 2021.

More than eight months before the three-day gathering honouring Angus-born ACDC frontman Bon Scott would have taken place, the news has been already been met with sadness from fans around the globe.

Organisers say they have been forced into making the early call to protect the future of the DD8 Music charity which organises the rock extravaganza that has gone from strength to strength over more than a decade and a half.

The 2020 Bonfest also fell victim to the coronavirus pandemic but went ahead in virtual form in May with a marathon six hours of past performances at the Kirrie event and online messages of support from fans across the world.

DD8 Music has continued to stage a range of online events for young people throughout the coronavirus crisis.

It included a series of weekly online Q&A sessions with professionals from the worlds of films and television.

A Disney effects animator, Game of Thrones location manager and Transformers concept artists were among those who gave their time to talk to the Angus youngsters about their careers.

Bonfest chairman John Crawford said: “It was a very hard decision to make but we need to protect the DD8 Music charity and indeed the future of Bonfest.

“We couldn’t risk spending a considerable amount of money on deposits now, only for the event not to happen.

“We will plan another virtual Bonfest or something similar over the weekend and brainstorming for this will actually start next week.”

He added: “It’s a very difficult time for all music venues, artists and all the engineers that make events happen.

“I can only hope we can all survive this pandemic as we depend on each other and come out all amps blaring on the other side.”

A highlight of this year’s virtual Bonfest was a personal message from ACDC lead singer Brian Johnson, who encouraged fans to “ride on” through the lockdown.

The 72-year-old Geordie, who replaced Scott as the band’s frontman after the Angus musician’s untimely 1980 death in London at the age of just 33, had said he hoped the Kirrie festival would be back “bigger and better” in 2021.

Bon became part of the global supergroup after joining the band formed by Glasgow brothers Angus and Malcolm Young in Australia, where the Scott family had also emigrated to.