Monsters of Rock festival August 22, 1981
I’m continuing my AC/DC memories with thoughts on the 1981 Monsters of Rock Festival. The line up for this, which was the second Monsters of Rock event was AC/DC; Whitesnake; Blue Öyster Cult; Slade; Blackfoot; More.
I went along to this gig with a group of mates in the back of a Transit van with one of my friends driving us. We went primarily to see AC/DC, who were a favourite band of all of us, although many of us were also fans of Blue Oyster Cult. This was our first visit to Donington, and for me is for the first of several visits to the Monsters of Rock festival over the next 10 years. My recollection of the day is a very cold and wet one, with, as often the case for festivals in the UK, quite a bit of rain. The first couple of bands: More and Blackfoot weren’t anything special as I recall, but Slade went down well as they always did at a festival.
I’d seen Slade tear the place apart at the Reading Festival the year before, in common with many others in the Donington crowd, and that Reading comeback meant that they were now well accepted by the heavy rock fraternity. I also remember lots of cans etc being thrown across the crowd that day. The sound mix for Blue Oyster Cult was awful and they were a big disappointment for all of us; it didn’t go well for them at all that day. Whitesnake were on top form around this time with Coverdale in great voice, delivering classics like Mistreated and Ain’t no love in the heart of the city. AC/DC closed the day and were great, their show translating well to a massive open air setting. The AC/DC setlist at Donington was: Hells Bells; Shot Down in Flames; Sin City; Back in Black; Bad Boy Boogie; The Jack; What Do You Do For Money Honey; Highway to Hell; High Voltage; Whole Lotta Rosie; Rocker; T.N.T.; Rock and Roll Ain’t Noise Pollution; You Shook Me All Night Long; Let There Be Rock. Over the next couple of days I’ll do a write up on the 1984 and 1991 Monsters of Rock festivals, which will bring my AC/DC memories up to date. I’ll then move on to another band. I haven’t been there since 1991, but am planning to go to Download at Donington in June this year to see the reformed original Black Sabbath, unless they add any indoor shows before then.
5 Jan
AC/DC: Monsters of Rock Donington Park 1981
Posted January 5, 2012 by vintagerock in AC/DC, Blackfoot, Blue Oyster Cult, More, Slade, Whitesnake. Tagged: blues, concert, concerts, folk, gig, gigs, heavy metal, music, pop, prog rock, punk, R&B, rock, rock n roll. 35 Comments
Vintagerock's Weblog. 
Posted by Woolo on August 27, 2012 at 12:21 pm
Good call I remember it well, once Slade started thowing loo rolls into the crowd the place erupted!! for the rest of the set the sky was filled with every missile imaginable.. Even a tractor tyre! Although there were one or two casulities after that lol.
Posted by Ally on January 1, 2024 at 7:22 am
I still have a bit of that loo roll! 🙂
Posted by vintagerock on January 1, 2024 at 12:04 pm
Frame it my friend! Peter
Posted by Ally on January 1, 2024 at 12:14 pm
I should….it’s in a photo album along with the ticket….ahh those were the days 🙂
Posted by Jed on March 31, 2015 at 1:35 am
I remember the bags of dubious liquid being launched, and the what passed for toilets, a plank over a pit , surrounded by corrugated iron !
Posted by Patrick O'Connor on October 22, 2025 at 11:29 am
How funny, yeah I remember people getting hit with things. I preferably stayed in the back to avoid a blind side hit on the head.
Posted by Paul Kazakoff on September 24, 2019 at 2:07 am
Long time ago now but what I can remember is the weather being pretty crap and the bands overall good but the sound system was rubbish and quite disappointing.Sound did improve as the day wore on .AC/DC were the highlight for sure.The atmosphere there was pretty darn good even though it was spoilt by the weather and P.A.
Posted by Liam on November 2, 2020 at 12:33 pm
Remember it well. Drove up from Cardiff with 3 mates in a mini which got stuck in the car park mud due to the heavy rain all day.
AC/DC and Slade were good value and Slade got the crowd going with all the loo roll throwing etc. and I remember people lit fires to keep warm and the smoke was everywhere. Toilets a joke, just a great big whole in the ground so care not to fall in !
Yeh atmosphere was good even if the weather was poor !
