STARS SHINE — FROM HOME
Glastonbury organizers. “But even if it has, we are no longer able to spend the next three months with thousands of crew here on the farm, helping us with the enormous job of building the infrastructure and attractions needed to welcome more than 200,000 people to a temporary city in these fields.”
Glastonbury (above) had planned to celebrate its 50th anniversary with this year’s festival. Organizers called the cancellation “our only viable option.”
Bonnaroo, meanwhile, said its postponement was made “out of an abundance of caution” and for health and safety reasons. It’s unclear if the originally booked headliners — Lizzo, Tool, Grand Ole Opry and Tale Impala — will perform during the rescheduled weekend for the festival in Manchester, Tenn.
The show must go on (Instagram).
On Monday, Coldplay frontman Chris Martin announced on his social media accounts that he would perform some of his biggest hits in a free concert to anyone with access to the internet.
“Hello everyone. I hope you and your family are safe and healthy. If anyone feels like chatting and listening to some music, I’m going to do a livestream on the Coldplay Instagram,” he tweeted, with the hashtag #TogetherAtHome.
“I’m on my own, sort of, in the house where I live,” the Viva la Vida singer told his fans at the beginning of his social media-ready concert.
“I was supposed to be with the band Coldplay today from which I come but they are stuck in different countries, so we can’t play together. So I thought what would be nice would be to check in with some of you out there and see where you are and what I can do for you … so I’m here at your service for the next 20-some minutes.”
Besides teasing a new song, “which I’m not supposed to talk about, so I won’t,” Martin played some of Coldplay’s most beloved songs, such as “Trouble” and “Yellow.”
The kindness was, well, contagious.
Shortly after Martin’s impromptu Instagreatness moment, Grammy-winner John Legend decided to join in the fun, announcing that he, too, would be sharing his joy in a free concert of his own.
“My friend Chris Martin did a lovely little concert from home today. I’ll be doing one tomorrow at 1 p.m.
Pacific time. See you soon. We’ll try to get through this together!,’” he wrote, adding the same hashtag, #TogetherAtHome.
Another artist who wanted to do her part in spreading some Instagram joy was Katherine McPhee Foster.
On Monday she took to the platform to perform timeless classics by Nat King Cole and Leonard Cohen, in a duet with her husband, music producer David Foster.
And the power couple wants to make the concert a daily event, “cuz what else is there to do?,” the American Idol alumna wrote.
“Hi guys — just me here wearing the same sweater for 3 days. me & the hus @davidfoster had so much fun at the piano today going live. we wanna try and do it everyday at 5:30 PT cuz what else is there to do?”