Overview
- Hundreds gathered at Federation Square as 374 musicians performed It's a Long Way to the Top before a crowd of thousands.
- The Australian Book of Records verified the new high mark, while Guinness World Records said it was not asked to assess the attempt.
- The tally surpasses the 2012 benchmark of 333 pipers set in Sofia, Bulgaria.
- Dubbed The Great Melbourne Bagpipe Bash, the event took place near Swanston Street, where AC/DC filmed the song’s famed 1976 clip, and coincided with the band’s return to Australia at the MCG.
- Participants included Rats of Tobruk veterans Les Kenfield and Kevin Conlon, school bands helped lift numbers, the oldest performer was 98, and organizers cited tuning and recruitment as key challenges.