Michael Stipe, Patti Smith to headline Earth Day 50 virtual music festival

Climate action nonprofit Pathway to Paris will present Earth Day 50, a virtual music festival in celebration of Earth Day‘s 50th anniversary.

The live-streamed event takes place this Sunday April 26 and features a star-studded lineup including R.E.M.’s Michael Stipe, Patti Smith and Red Hot Chili Peppers’ Flea. The likes of Cat Power, Ben Harper, Tony Hawk, Rain Phoenix, Patrick Watson and The Strokes’ Nikolai Fraiture are also on the lineup, with more names to come.

“As humanity faces an unknown future, we must recognise the fact that we simply cannot go back to our behaviour from before,” said Pathway to Paris in the festival announcement. “Climate change is a global concern, and we have seen with Covid-19 what can happen when the world truly works together to come up with solutions in a time of crisis. Let’s treat the climate situation with that same urgency and passion.”

Watch: R.E.M. – E-Bow the Letter feat. Patti Smith

Pathway to Paris was formed by Canadian musician Rebecca Foon (ex-The Silver Mt. Zion Memorial Orchestra) and Jesse Paris Smith, daughter of Patti. The organisation brings together musicians, artists and activists with the aim of “turning the Paris Agreement into reality through finding and offering innovative and ambitious solutions for combating global climate change.”

Stipe is already donating 12-months of profits from his January 2020 single ‘Drive to the Ocean’ to PTP. His second ever solo single arrived one day prior to his 60th birthday. In a video announcing its release, Stipe described Pathway to Paris as an “amazing organisation.”

Watch: Michael Stipe – Drive to the Ocean

You can attend Earth Day 50 via the Pathway to Paris Instagram page. It kicks off at 4pm EST on Sunday April 26th, which is 6am Monday AEST. The organisation also takes donations via gofundme.

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