World record bid for 800 drummers fails - but the beat goes on

Aug 29 2007 by Caroline Innes, Liverpool Daily Post

LIVERPOOL’S 800th birthday celebrations fell short of breaking a world record attempt to gather 800 drummers together for a live performance last night.

The musicians gathered at St George's Plateaux at 6.30 for last-minute practice in preparation for the 8pm start.

Musician Andy Stevenson, known as Stev, arranged the project through his organisation, Mutual Arising, based in Aigburth which aims to bring communities together through such activities. But although the world record attempt had been in preparation for some months, organisers said the number of drummers needed fell short by a “couple of hundred”.

The group had been practising through workshops for weeks to gather people together for the attempt.

Professional drummers stood side by side with members of the public who could use any equipment they liked to bang out the beat.

People from all over the world took part, including children from Cameroon and Ethiopia who were visiting Liverpool through a project launched by the African Families Foundation.

Mr Stevenson, who has spent 20 years working in the music industry, said: “This all about inclusion and we wanted to get as many people involved as possible.

“We have not broken the record but the main thing is that everybody had a good time and it sounded amazing.”