ACDC Lane, Melbourne
Encyclopedia
ACDC Lane is a street in Melbourne, Victoria. It is a short, narrow lane
way, running south from Flinders Lane between Exhibition Street
and Russell Street
in the central business district of Melbourne.
The street was formerly called Corporation Lane
, but was renamed on 1 October 2004 as a tribute to Australia
n rock band AC/DC
. The Melbourne City Council's vote to rename the street was unanimous. The trademark lightning bolt or slash ("/") used to separate the AC and the DC in the band's name contravened the naming policy of the Office of the Registrar of Geographic Names, so the punctuation was omitted on the street sign.
Melbourne's Lord Mayor
John So
launched ACDC Lane with the words, "As the song says, there is a highway to hell, but this is a laneway to heaven. Let us rock." Bagpipers
then played "It's a Long Way to the Top (If You Wanna Rock 'n' Roll)
." One month after the renaming, a lightning bolt was erected above and below the street sign. The lightning bolt was removed at a later date.
The lane contains a rock 'n' roll nightclub called the Cherry Bar
.
(the generic name assigned to otherwise unnamed lanes in Melbourne) was renamed, in part, due to the band AC/DC's ties to Melbourne, their status as cultural ambassadors for Australia, and the lane's position in the city's bar and rock district.
Lane
A lane is a part of the roadway within a road marked out for use by a single line of vehicles in such a way as to control and guide drivers for the purpose of reducing traffic conflicts. Most public roads have at least two lanes, one for traffic in each direction, separated by Lane markings...
way, running south from Flinders Lane between Exhibition Street
Exhibition Street, Melbourne
Exhibition Street is a major street in the central business district of Melbourne, Australia. The street is named after the World Heritage listed Royal Exhibition Building, which is located in the Carlton Gardens.- Geography :...
and Russell Street
Russell Street, Melbourne
Russell Street is a north-south street in the central business district of Melbourne, Australia, part of the Hoddle Grid laid out in 1837. At its southern end it intersects with Flinders Street and Federation Square, while at its northern end it becomes Lygon Street, a street famous for its...
in the central business district of Melbourne.
The street was formerly called Corporation Lane
Corporation Lane, Melbourne
In the City of Melbourne, Australia, many minor laneways are given the default name "Corporation Lane". Often these laneways do not appear in street directories. Some have been renamed to something novel or commemorative, including ACDC Lane, Melbourne, and Menzies Lane, East Melbourne.Because of...
, but was renamed on 1 October 2004 as a tribute to Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
n rock band AC/DC
AC/DC
AC/DC are an Australian rock band, formed in 1973 by brothers Malcolm and Angus Young. Commonly classified as hard rock, they are considered pioneers of heavy metal, though they themselves have always classified their music as simply "rock and roll"...
. The Melbourne City Council's vote to rename the street was unanimous. The trademark lightning bolt or slash ("/") used to separate the AC and the DC in the band's name contravened the naming policy of the Office of the Registrar of Geographic Names, so the punctuation was omitted on the street sign.
Melbourne's Lord Mayor
Lord Mayor
The Lord Mayor is the title of the Mayor of a major city, with special recognition.-Commonwealth of Nations:* In Australia it is a political position. Australian cities with Lord Mayors: Adelaide, Brisbane, Darwin, Hobart, Melbourne, Newcastle, Parramatta, Perth, Sydney, and Wollongong...
John So
John So
John Chun Sai So JP is a Chinese-Australian businessman who served as the 102nd Lord Mayor of Melbourne, the capital of Victoria, Australia. He was the first Lord Mayor in the city's history to be directly elected by the people; previously, Lord Mayors were elected by the Councillors.First elected...
launched ACDC Lane with the words, "As the song says, there is a highway to hell, but this is a laneway to heaven. Let us rock." Bagpipers
Bagpipes
Bagpipes are a class of musical instrument, aerophones, using enclosed reeds fed from a constant reservoir of air in the form of a bag. Though the Scottish Great Highland Bagpipe and Irish uilleann pipes have the greatest international visibility, bagpipes of many different types come from...
then played "It's a Long Way to the Top (If You Wanna Rock 'n' Roll)
It's A Long Way To The Top (If You Wanna Rock 'n' Roll)
"It's a Long Way to the Top " is a song by Australian hard rock band AC/DC. It is the first track of the group's album T.N.T., released in December 1975, and was written by Angus Young, Malcolm Young and Bon Scott...
." One month after the renaming, a lightning bolt was erected above and below the street sign. The lightning bolt was removed at a later date.
The lane contains a rock 'n' roll nightclub called the Cherry Bar
Cherry Bar
The Cherry Bar is a Melbourne city bar founded in 2000 by former Cosmic Psychos drummer Bill Walsh. Appropriately located on ACDC Lane , the bar threw out existing artists studios in the building to make a rock music venue and has become a popular concert after-party venue for touring bands and...
.
Reason for the name
Corporation LaneCorporation Lane, Melbourne
In the City of Melbourne, Australia, many minor laneways are given the default name "Corporation Lane". Often these laneways do not appear in street directories. Some have been renamed to something novel or commemorative, including ACDC Lane, Melbourne, and Menzies Lane, East Melbourne.Because of...
(the generic name assigned to otherwise unnamed lanes in Melbourne) was renamed, in part, due to the band AC/DC's ties to Melbourne, their status as cultural ambassadors for Australia, and the lane's position in the city's bar and rock district.
See also
- LeganésLeganésLeganés is a city in central Spain. Part of the greater Madrid conurbation - mainly a satellite-city with a population of 186,066 it is located about 11 km southwest of the city centre....
, Spain, also has a street called AC/DC. Fans of the band often steal the signStreet sign theftStreet sign theft occurs when street signs are stolen, often to be used as decorations, but also sometimes to avoid obeying the law by claiming later the sign was not there. Although the theft often seems arbitrary, signs that are unusual or amusing tend to be stolen more frequently...
.