Morning:
6°c
A band on the run
Anna Davis, Evening Standard6 Mar 2007
A London band has performed a record-breaking number of gigs in a day.
Buck Brothers raced between 28 venues in the capital to break the record for most performances in 12 hours.
The three-piece punk band from Hackney, a favourite of Harry Potter actor Daniel Radcliffe, smashed the current record of 26 gigs, held by German band Kansas City.
Fans and volunteer roadies helped carry and set up equipment around London from 11am until 11pm.
Starting and finishing in Leicester Square, the band played at venues including The Enterprise in Chalk Farm and the Hope and Anchor in Highbury, finishing with a full-length set in the Sound Republic.
Singer Andy Duke, 28, said: "Being able to spend the whole day playing music with fans following us around London - I couldn't ask for a more fun day!"
London is one of the few places where attempting to beat the world record is possible because of the close proximity of so many venues.
Producer Phil Warren said there had been a few hitches.
He said: "We were hoping to play even more gigs than the 28 but one of the venues pulled out at the last minute.
"A plug on an amp broke and the brakes on one of the vans we were using to dash between venues broke, so we had to all squeeze into one van with all our equipment. Also one of our helpers got food poisoning and had to go home after the 14th gig. But we managed it. There were lots of people supporting us and it has been a really good laugh as well."
Richard Varilone, a 29-year-old website designer from Holloway, said: "I took the day off to support the band. There was a really good atmosphere with everyone in the bars wishing the band good luck".
Duke met fellow band members Pete Sellers, 28 and Horatio Agar, 20, at a Buddhist disco in Stoke Newington. They named themselves after their favourite movie - Uncle Buck - and released their first EP 'The World According to Buck' in America in October-2005. Actor Radcliffe, 17, has said he is "addicted" to the CD" on his personal website, and Radio One DJ Fearne Cotton, 25, has tipped the band as "one to look out for in 2007."
They undertook the record mark the release of their album Me.
www.buckbrothers.net
Reader views (1)
I was one of those travelling Bucksters, and I must just say, a manic day was had by all. As with most things musical, all that could go wrong did. The venues were fantastically supportive though, and the crowd at the Queenshead, Metro on Holloway Road, and Hand & Racquet in Whitcomb Street where the record was officially broken seemed to get really into the vibe of things. This show was a fabulous example of teamwork and good feelings being able to win over all adversity! It is three days later and I am still listening to their track 'Girls, Skirts, Boots, Bikes' on my ipod and still loving the entire album, Me.
Well done to the boys and good luck for their Canadian tour.
I for one can't wait to have them back in the country for the next live show...
- Jennifer, London, 08/03/2007 16:34
Report abuse
