The coronavirus pandemic has made live concerts and festivals non-existent. Stadiums sit empty, venues are dark, artists are holed up at home and fans are adjusting to life without consistent doses of live music.
In an effort to support the World Health Organization (WHO), Warner Music Group has pooled several of their artists and songwriters to participate in the inaugural PlayOn Fest, a virtual music festival supporting the COVID-19 Solidarity Response Fund for the WHO, powered by the UN Foundation.
As noted in the press release, the PlayOn Fest — hosted by LL Cool J — provides music lovers a one-time opportunity to “relive epic performances” from a roster of WMG artists, including A Boogie Wit Da Hoodie, Anderson .Paak, Cardi B, Gucci Mane, .idk, Janelle Monáe, Kevin Gates, Macklemore and Wiz Khalifa, among others.
It also features a look-back at the late Nipsey Hussle’s Victory Lap album release show.
The three-day event kicks off on Friday (April 24) at 12 p.m. EST and will stream live for 72 hours straight exclusively Songkick’s YouTube channel here. Warner Music Group has also launched a pre-sale of exclusive PlayOn Fest merch here, with all proceeds going to the COVID-19 Solidarity Response Fund for WHO.
In addition, fans will be encouraged to click-to-donate throughout the three-day-event. Donations will support WHO’s work to track and understand the spread of the virus; to ensure patients get the care they need and frontline workers get essential supplies and information; and to accelerate development of a vaccine and treatments for all who need them.
Music fans across the world will have access to legendary never-before-released on YouTube performances, including sets from artists such as:Â
- Nipsey Hussle (the incredible Victory Lap album release show from the Hollywood Palladium).
- Coldplay (taken from the band’s São Paulo, Brazil show during their A Head Full Of Dreams Tour in 2017, which became the third biggest tour of all time).
- Bruno Mars (24K Magic Live at the Apollo – Mars’ first primetime special that was recorded from the stage of the legendary Harlem theater in 2017).
- Panic! At The Disco (shot during their sold-out arena tour at the famed O2 Arena in London in 2019).
- Ed Sheeran (taking his stadium show to the intimate Austin City Limits stage for a special performance on the iconic PBS series in 2017).
- KORN (a groundbreaking performance filmed inside of a living art installation celebrating the release of their 2019 album The Nothing).
Additional incredible performances to be featured during PlayOn Fest include:
- Anitta’s spellbinding 2019 Rock In Rio Festival set at Parque OlĂmpico in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
- Cardi B’s explosive 2018 Global Citizen show from New York’s Central Park.
- David Guetta’s crossover Tomorrowland 2017 set featuring the hits “Without You,” “Titanium,” “Hey Mama” and more.
- Janelle Monáe’s enthralling 2019 Coachella mainstage performance.
- Andra Day’s 2017 Global Citizen Festival set, where she performed a beautiful rendition of Billie Holiday’s “Strange Fruit.”
- Pablo Alborán’s massive Seville 2018 stadium performance on the “I Promise” tour.
- Twenty One Pilots’ closing headline set at Lollapalooza Brazil in 2019, where they performed to almost 100,000 people.
- The Flaming Lips from Australia’s iconic Sydney Opera House in 2019, where they celebrated the 20th anniversary of their monumental album, The Soft Bulletin.
- Green Day’s set from MTV’s World Stage Seville during the 2019 EMAs.
- Lil Uzi Vert’s 2018 Lollapalooza debut.
- Gary Clark Jr.’s latest headline appearance on Austin City Limits, celebrating his Grammy-winning album This Land.
- Paramore’s long-awaited Bonnaroo debut performance.
- Portugal. The Man’s 2018 Coachella set that helped keep rock alive at that year’s festival, which had no rock headliners for the first time.
- Weezer’s 2019 nostalgia-filled third Coachella performance.
- Wiz Khalifa’s 2019 Coachella set, marking his third appearance at the fest.