Question: how many guitarists does it take to perform the song “Hey Joe” with jaw-dropping panache? Answer: one… if his name is Jimi Hendrix. But if you want to play “Hey Joe” and break a world record, you’ll need more than 7,000 guitar players… 7,273 to be exact.
That’s what happened yesterday in Poland when a string-bearing mass simultaneously lit into the classic song. Yowza- like Wayne's World gone berserk! Check out the video below.
Some 7,273 guitar players joined together at the "Thanks Jimi Festival" to strum along with "Hey Joe," breaking the Guinness World Record for "Largest Guitar Ensemble" set at the 2009 edition of the annual event.
During that event, a comparatively measly 6,346 guitar players joined festival founder Leszek Cichonski and Deep Purple guitarist Steve Morse to crank out "Hey Joe,” easily besting the then-record set previously by 2,052 guitarists, according to Blabbermouth. Wow, Poles and guitars eh? Who knew?
This time around, the late rock legend's brother Leon Hendrix led the musicians, which was held on Wroclaw's Main Market Square. All participants were registered and given IDs, with organizers approving electric, acoustic, classical and bass guitars.
Presumably no points were deducted for those merely playing air-guitar... or playing poorly.
According to GuitarPlayer.com, Cichonski is a well-known musician and music educator in Poland and the festival was an outgrowth of one of his educational programs and has taken place and grown annually since 2003.
For the first video, advance to about the five-minute mark to really get a feel for the event (which is expectedly discordant but also curiously cool). The second video would appear to be the reaction to the news that the Guinness Record had been secured.
Mr. Hendrix is no doubt smiling down from on high.
Whoa buddy/buddette... don't leave without seeing these:
Very cool!
Posted by: OhObviously! | 05/04/2012 at 03:40 PM