A world record in Frankfurt: during the concert on Saturday 24 May, THE GRAND JAM and Eintracht Frankfurt Stadion GmbH brought together 1,231 musicians at Deutsche Bank Park to set the world record for the “largest live-playing rock band”. With almost 20,000 spectators in attendance, the record was verified, confirmed and officially certified on site by the Record Institute for Germany (RID).
The musicians came from all over the world and spanned every age and level of musical experience. Alongside 600 singers, more than 150 drum kits, around 200 guitars, 80 bassists and countless keyboards, trumpets, trombones, saxophones, violins, violas and cellos made up the largest live-playing rock band in the world.
The musicians were supported for months on the road to the performance of their lives. In preparation for THE GRAND JAM, learning videos and backing tracks were produced for every song and every instrument — around 250 tutorial videos and 600 play-along tracks in total.
The pitch inside Deutsche Bank Park served as the stage for the jammers. Eight trucks delivered some 40 tonnes of material for the production. It took 500 stage risers, 800 microphones and equipment for 350 spotlights, 20 cameras, a live drone and a 360-degree camera. Around 200,000 watts of speaker power delivered the sound, and the musicians wore wireless headphones throughout the performance.
This year’s THE GRAND JAM was dedicated to the “100 Years of Waldstadion” anniversary. The set list followed the musical history of the stadium, taking in the Eintracht anthems as well as a colourful mix of songs from the first concert era at the Waldstadion through to the recent past.
After the orchestra world record in 2016 and the rock band world record in 2019, THE GRAND JAM has now earned us another entry in the RID record archive. These record-breaking musicians practised for many hours at home to be perfectly prepared for the big concert in the stadium. The world record is the reward and the recognition for their commitment and their passion for music. Congratulations and thank you to every single record holder!
Patrik Meyer, founder of THE GRAND JAM and head of the Frankfurt stadium
The emotional power coming from all these different musicians here is truly unique. I am thrilled, and I congratulate everyone on their official world record!
Olaf Kuchenbecker, record judge at the Record Institute for Germany (RID)