The Sound of 1000 Accordions

August 18th, 2005

Filed under:
Music

The Sound of 1000 Accordions

How did I miss this? In early August, 989 accordion players assembled in St. John’s (where else?) to break a world record:

Dubbed the “Accordion Revolution,” the event–held in a downtown park as part of the St. John’s Folk Festival–drew participants from beyond Newfoundland and Labrador, including other provinces, the United States and the French territories of St-Pierre-Miquelon.

“If you like accordions, it sounded great. If you don’t like accordions it sounded horrible,” joked Fergus O’Byrne, a founding member of the band Ryan’s Fancy and a staple in the capital’s folk scene for more than three decades.

Wow, that’s an insightful assessment. Apparently they played a Maritime standard called Mussels in the Corner. Here’s a page dedicated to the Accordion Revolution. Sadly, there’s no video.

Comments: 6 Responses so far

Andrea
August 18th, 2005
4:42 pm

You’re not the Accordion Guy, are you?

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Alix
August 19th, 2005
12:17 am

See photo at http://www.cbc.ca/story/arts/national/2005/08/06/Arts/accordian-record-050806.html.

Note typo in their url!

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donna
August 19th, 2005
11:16 am

how did you miss this? I’m still trying to figure out how you didn’t!

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Dean
August 19th, 2005
12:51 pm

In Edinburgh, there will be massed pipe band event next week: http://www.pipefest.com/.

They expect more than 400 bands, and at the massed band event that will mean (assuming an average of only 5 pipers per band, very low) at least 2000 bagpipes, and more likely 4000.

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Anonymous
August 19th, 2005
1:59 pm

Kimberley, BC will be sad.

http://www.kiotac.ca/

This summer they aimed to make that record out on the Platzl…and maybe did? But with 644 players.

Now St. John’s has up and beat ‘em.

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