Flaming Lips Break Jay-Z’s Record for Most Live Shows in 24 Hours

The psychedelic rockers hit eight U.S. cities in a single day as part of the third annual O Music Awards

  • Share
  • Read Later
Skip Bolen / Getty Images

Wayne Coyne and the Flaming Lips perform at the O Music Awards on June 28, 2012, at the House of Blues in New Orleans

Sorry, Jay-Z, but you no longer hold the Guinness World Record for most concerts performed in 24 hours. The honor now belongs to the Flaming Lips, who hit eight cities in one day as part of the third annual O Music Awards this week. The psychedelic rockers started in Memphis and journeyed through the Mississippi Delta region, playing short sets for their fans along the way. Guinness officials tagged along and verified that the band broke Jay-Z’s previous record of seven shows in seven cities, Rolling Stone reported.

(MORE: The Un-Retirement of Jay-Z)

Several guest artists joined the Lips along the way, including Grace Potter, Jackson Browne and Neon Indian’s Alan Palomo, all of whom hitchhiked on the Lips’ tour bus — named Endeavor — between cities. For fans who didn’t hit the road to follow behind, the entire trip was live-streamed online. Upon arriving in New Orleans for the final show of the trip, front man Wayne Coyne told reporters the accomplishment was an “absurd joy.”

Jay-Z had set the previous record in 2006, when he traveled from Atlanta to Las Vegas, performing seven shows in major urban centers along the way, to promote the release of his album Kingdom Come. Hova, however, completed his whirlwind tour by way of a private plane; the Lips traveled solely by bus.

MORE: How Hard Is It to Listen to the Flaming Lips’ Gummy Skull?