Posted by vintagerock on November 2, 2020 at 12:52 pm
Hi Liam thanks for your memories, which helped fill in some of the gaps in mine. Slade are one of my all-time best bands. Happy days. Is it really so long ago? It seems like yesterday in many ways and in others it is a lifetime away. Cheers Peter
Posted by GunnerUSAF on January 12, 2023 at 4:45 am
I was there. As a “Yank” in the military at RAF Upper Heyford at the time, it was really cool to see some good ole’ Southern Rock as Blackfoot dished out. BOC, while the sound was crappy, were really cool too. And Slade? Awesome set!! Never even saw AC/DC. Too drunk and I passed out as they were opening their set!
Posted by vintagerock on January 12, 2023 at 1:08 pm
Thanks for sharing, sounds like you had a great day! Happy days Peter
Posted by Antony Joseph on November 18, 2023 at 11:52 pm
I have the original t – shirt and the program from that concert … can f remember another of it 🤪
Posted by vintagerock on November 19, 2023 at 12:31 pm
A great day Antony and fun was had by all 🙂 happy days Peter
Posted by Stephen Bartle on January 30, 2024 at 1:09 am
My first festival what great memories and yes the loo rolls! brilliant, seen Slade several times superb live band
Posted by vintagerock on January 30, 2024 at 12:43 pm
Thanks for sharing Stephen. A great first festival experience. Happy days Peter
Posted by Randal Hager on February 1, 2024 at 1:00 pm
Blackfoot is a southern rock band band in the U.S. I love them personally. They were very popular in the 70s and 80s but weren’t played much on the radio. I was at that concert also and I agree with you about BOC. They should have fixed the sound before they played their set. I was stationed at RAF Bentwaters in the USAF from Feb 80 till Sept 83.
Posted by vintagerock on February 1, 2024 at 2:56 pm
Hi Randal
Yes I also remember Blackfoot well. In fact I think I saw them at Newcastle Mayfair once and they were really good. I can’t be sure: my memory plays tricks. Yes it was a great lineup and a great day. Thanks for your post. Happy days Peter
Posted by blazevaliantlyfc3a4bdc17 on March 19, 2025 at 6:26 pm
Saw Blackfoot the year before at Reading and they were brilliant, I guess the weather made a difference even though I thought they put on a good show at Donnington but when the back of the crowd is half a mile away in those conditions …..
The first Donnington, we were very close to the front and somebody further up the hill had chucked a full half can of Guiness and took out my mates girlfriend as it hit her in the back of the head. He just laughed, picked up the can opened it and downed it one …
I never really liked Donnington, the early days queuing for everything along with starting early morning coach ride and being drunk on the coach going back home. Ah, those were the days when I was still a teenager …… (at least for the first one)
Paul
ps I didn’t like the later ones either with the queues to get in and overpriced everything …
my last time the year Guns’n’Roses played (88?), but at least I camped for that one.
Posted by vintagerock on March 20, 2025 at 11:58 am
I saw quite a few good bands at Donington including AC/DC, ZZ Top, Status Quo and Whitesnake. The last time I went was when Metallica headlined. Happy days Peter
Posted by blazevaliantlyfc3a4bdc17 on March 20, 2025 at 6:22 pm
‘I’m continuing my AC/DC memories with thoughts on the 1981 Monsters of Rock Festival.’
Seen them four times, first time was their first tour of the UK in 76, Lock Up Your Daughters summer tour. About 70 people in Swansea Brangwyn Hall & they chucked loads of stickers and badges into the audience and if I still had them would be worth some money I guess. The stickers went on my school books, was only 15, and the badges lost and being young no alcohol to distort the memory. They were brilliant, Dirty Deeds album and even though it was a tiny audience in a huge hall they really played their hearts out. Some people I knew by sight were 3rd yr apprentices when I started the same training when I left school and they went drinking with them after the gig and said they were great guys.
The other gigs, the first two times they played Donnington and once Birmingham NEC, Thunderstruck tour I think. AC/DC always gave the fans what they wanted and my ex wife ( a big fan) hated me for seeing them with Bon Scott. Very different acts but the Brian Johnson period is so much more professional as Bon was a very naughty person as Monty Python would say.
