Opinion

Reflections: AC/DC plays Vic Park

By Nicole Thomson

Jan 16, 2023

Rock: Bon Scott performing with AC/DC in 1975 in Sydney — but are there any photos from the band's show in Echuca? Photo by AAP

Forty-seven years ago, Echuca played host to one of our greatest rock bands — but did the Riv know it at the time?

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AC/DC played the oval at Victoria Park in Echuca on January 11, 1976.

Today such a name would, in this writer’s opinion, warrant a front page with a bright photo.

In 1976? No such luck.

“Young people enjoyed two pop concerts in Echuca yesterday — one at Hopwood Gardens and the other at Victoria Park Oval,” the Riv wrote at the time.

“The evening concert at Victoria Park Oval attracted a large crowd. Echuca police reported that the audience was generally well behaved, but they made four arrests for drunk and disorderly offences.

“AC/DC, now touring country Victoria, were the main attraction at the evening concert.”

And that was it — the band fresh off the Australian releases of High Voltage and TNT in 1975 performed a “pop” concert.

While we might not have any photos in our archives, I’m certain there must be photos somewhere of the concert.

Someone must have a photo of Bon Scott at the front of the band singing “It’s a long way to the top if you wanna rock ’n’ roll” at our very own Vic Park.

The stage has been set at the venue before, and it will be again in February when Riverboats Music Festival brings a whole new list of iconic bands to the stage.