Rock fan smashes Guinness World Record after attending 86 concerts in a year
"I didn't do it for fame or recognition," Joshua Beck says
Last updated 18th May 2023
An American rock music fan has obliterated the Guinness World Record for the most music concerts attended in one year.
Joshua Beck from Monroe Township, New Jersey has officially entered the record books after he attended, what Guinness World Records calls, a ‘mind-blowing’ 86 gigs in 2022.
Beck says he had been to 30 concerts by the start of August 2022, however when he saw on the Guinness World Records’ website that the current record was 65 shows in a calendar year, he felt compelled to smash this benchmark.
The rock aficionado duly attended 56 gigs in the final five months of the year to take his total tally to 86. This roughly equates to one concert every 4.2 days, or just over seven concerts a month.
“I didn’t do it for fame or recognition, but just to prove to myself that I could accomplish this goal and to have fun while doing it,” Beck told Guinness World Records.
Rock and metal gigs he attended included Tool and Dying Wish, however Rammstein were his favourite live act of the year.
“While I saw some fantastic shows, Rammstein is probably the show that stood out the most to me. Rammstein had a piano duet, Duo Abélard, open for them,” Beck said.
“As unusual as that was to have pianists open for a famously gothic metal band including industrial noise, grinding guitars, and operatic vocals, they set the tone for the night playing recognizable Rammstein covers.”
Beck reckons he spent about $5,000 (£3,964.90) on concert tickets in 2022, and an additional $1,500 (£1,189.47) in food and expenses.
Not content with one world record, Joshua Beck is now aiming to achieve a new one - the most concerts of the same artist attended in one year.
Unsurprisingly, many people on social media have mocked Joshua Brooks’ Guinness World Record saying they have easily attended more concerts in a year.
“I went to 112 last year, many of which were Festivals and weekenders that include 2-4 days of music,” wrote regular Planet Rock commenter Chris Stewart on Facebook.
“So far this year I've been to 42 and to be honest I've had to say no to plenty because of the cost of living and various other factors.”
Another more disgruntled Facebook user wrote: “This is laughable! 86 shows? So many people that I know do plenty more than this year after year. The interview here cracks me up. Like the dude has no clue that this is nothing special. Hahahaha!”
An equally befuddled music fan said: “What, exactly, is the qualification for "concert" here? I mean, I know I personally attended over 200 live music events in 2019, for example, and that's not even the most amongst my friends and acquaintances.”
Guinness World Records has responded by saying you can apply to break a world record on their website here.
Rammstein's astonishing pyrotechnics through the years:
Rammstein's pyro through the years
Rammstein's frontman and resident pyromaniac, Till Lindemann, wore a flaming silver coat at the band's early shows. Here he is on stage in Berlin in 1996.
Rammstein's pyro through the years
Even when they played smaller stages, this did little to quell Rammstein's insatiable appetite for fire. Here's a shirtless Till Lindemann swinging two Catherine wheel-like fireworks at the Palace in Los Angeles in 1998.
Rammstein's pyro through the years
Rammstein's trademark flamethrowers have also been a mainstay of their live shows for decades. Here's Till Lindemann at Australia's Big Day Out Festival in 2001.
Rammstein's pyro through the years
Another photo of Till Lindemann in his ablaze silver coat in 2001.
Rammstein's pyro through the years
Creating a truly futuristic look, Till also wore Terminator-esque glasses that emitted red laser beams.
Rammstein's pyro through the years
Huge blasts of pyro erupt on stage at Rammstein's San Jose Compaq Center in September 2001 on the Pledge of Allegiance tour.
Rammstein's pyro through the years
Years before anyone had heard of Daenerys Targaryen, Till shouts "Dracarys" on stage in 2001.
Rammstein's pyro through the years
Although Till Lindemann is undoubtedly the biggest pyromaniac, Rammstein's pyro isn't just limited to the frontman – here's Richard Z. Kruspe shooting flames from his guitar in the early noughties.
Rammstein's pyro through the years
Rammstein's Till Lindemann shoots flames from his hands at Pinkpop festival in The Netherlands in May 2002.
Rammstein's pyro through the years
Dressed as his deranged murderous butcher alter ego, Till Lindemann blasts his flamethrower on stage in Rotterdam in 2004.
Rammstein's pyro through the years
Rammstein's Till Lindemann surrounded by pyrotechnics at the Gelredome in Holland in December 2009.
Rammstein's pyro through the years
Rammstein's Till Lindemann shows off his glowing smile on stage in 2009.
Rammstein's pyro through the years
Rammstein shoot flames from their pyro masks in unison at Copenhagen Live 2010. Astonishing.
Rammstein's pyro through the years
Till Lindemann stands, quite literally, amongst a wall of pyro at Australia's Big Day Out Festival in 2011.
Rammstein's pyro through the years
An amazing image of Till Lindemann and Richard Z. Kruspe blasting flames at Bravalla Festival 2013 in Norrkoping, Sweden.
Rammstein's pyro through the years
Rammstein are flanked by an arsenal of pyro at Wacken Open Air Festival in 2013.
Rammstein's pyro through the years
Rammstein's Till Lindemann shoots flames from his angel wings at Download Festival Paris 2016.
Rammstein's pyro through the years
Rammstein's Richard Z. Kruspe at Download Festival Paris 2016.
Rammstein's pyro through the years
Rammstein's muted and highly understated stage setup on the 2019 European Stadium Tour.
Rammstein's pyro through the years
Rammstein drummer Christoph Schneider's view from behind his kit.
Rammstein's pyro through the years
For the 2019 European stadium tour, Till Lindemann unveiled a newly revamped pyro backpack that shoots out nine gigantic flames.
Rammstein's pyro through the years
Till Lindemann fires his flamethrower at Flake during the band's 2022 stadium tour. The tour, which was delayed for two years due to the pandemic, featured the same mind-blowing set up as 2019.
Rammstein's pyro through the years
Till Lindeman's pyro backpack in action in Aarhus, Denmark in June 2022.
Rammstein's pyro through the years
The incredible stage in Denmark during Rammstein's summer 2022 stadium tour.