Paul
Posted by vintagerock on March 21, 2025 at 2:26 pm
The early Bon Scott era AC/DC were excellent in their own way. The later Brian Johnson AC/DC were also fantastic. Both great bands in their own right. I saw them both many times and they always delivered
Posted by Vince on April 2, 2024 at 4:17 pm
I remember that show quite well. I was another Yank from RAF Upper Heyford. I recall that Tommy Vance was the Emcee for the afternoon. The bus ride to Donnington Park was filled with heavily drinking rowdy American servicemen looking to unwind and in need of a good time away from Upper Heyford. By the time Whitesnake was playing I was sobering up and as AC/DC were on I was back to normal and enjoying their show. They said their good nights at the end of T.N.T. and I walked back to the bus, not expecting AC/DC to return to the stage and play an Encore set.
I do remember when GunnerUSAF was carried back to his seat on the bus by his buddies. He was indeed absolutely passed out drunk. He revived about halfway back to the base.
Posted by vintagerock on April 3, 2024 at 3:16 pm
Hi Vince many thanks for sharing your memories of a great day with some great bands. Happy days Peter
Posted by Fletch on April 5, 2024 at 10:52 pm
I too was at this gig and could have written this piece as it’s the way I remember it. I was 17 at the time.. OMG!! How the time has flown and the world has changed so much, not always for the better. Fletch UK.
Posted by vintagerock on April 6, 2024 at 10:50 am
Hi Fletch yes a great day with some great bands playing. Happy days Peter
Posted by Fletch on April 6, 2024 at 11:57 am
cheers Peter. Keep on rocking.
Posted by Michael on May 7, 2024 at 3:58 pm
Hi Peter – thank you for posting. Myself and two friends travelled from Strokestown in the West of Ireland – to see AC/DC in Castle Donnington in 1981 – it was my first time abroad. Bus to Dublin – Ferry to Holyhead – bus to Castle Donnington – and mad journey home. Great memories – always remember the start of Hells Bells that day – still have the ticket. Michael.
Posted by vintagerock on May 7, 2024 at 4:34 pm
Hi Michael thanks for sharing. Sounds like a marathon trip that was worth undertaking! Happy days Peter
Posted by Kevin. on August 20, 2024 at 11:21 am
Ahh memories! I rode my bike up from Exeter via Coventry (stopped in to see a friend) and snapped my chain somewhere on the Motorway. RAC came out and took me to a bike shop in Coventry, I bought a link and they watched me fix it (We like coming out to bikers as you all know what you’re doing!). Finally got to Donnington village, got off and was hailed with a “What the effin’ hell are you doing here?” Only a mate from Devon cradling a jug of cider 🙂
Loved Slade, AC/DC, Whitesnake and BOC, can’t remember too much else other than sleeping in a field beside the bike somewhere (probably due to the cider!).
It was the only time I ever went, but “Don’t Fear the Reaper” always brings it rushing back 🙂 Been up for the bike racing many times since though!
Kevin.
Posted by vintagerock on August 20, 2024 at 5:06 pm
Happy racing Kevin. Happy days Peter
Posted by Richard Hillier on December 19, 2024 at 7:52 pm
how funny reading all these posts at 59 i think most of us there were still at school , older friend i did nt know that well drove up from Eastbourne as i recall he asked me the night before in the local pub dont think mum knew . and i dont remember it raining only raining bottles . 3 of us went up and 2 came back lost 1 guy he could nt find the car we were sleeping in . that sense of direction even recked has got me through raves , glasto and on
Posted by vintagerock on December 20, 2024 at 4:05 pm
Hi Richard happy crazy times. Lots of fun and great memories. Happy days Peter
Posted by Mike on February 8, 2025 at 6:48 pm
I’ve just been reminded about 81 and difficulties getting there because of the Miners strike and the police stopping every van within 30 miles being stopped on the excuse of flying pickets disrupting things but a great gig apart from early sound issues but have a great memory of Angus running all over both on and off stage during Rosie.
Posted by vintagerock on February 9, 2025 at 12:28 pm
Yes Angus is always great fun. Happy days Peter
Posted by Patrick O'Connor on October 22, 2025 at 11:25 am
Yeah, I remember when AC/DC took the stage and the rain stopped. However, as for the low quality of sound. Most people just took it in stride. There was nothing protecting the amps and wiring from the rain. I was back which seemed like 100 meters or so from the stage, so I wasn’t expecting quality anyways.