On February 19th 1980, at age 33, one of rock n’ roll’s greatest frontmen of all time passed away in typical (yet no less tragic) fashion.
Bon Scott’s impact on rock, and indeed music itself, was powerfully efficient, as the Scottish-born and one-time drummer led AC/DC’s charge into legendary status. Thirty-three years on, The Corner Hotel provided the perfect setting for a loving tribute show headed up by Nick Barker (of Nick Barker & The Reptiles fame) in Hell Ain’t A Bad Place To Be: The Story Of Bon Scott.
While previous performances of the show have taken place at Melbourne’s The Palais Theatre and Sydney’s The Enmore Theatre, few could argue that a true Aussie pub provides a more ideal setting for a tribute to perhaps the greatest pub band of all time in lieu of the traditional theatre.
Unlike the biography by the same name written by Mick Wall, Hell Ain’t A Bad Place To Be focuses almost entirely on Bon Scott’s own tale, with as much emphasis placed on his childhood and the early years of his singing career as the heady days during which he became, by his own droll admission, “the lightning bolt in the middle” between AC and DC.
Barker promised both new and well-seasoned fans that they would leave the show having learned five facts about the enigma who once bashed the skins and occasionally sung for the Spektors (the very first group he founded after moving from Melbourne to Fremantle in 1964) – a tricky proposition given the show’s relatively short two-hour timeframe.
What kind of a celebration of Bon Scott’s life story would be complete without an electrifying tribute band? Joining Nick Barker on stage: music director Tommy Boyce (guitar), Justin Garner (guitar), Alex Raunjak (bass), and Steve Brown (drums).
Prior to the show Barker held serious reservations as to whether or not his singing would give justice to the great man, however any fears were quickly allayed from the get-go. Fantastic renditions of “T.N.T.”, “Dirty Deeds” and (rather fittingly) “Highway To Hell” among others were performed.
The crowd’s enthusiasm and appreciation grew throughout the show, with emphatic cheers given to passing references to place names such as the Melbourne suburb of Sunshine, North Fremantle High School, and – to a slightly less rousing reception – North Adelaide’s Old Lion Pub.
A palpable sense of despair washed over the crowd as Barker described Bon Scott’s tragic death from acute alcohol poisoning and every attempt by friend Alistair Kinnear to revive him in horrid detail.
The somber mood did not last long however, as Barker and his band belted out a high-voltage rendition of “It’s A Long Way to the Top” – bagpipes and all – thereby providing the perfect celebratory encore.
Hell Ain’t A Bad Place To Be proved to be nothing short of a scintilating success; in the numbers it attracted (a sound achievement given that the event was staged on a dreary Tuesday evening), the colourful retelling of Bon Scott’s life and career as well as, of course, the tribute band’s masterful performance.
Moreover, as Bon Scott’s story saw the young, bonny lad live in several Australian capital cities (with each vying to claim him as their very own), there is absolutely no reason as to why this show could not be a nationwide smash hit.
