Well this is a powerload! Perth Festival have put an exclamation mark on their 2020 program, with the announcement they’ll close it out in a massive tribute to AC/DC and the late Bon Scott with an almost unthinkable takeover of Canning Highway. Highway to Hell is set to be the world’s longest stage, with the stretch from Applecross to Fremantle transformed into a rock and roll playground on Sunday, March 1 for a free, family-friendly finale to the peak summer festival.
Local and international acts are set to perform AC/DC songs from stages on the back of semi-trailers including Finnish bluegrass band Steve ’n’ Seagulls, Japanese rock trio Shonen Knife, the WA Police Pipe Band, Amyl and the Sniffers, Perth Symphony Orchestra and the Pigram Brothers.
People are invited to walk the route with the trucks, set up a picnic anywhere along the highway or gather at one of four special activity and entertainment areas: the Canning Bridge Zone in Applecross, the Tompkins Park Zone in Alfred Cove, the Valley Zone in Palmyra and the Rainbow Zone in East Fremantle and Fremantle.
“For years, Bon walked this iconic southern stretch of Canning Highway from the Leopold Hotel in Palmyra to Fremantle, and AC/DC lit up the Raffles Hotel with legendary gigs,” Perth Festival Artistic Director Iain Grandage says. “Now we’re closing the highway, all 10 km of it, for one special day designed for families and fans alike. The idea of closing down the highway to celebrate a favourite son is an exciting way to celebrate our city and bring the curtain down on the 2020 Festival.”
Highway to Hell marks 40 years since the death of WA-raised rock legend Bon Scott who grew up around Fremantle and went to gigs along Canning Highway as a youth.
Perth Festival’s Highway to Hell is happening right across Canning Highway on Sunday, March 1. Free entry.
