Free Concerts to Watch at Home During COVID-19 Distancing

Comments 3 by Rebecca Bollwitt Monday, March 16th, 2020 — 5:33pm PDT

Today Canada’s shut its borders (excluding non-citizens, non-permanent residents, and Americans) and the BC Provincial Health Office banned all gatherings over 50 people.

At a time like this, when we’re all shuttered in at home, entertainment and the arts can be a wonderful thing to share – virtually of course. Yesterday the Vancouver Symphony Orchestra performed Beethoven’s 6th to a theatre audience of zero, and an online audience of 26,000.

Free Concerts to Watch at Home During COVID-19 Distancing

If you’re looking for more free LIVE concerts to watch at home during COVID-19 distancing in Vancouver and beyond, here’s a quick list of artists playing Quarantunes:

Jann Arden did a free 45 minute concert on Facebook on March 16th »
Dan Mangan was supposed to play a concert last night in Toronto. Instead he recorded a little show (for no audience) that will be played tonight on YouTube starting at 6:00pm PT on March 16th. Watch his “Quarantunes” show here »
Social Distancing Festival opera, poetry, choirs, art, theatre and more! A daily lineup of free, streamed entertainment here »
Stay at Home Festival, a lineup of live-streamed concerts from a variety of musicians March 20-22nd.
Keith Urban played an Instagram show from his home on March 16th, watch it here »
Katharine McPhee & David Foster will go live with concerts from their home on Instagram every day at 5:30pm.
The Dropkick Murphys will stream a live show from Boston on St Patrick’s Day March 17th, watch here »
Melissa Ethridge is doing a full series of 15 minutes Facebook Live Sessions from March 17-31, watch here »
Indigo Girls will go live on Facebook on Thursday, March 19th at 3:00pm PT.
John Legend will stream a performance on March 17th, stay tuned to his Twitter account for details »
Ben Gibbard (of Death Cab for Cutie) live from home daily, starting March 17th at 4:00pm, watch on Facebook here »
Festival I Stay Home is happening March 17-22 online. Close to 100 musical acts will perform 30 minute sets in an Instagram live.
Dave Ricketts live from his living room, March 16th at 8:00pm PT, watch here »
Soul City TV has a lineup of live concerts planned on Facebook »
Cordovas, an American rock band in Nashville, will stream a live concert on March 19th and March 21st at 6:00pm PT on Facebook »
Sarah Smith is doing an online concert fundraiser on March 19th at 4:00pm PT.
Diplo will be doing live sets from his home, daily at 7:00pm on Twitter, YouTube and Twitch.
Neil Young will have a Fireside Concert series streaming live online, dates currently unconfirmed, follow on Facebook here »
New York’s Metropolitan Opera is streaming past productions from its award-winning Live in HD series of cinema transmissions while the opera house is closed.
Ivan Fischer and his Budapest Festival Orchestra will be livestreaming nightly chamber concerts in a series they have called Quarantine Soirées on March 16-18th at 6:45pm.
Scott Helman will host a series of live performances on Instagram Stories from his home in Toronto.
Tim Hicks will host a St Patrick’s Day concert on Facebook Live starting at 4:00pm PT on March 17th.
Lights will perform a set on March 18th at 6:00pm PT on Instagram here »
Jeremy Dutcher will host a live set from his living room on March 20th. Details are on Twitter so far »
Hanorah, Janette King, Laps and more will play Hot Tramp and Diving Bell Social Club’s Stay at Home Sessions March 21st on Instagram »
604 Records is hosting QuaranTOUR with its artists (like Mariana’s Trench, daily on Instagram »
iskwē with live stream daily with guests that include Anthony Carone of the Arkells, Ryan Redcorn of the 1491s, and more on her Instagram »
Ria Mae and multi-instrumentalist Chris Wong will host Isolation, Together, a live-by-request concert on Instagram »
Rufus Wainwright will perform daily via Instagram in his Musical Everydays series »
Hozier #TogetherAtHome live stream on Instagram March 20th at 12:00pm PT here »
Jenn Grant will host a special online concert on March 21st via Instagram »
Diesel Bird is a digital music festival on March 28th that will feature Dallas Smith, Jess Moskaluke, Meghan Patrick, Tebey and more. Hosted by Dan Davidson on Instagram »
Elijah Woods x Jamie Fine host In my Bed With ExJ + Friends via Instagram and Facebook Live every Thursday at 6:00pm PT; every Sunday at 2:00pm PT they host In the Kitchen; and every Tuesday at 4:00pm PT they host In the Basement via Instagram and Facebook Live.
April 11th A Choir!ntine Sing-Athon for The Canadian Cancer Society on Facebook »
In April the National Arts Centre presents #CanadaPerforms, free livestream concert series »
Early Music Vancouver will stream archive concerts weekly »
CBC Music has posted a lineup of Canadian artists here, listed by date »

These will most likely become more common over the next few weeks so this list will be updated as-necessary. Have a tip? Leave a comment below and follow Miss604 on social media. Thanks!

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3 Comments — Comments Are Closed

Michelle Tuesday, March 17th, 2020 — 12:47pm PDT
Burton Cummings also performed songs on Facebook last night.
Sydney Demeau Tuesday, March 17th, 2020 — 6:36pm PDT
A very nice gesture, Thank you
Ivy Boe Sunday, April 19th, 2020 — 12:40pm PDT
I actually would prefer them showing old concerts to provide some escapism. For me, these, along with the talk shows from home, are reminders of the hell we are in right now. They could still raise funds from the old concerts too. They do that on PBS all the time!

I’m not saying I want to deny what is happening.

My main feeling in these times is rage that innocent humans all over the world are being put through all of this because the Chinese government wanted to pretend nothing was wrong. I think outrage is a valid emotion right now.