“Roads, rates, rubbish and rock ‘n’ roll”: council gears up for AC/DC

The City of Melbourne will host a concert and support the creation of an AC/DC installation to celebrate the band’s cultural legacy in Melbourne, coinciding with the band’s shows at the MCG.

Following discussions with Sony Music, the band choose not to commit to any activities outside of their Melbourne shows on the POWER UP tour on November 12 and 16.

However, at the Future Melbourne Committee (FMC) meeting on September 2, the council supported a motion for the City of Melbourne to work with AC/DC management and the Victorian Government to stage a tribute concert at Federation Square.

The council’s tourism and events portfolio lead Cr Mark Scott said, “this is a prudent investment. It leverages state government and corporate contributions, offsets risk and unlocks major cultural and economic returns for Melbourne.”

“Let’s endorse these celebrations and show the world that when Melbourne does AC/DC, we don’t just turn up the volume – we truly leave people thunderstruck,” he said.

Alongside concert planning, the council will also explore the creation of a permanent AC/DC Lane installation, to honour the band and enhance the laneway precinct’s visitor experience.

The delivery of the event and laneway installation is expected to cost $110,000, with further investment to come from corporate partners.

Analysis of recent high-impact events shows that events such as these can have a significant impact on Melbourne’s visitor economy.

The proposed Federation Square concert is expected to attract an audience of up to 20,000, with an estimated direct economic contribution between $1.2 million and $1.6 million. Southbank News understands that organisers are in discussions with Amyl and the Sniffers to feature at the event.

February 2026 will be another milestone for the band and city, marking the 50th anniversary of the It’s a Long Way to the Top film clip that was recorded on Swanston St.

According to a council report tabled at the September 3 meeting, a full-scale tribute parade replicating the 1976 film clip along Swanston St was scoped and costed.

The parade, estimated at $1 million, would have included a rolling flatbed truck with a live tribute band, full road and tram closures, safety and security overlays, and a final tribute performance at Federation Square.

However, following further consultation with Sony Music and confirmation that the band will not participate in any civic or public-facing activities outside their MCG performances, the parade was deemed no longer viable.

“We all know the spiritual home of AC/DC is here in Melbourne – where they lived during the mid-1970s and, of course, where they first took off as a rock’n’roll band,” Lord Mayor Nick Reece said.

“While AC/DC are here, we’ve got some very exciting plans in the pipeline. We’ll be sharing more details soon – but there will be a very special performance at Federation Square.”

“I think it’s fair to say that here at the City of Melbourne, we’re all about roads, rates, rubbish – and rock ‘n’ roll.” •