Thousands of music fans from around the world will celebrate a weekend-long festival of rock and roll in Angus.
The annual rock circus of Bonfest is now well-established in Kirriemuir, commemorating the life and work of its most famous musical export.
Infamous as a hard-living, headline-grabbing star of stage and studio, AC/DC singer Bon Scott commanded the adoration and attention of millions.
He died in 1980 aged 33, leaving a hole in rock music but Bonfest keeps his spirit alive in Angus.
Organiser Graham Galloway said the festival has attracted more and more international attention as years go by.
“The atmosphere is starting to get hot, the place is buzzing, and people even started to arrive on Thursday,” he told The Courier.
“We have crowds coming in from Russia, Germany, Canada all over the place.
“The local shops are really getting in to the spirit of things and I think it will be a good weekend for them too.
“With so much positivity coming to Kirriemuir, it can’t help but be good for Angus.”
Fans of the band continue to honour Bon Scott’s contribution to the AC/DC success story 34 years after his premature death and flood Kirrie for the three-night event. And a veteran rocker told The Courier the festival is a perfect tribute to a songwriter “ahead of his time”.
Chris Slade played to millions of fans during his time drumming on the AC/DC album The Razors Edge and accompanying tours in the early 1990s.
He has brought his Timeline touring band to Kirriemuir and said he supports plans to raise a statue in Scott’s memory.
Bonfest organisers DD8 Music are planning to unveil a permanent Bon tribute when a suitable location is found.
“I think Bon would love the fact that a statue is to be erected to his memory,” Slade said.
“His grave in Australia has become a shrine and I think the statue will too.
“He was a unique songwriter and singer ahead of his time, really.”
The festival kicked off on Friday night and saw all-female tribute act Back:N:Black from Switzerland take centre stage.
Venues across town will see acts play from 1-7pm on Saturday and Sunday, and tonight’s Town Hall headliners are Live Wire.
Timeline will play on Sunday night and although the set will be AC/DC biased, it will also contain hits from other bands Slade recorded with including Asia, Uriah Heep and Manfred Mann’s Earth Band.
He said it would be appropriate for festival goers to send positive thoughts to AC/DC mainstay and “the greatest rhythm guitarist ever born” Malcolm Young, who has taken time off from the band after 40 years due to ill health.
A DD8 Music spokesman said: “Saturday has been our fastest ever selling night, with all tickets gone in a matter of days.
“We’d like to thank the local people of Kirriemuir for their support and, of course, the fans who travel far and wide, as without them there wouldn’t be a Bonfest.”