On Saturday, May 30th, over 70 artists and thousands of fans came together for Quarantine Comes Alive, a virtual music festival that raised money for a litany of charities via the comprehensive PLUS1 COVID-19 Relief Fund.
The 15-hour live-stream marathon featured virtual performances and never-before-seen footage by an array of artists from around the world including New Orleans favorites Galactic, who debuted a live video of “Walking On The Moon” from their “out of this world”-themed 2019 Halloween show at Tipitina‘s.
Dressed in festive spacesuits, the reggae vibe provided by the rhythm section lays the groundwork for Anjelika “Jelly” Joseph‘s breezy lead vocals as atmospheric saxophone and trumpet melodies carry the theme-appropriate tune into the cosmos. It comes as no surprise that the band seems right at home on the Tipitina’s stage in the video. Veteran Tipitina’s patrons and performers for decades, Galactic has performed on that stage every New Year’s Eve, Halloween, Jazz Fest, and Mardi Gras for the last 15 years. Back in 2018, Galactic also fulfilled a lifelong dream of owning the venue when they purchased Tipitina’s from the longtime owner, Roland Von Kurnatowski.
As drummer Stanton Moore told Live For Live Music about band’s participation at Quarantine Comes Alive, “We’ve missed playing live for everyone! I’ve personally been practicing a lot and working on my online teaching site…. I’ve been trying to stay as productive and positive as I can throughout all this. I’ve been learning some new music and new skills so we can be ready when it’s time to come back out and play for everyone. Thank you all for checking out this performance and thank you for your ongoing support!”
If you enjoyed the performance, Galactic asks that you make a donation to the NAACP, which seeks to secure the political, educational, social, and economic equality of rights in order to eliminate race-based discrimination and ensure the health and well-being of all persons. Watch Galactic’s archival release of “Walking on the Moon” from 10/31/19 as part of Quarantine Comes Alive below:
Galactic – “Walking On The Moon” [The Police cover] – Tipitina’s – 10/31/19
Presented by Live For Live Music in partnership with PLUS1 and Nugs.TV, Quarantine Comes Alive was conceived as a way to celebrate and support musicians, provide fans with unique musical experiences from the comfort of their couches, and raise money for comprehensive COVID-19 relief during this time of uncertainty. The $160k+ in donations raised from the event will be split evenly between the artists on the bill and the PLUS1 COVID-19 Relief Fund, which works directly with leading non-profit organizations like Sweet Relief, MusiCares, Center for Disaster Philanthropy, World Central Kitchen, Partners In Health, Trans Lifeline, and Backline to provide aid where it’s needed most. For more information, head here.