ACDC hit performed: hundreds of musicians with bagpipes set an unexpected world record

In downtown Melbourne, hundreds of bagpipe players set a new world record with their performance of AC/DC's legendary rock hit "It's a Long Way to the Top." The event, called The Great Melbourne Bagpipe Bash, drew crowds to Federation Square.

This time, 374 bagpipe players were on stage—the exact number needed to break the previous record, set in 2012 in Bulgaria (333 participants). The oldest musician in attendance was 98 years old.

After the official performance of the hit, the orchestra, at the audience's request, played "Happy Birthday," followed by a spontaneous rendition of "Amazing Grace," to singalongs and applause from the crowd. Among the participants were Les Canfield and Kevin Conlon—two of the three bagpipe players from the Rats of Tobruk Memorial Pipes and Drums, who played with AC/DC in that very same music video almost half a century ago.

"I didn't even realize then how historic this moment was. But now I realize it's probably the best thing I've ever done," Mr. Canfield said.

Interestingly, the square where the record-breaking moment occurred is located just a few minutes' walk from the Melbourne Cricket Ground, where AC/DC were playing their first Australian concert in ten years that same evening. Among the fans eagerly awaiting the concert was Keegan Kohler, a 23-year-old electrician from Ohio who had come to Australia to see the band in their home country.