Go, Johnny, go! Coldplay brought Michael J. Fox onto the Glastonbury stage on Saturday night to play guitar during the group’s headlining set.
“The main reason we’re in a band is because of ‘Back to the Future,’” Coldplay frontman Chris Martin shared after the performance. “So thank you to Michael, our hero.”
Before launching into “Humankind,” Martin freestyled lyrics to point out members of the crowd — this included Glastonbury founder Michael Eavis and Fox. Fox played with the group for the song and stuck around for a performance of “Fix You” too.
“With his Chuck Berry riff and the way he punched Biff: ladies and gentlemen, please welcome Michael J. Fox,” Martin announced as the actor took the stage. Fox, who has been battling Parkinson’s Disease since 1991, was wheelchair bound for the performance.
The group also brought out rapper Little Simz earlier as a surprise guest, debuting a new collaboration. The title of the track is rumored to be “Supernova,” with the chorus prominently featuring the lyrics “and so we pray.” Burna Boy also has a verse on the song, though he was not present for the Glastonbury performance. Palestinian singer Elyanna was also on stage assisting with vocals.
Simz’s surprise appearance came after she played the Pyramid Stage directly before Coldplay. Prior to Simz coming on stage, the band ran through a slew of its biggest hits, kicking it off with “Yellow,” slowing it down with “The Scientist” and performing “Viva La Vida” with a live orchestra.
As Coldplay’s set came to a close, after playing “Sparks,” frontman Chris Martin asked the crowd to hold their hands up and send their love to “Israel or Palestine, to Ukraine or Russia, to anywhere you want.”
Earlier in the set, Coldplay welcomed Victoria Canal for “Paradise.” The 25-year-old singer-songwriter joined the band on vocals and piano.
Coldplay are Glastonbury legends — the rock band, led by Chris Martin, made its first appearance at the fest in 1999 and went on to headline in 2002 (replacing the Strokes last minute), 2005, 2011 and 2016. This year’s performance marks Coldplay’s fifth time with top billing, making the band the first act to do so.
Saturday night’s show followed last week’s news that the band’s 10th album, titled “Moon Music,” is due on Oct. 4. The first single from the record, “Feels Like I’m Falling in Love,” dropped on Friday. “Moon Music” was produced by hitmaker Max Martin, who has worked with everyone from Britney Spears to the Weeknd. The album will be the band’s first since 2021’s “Music of the Spheres.”
Coldplay is currently still touring “Music of the Spheres,” and has made a considerable effort to diminish its carbon footprint, so far producing 59% less CO2e emissions than their last stadium tour. Having surpassed $810 million in revenue, the “Music of the Spheres” run has become the third-highest-grossing and second-most attended tour of all time. The trek is set to end in November in New Zealand.
Formed in 1997 at University College London, Coldplay’s current lineup includes lead singer Martin, guitarist Jonny Buckland, bassist Guy Berryman and drummer Will Champion. The band has sold over 100 million albums worldwide, making them one of the bestselling music acts of all time.