Sydney Band Plays 9 Shows in 12 Hours for World Record

Two musicians just turned a grueling road trip into a world record attempt and a powerful message about mental health in the music industry.

Dream pop duo Fathom spent Saturday racing across NSW and into Canberra, playing nine 15-minute shows in 12 hours. Vocalist Cate Guirguis and keyboardist Jaxon Italiano hit venues from Singleton to Newcastle, Gosford, Sydney, Penrith, Lithgow, Bathurst, Goulburn, and finally Canberra.

The Guinness World Record requires each venue to be at least 50 kilometers apart in areas with populations over 15,000. Half the locations needed populations over 100,000, making this more than just a musical marathon.

The day nearly fell apart three times. Sydney traffic on the M4 slowed them down as expected, but the real drama came at their scheduled helicopter pickup in Penrith.

"We got there early and there was no helicopter there," Guirguis said. The chopper was busy fighting bushfires in the Blue Mountains, delaying them 30 minutes.

Then their chartered plane between Bathurst and Goulburn developed propeller trouble mid-takeoff. The pilot quickly upgraded them to a jet, but the delay put them an hour behind schedule.

A miraculous string of green lights into Canberra saved their attempt. They jumped on stage and finished their final set with exactly 15 seconds remaining.

"When we had this whole idea, we had 10 in mind, but in hindsight I'm so glad we just stuck to nine," Italiano said.

The Ripple Effect

The band used their record attempt to raise money for Beyond Blue, gathering at least $2,200 for mental health support. They split ticket sales between the charity and local support bands, making zero profit themselves.

Their motivation runs deeper than breaking records. Musicians are five times more likely to experience depression and anxiety, especially after the pandemic devastated the live music scene.

"Ever since COVID the music industry definitely took a big hit," Italiano said. "We found out that musicians are five times more likely to experience depression and anxiety just from the amount of stress that goes into finding work."

Italiano knows the Guinness verification process well. He previously broke the record for most pull-ups in 24 hours in 2022. The duo will now compile video evidence, witness statements, and ticket data over the coming months.

They released a song called "Record Breakers" on Saturday to mark the occasion. Now they're resting and waiting to hear if they officially made history while helping fellow musicians along the way.