In less than 24 hours, AllSorts Music Festival will embark on an ambitious 100-hour non-stop DJ marathon, all in the name of charity. If successful, they will break the current world record, but more importantly, they will do so while raising funds for the Zero Gravity Fund.
Kicking off at 11am tomorrow, 9 April, and running all the way through to 3pm on 13 April, the marathon effort will involve over 50 DJs, including some huge names from the UK and beyond. The event will be streamed live from Mile End, East London, and will be available via the AllSorts DJ Marathon website, which will also allow viewers to donate to the GoFundMe page.
For every big name DJ, or mind-blowing set, there is a serious cause underpinning it all: social mobility. All charitable proceeds will be donated to the Zero Gravity Fund, the UK’s largest scholarship initiative, focussing on high-potential students from low-opportunity areas, and helping them to achieve their aspirations. Since launching in 2020, the fund has raised over £1.8 million, directly funded more than 560 students, and assisted thousands more. Zero Gravity doesn’t stop there, assisting students moving into life-changing careers too.
“We believe that every young person, regardless of their background, deserves the opportunity to succeed,” says Nick Byrne, co-founder at AllSorts of Tunes. “The AllSorts World Record DJ Marathon is our way of contributing to a more equitable future, where education empowers all.”
Zero Gravity identifies the top 15% of talented young people from the bottom 40% of socially disadvantaged areas, and provides them with mentoring, masterclasses, careers support, and potential employer connections. This approach ensures that these students have all the help they need, rather than just offering financial aid. According to their website, Zero Gravity has supported a quarter of all current Oxbridge students from disadvantaged backgrounds.
The latest report from the Social Mobility Index showed a slip in students from disadvantaged backgrounds progressing to university, despite schemes such as the Zero Gravity Fund, the Stormzy Scholarship, and the John Lennon Memorial Scholarship, making this event all the more important.
The current world record for longest marathon DJ live stream is held by Mark Ursa, who set the record in Brazil while locked down during the COVID-19 pandemic, June 2020. That record stands at 51 hours, and AllSorts’ attempt will take it to another level. Not just doubling the current record, the attempt will feature a stellar lineup, captured by four different cameras. A 4K camera will capture the front view, a deck-mounted fish eye lens will take viewers close to the action, a birds eye camera will capture the scene from above, and there will be a side-view camera too.
“We’re so excited to partner with AllSorts of Tunes on their World Record DJ Marathon to raise funds for Zero Gravity Scholarships,” says Shiv Patel, Head of Scholarships at Zero Gravity. “Music has always brought people together and driven change—and this collaboration is no different.”
Among the confirmed acts are Prospa, Tommy Villiers, Michelle Manetti, Kyah Fyah, Scruz, XDBR, Jive Talk, Dutty Moonshine, Cable!, Kenny Blacksmith, and many more. Just this morning, as the timer ticked down to less than 24 hours, another act was confirmed, with edbl now joining the star-studded lineup.
The event has four main sponsors, all of which have presumably supported the event in four key areas. N-EKTA is supplying alcohol-free drinks to keep the DJs going, while RJCC Events, an event production company, has helped with the lighting, visuals, and sound for the mini-festival. They are also sponsored by 5 Minutes to Delhi, a ready-meal company, and ISHO Creative, who specialise in digital marketing.
The AllSorts DJ Marathon is set to be a one-of-a-kind event, all in the name of pushing back against social inequality. With a stacked lineup, the event is akin to a festival, all accessible from the comfort of your own home. The event will be able to streamed here. The link to donate to the GoFundMe page can be found here.
