How The Coronavirus Is Impacting The Performing Arts Across The Country

Distract yourself with new music and Coldplay's joyous Tiny Desk concert.

by Marissa Lorusso and Lyndsey McKenna Andrew H. Walker/Getty Images for IMG Last week, we reported on the cancellation of SXSW. This week, across the United States, it felt like we reached a tipping point: The spread of the coronavirus continues to prompt the closing of performing arts venues and cultural institutions, with effects for performers and attendees that are as of this point impossible to measure.  Earlier this week, Goldenvoice, the company behind Coachella and Stagecoach music festivals, announced both events would be moved to October. In New York, governor Andrew Cuomo banned all gatherings of more than 500 people — which shut down performances on Broadway. Carnegie Hall, the Metropolitan Opera and Lincoln Center all shut their doors, too; across the country, the Los Angeles Philharmonic, the San Francisco Symphony and the Philadelphia Orchestra have all canceled performances.  Live music, which is so often a solace in difficult times, is particularly vulnerable. Gatherings of more than 250 people are now prohibited in Seattle, resulting in the cancelation of many concerts and performances there. And we’ve seen a number of artists postpoinging events all across the country, from high-profile stadium tours to D.I.Y. shows.  The ramifications are widespread, and will likely be felt for quite some time to come. As Lars Gotrich said, now’s a good time to support the artists and venues you love.   Wash your hands, Marissa Lorusso and Lyndsey McKenna Newsletter continues after sponsor message Featuring When people hear about the gig economy, they're often thinking of Uber drivers or Instacart shoppers. But for freelance musicians, a patchwork of gigs pays the bills — and as organizations close their doors, COVID-19 cancellations are taking their toll on independent artists, who often don't know where their next paycheck will come from. Independent investigators for LA Opera say that they have substantiated 10 alleged incidents of misconduct made against Plácido Domingo, the organization’s former general director, that stretched over 33 years, from 1986, the year of LA Opera's founding, to just last year. Having a song in a TV show, advertisement or movie can be a huge boost for an emerging artist’s career — which means that music supervisors, who get to decide which songs play at key moments in visual media, have become power players in the music business. New Music On this week’s episode of All Songs Considered’s New Music Friday: a colorful burst of joy from Big Freedia, a momentous new jazz project from Shabaka & The Ancestors, explosive guitar rock from Dogleg and more. Bad Bunny's new album, YHLQMDLG — Yo Hago Lo Que Me Da La Gana or "I Do Whatever I Want" — has had unprecedented U.S. chart success for an all Spanish-language record. The album “has an authenticity and an innovation that fans of reggaeton are craving these days,” says NPR Music contributor Stefanie Fernández. “In a lot of ways it's looking towards the past, but it's also looking towards the future." Fans of Jay Electronica have been waiting over a decade for the crate-digger-sampling, hard-hitting rapper and producer’s debut record. Now, it’s finally here — featuring guest spots from Travis Scott, The-Dream, James Blake and Khruangbin, plus contributions from Jay-Z on nearly every track. Margo Price has always exhibited a general disregard for the rules. On “Twinkle Twinkle,” Price swerves from Americana-country into scuzz rock terrain, with an assist from her producer, Sturgill Simpson. It’s the latest preview from her upcoming album That's How Rumors Get Started, out May 8.  Tiny Desk Emily Bogle/NPR Coldplay may have scaled down its own ranks for the group’s Tiny Desk performance — no drums, no bass — but Chris Martin and Jonny Buckland didn’t show up alone: Joined by the For Love Choir, who performs on Coldplay’s most recent release, Everyday Life, the duo offered sunny takes on newer tracks, plus a gospel-infused rendition of "Viva La Vida” and a cover Prince's "1999." Incoming We hope you “adore” Monday’s Tiny Desk concert with a preeminent Packers fan as much as we did.  Calming Diversions This week, we’re starting a new series in the newsletter to share some recommendations that have been helping to lower our team’s collective blood pressure during stressful times. (We’ve also put together a playlist of music our team finds especially comforting.) First up: critic and correspondent Ann Powers on the calming influence of listening to a reading of Ann Beattie's classic short story, "Where You'll Find Me." I've always turned to fiction when I need haven in the imagination, and the New Yorker Fiction podcast, featuring writers reading and discussing others' short stories, is one safe zone I value. The most recent episode has Greg Jackson reading an Ann Beattie classic that features music as a form of mise-en-scene, revealing the characters' moods. At one point, the narrator's brother flips "Bach on the stereo:" the violinist Gidon Kremer playing concertos. I found the recording Beattie was probably referencing, released in 1986, two years before "Where You'll Find Me" was published. It proved the perfect complement to Jackson reading Beattie's elegant, wistful tale of middle-class dreams and self-delusion." One More Thing 🎵 I'M OFF THE DEEP END, WATCH AS I DIVE IN / THIS BUG IS NAMED GAGA 🎵 What do you think of today's email? 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