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Highway to Hell Tour

The Highway to Hell Tour was a concert tour by Australian rock band AC/DC in support of the group's seventh studio album, Highway to Hell, which was released on 27 July 1979. The tour had 3 legs around Europe and North America lasting 5 months starting on 17 August 1979 at Haffmans Park in Bilzen, Belgium, and concluded on 27 January 1980 at Southampton, England. This was the last tour with Bon Scott, who died due to alcohol poisoning, three weeks after the Southampton show, which therefore cancelled the Japan and Australian legs of the tour.

Location

  • Europe
  • North America

17 August 1979 (1979-08-17)

27 January 1980 (1980-01-27)

3

99

Background[edit]

During the band's tour in the United States, the band attracted capacity crowds, with one venue having to turn away over two thousand fans after being sold out minutes after the box office opened.[1] The band were set to tour in Japan and Australia in early 1980,[2] but the legs were cancelled following the death of vocalist Bon Scott as a result of alcohol poisoning.[3]


Def Leppard was the opening act for part of the European leg after they were approached by Peter Mensch of Leber-Krebs management, who had booked them on a tour of the UK supporting the band.[4][5] During the shows in Texas in the United States, Riot and Molly Hatchet were the opening acts for the band on their North American leg.[6]

lead vocals

Bon Scott

lead guitar

Angus Young

rhythm guitar, backing vocals

Malcolm Young

bass guitar, backing vocals

Cliff Williams

drums

Phil Rudd