Glastonbury 2024: Michael J. Fox thanks Coldplay for “mind-blowing” experience
Retired Back to the Future actor Michael J. Fox has addressed joining Coldplay on the Pyramid Stage during their headline show at Glastonbury Festival.
During their fourth headline show at Glastonbury – which qualifies them as the act with the most appearances in this category – Coldplay trounced fellow headliner Dua Lipa bringing out Kevin Parker on June 29th, with a list of guests including Victoria Canal and Laura Mvula. However, the most significant of this all-star supporting cast was when they brought out Michael J. Fox for ‘Humankind’ from 2021’s Music of the Spheres.
A tearjerking moment that saw the Hollywood icon, who has been battling Parkinson’s since diagnosis in 1991, toting a red Stratocaster in a wheelchair, it prompted an emotional response from the gigantic crowd. This was the cherry on top of an extensive set that reflected Coldplay’s status as one of the world’s most successful bands, with other sites at the festival struggling for numbers during their two-hour long performance.
In an Instagram post from June 30th, the 63-year-old Fox reflected on joining the ‘Yellow’ band on stage towards the latter stages of their set, calling it “fucking mind-blowing”. Captioning a collection of five photographs from the day, Fox wrote: “My team : Lauren, John and Jeff and Steve. Glastonbury all the love and thanks to the coldplay team who took such great care of us.”
He continued: “And many thanks to Chris, Will, Johnny, Guy and Phil. Oh yeah in case you were wondering…it was f*cking mind blowing. There is a time for every band and a band for every time. This is coldplay’s time. More pics to come.”
Notably, after Coldplay took to a small stage in the middle of the crowd during the latter part of their set, frontman Chris Martin improvised an extended version of ‘The Jumbotron Song’, which saw him toast Glastonbury co-creator Michael Eavis. After paying tribue to the bearded tastemaker, who was projected on screen, Martin said: “Hold on, wait a minute, zoom in, zoom in, c’mon, who’s that… wait, wait what? Can we have some more light please, on Michael, hold on.”
“Well, here’s another legendary Michael, one who just totally rocks, with his Chuck Berry riff and the way he punched Biff, ladies and gentlemen, please welcome Michael J. Fox,” the Coldplay leader sang, referencing events in the Back to the Future series, before Coldplay burst into an emotional ‘Humankind’.
Fox looked overjoyed to be there. They then played the ballad ‘Fix You’, and after, Martin concluded, “Thank you to our hero forever,” to Fox.
See Fox’s Instagram post below.
Never Miss A Beat
The Far Out Music Newsletter
All the latest music news from the independent voice of culture.
Straight to your inbox.