A Vancouver-area musician named is on a mission to set a record for longest continuous guitar playing.
He鈥檒l attempt the 116-hour marathon session at Richmond鈥檚 River Rock Casino Resort early next month, in a bid to raise $10,000 for the Canadian Cancer Society.
If things go according to plan, Spirit will play guitar staring at 10 a.m. on Monday, May 7 and won鈥檛 stop picking until 11 p.m. Saturday, May 12. Guinness-mandated rules allow for a five-minute break every hour, and Spirit can bank that time.
鈥淭here鈥檚 no 鈥榠f鈥� here, it鈥檚 happening,鈥� Spirit says in . 鈥淚鈥檝e already completed it in my mind.鈥�
to watch the video.
According to Guinness, is 114 hours, six minutes and 30 seconds, a feat achieved by Irish musician David Browne at a Dublin bar in 2011.
After seeing video of Browne in action, Spirit set out to break the record, with a charitable twist.
Both of his parents died from cancer-related illnesses, said the former Surrey resident, who now lives in Delta.
鈥淎fter witnessing (that) and being part of that personally, it hit me, because it (cancer) could lie in my genes,鈥� Spirit says in the casino鈥檚 promo video.
鈥� READ MORE: , from 2016.
For every day Spirit plays guitar during his marathon, Great Canadian Casinos will donate $1,000 to the cause.
The record attempt will include some challenges for Spirit, including washroom breaks and sleep deprivation.
鈥淚鈥檒l always think of myself as a fortunate person,鈥� he writes on a 鈥淪pirit And The Challenge鈥� page on the cancer society鈥檚 website. 鈥淲hy? Because I have the opportunity to live my passion by performing music for a living and share this gift with others. As an 鈥楢coustic Live Looping Artist,鈥� I am excited about performing and growing as an artist, but also feel I should give back to society and to my community on many levels as I become more successful. This event will definitely be on a new level for me!鈥�
When performing, Spirit is a one-man band armed with a modified acoustic guitar, vocal mics and an array of foot pedals. His live-looping method involves music created on the spot.
鈥淓verything you hear is live,鈥� Spirit emphasized in . 鈥淎t first, people usually think, 鈥極K, it鈥檚 a guy playing guitar,鈥� and sometimes they鈥檒l hear other things and wonder if they鈥檙e pre-recorded. Well, no they鈥檙e not. I build the songs in front of them, and some people get that and others don鈥檛 realize what鈥檚 happening, that I鈥檓 adding layers. There鈥檚 a lot going on, and I think it鈥檚 pretty unique.鈥�
tom.zillich@surreynowleader.com
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