Ben Gibbard announced that he will livestream performances from his home studio every day for the next few weeks in the wake of the coronavirus. Beginning Tuesday, Ben Gibbard: Live From Home will go live at 4 p.m. PST via YouTube and Facebook.
“I know you are all freaked out right now,” the Death Cab for Cutie frontman wrote in a letter. “I am, too. And while I’m proud that we’re all doing the necessary things at the moment to help flatten the curve, I know it has left us incredibly isolated.”
“Be it with DCFC, Postal Service, or solo I have always been grateful for the honor you have bestowed upon us by choosing to congregate en masse around our music,” he continued. “Some of you have traveled great distances and/or shelled out large sums of money to see us play and that has never been lost on me. So in this crazy unprecedented time, I’d like to return my favor by coming to you.”
Gibbard will take requests from fans and possibly feature a few guests digitally. “It will assuredly be a little wonky and glitchy but we’re gonna do our best,” he said.
In addition to Gibbard, many artists have turned to livestreaming as the pandemic continues to spread across the country. Neil Young, who joined Jim James in a digital rally for Bernie Sanders on Monday night, will also perform from home in a Fireside Sessions performance series. Many artists’ performances are taking place on Instagram’s live feature, including Keith Urban and Coldplay’s Chris Martin, the latter as part of a new series titled Together, at Home.