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Getting the right mix of artists was a problem, too. Fill the line-up with US and UK stars and it’s not much of a global event. But pack it with domestic stars from around the world and — as Twitter on Saturday evening proved — you end up with an awful lot of people asking ‘Who?’ What do you mean, ‘Who?’ This is Belgium’s premier electropop chanteuse! This is the first Emirati balladeer to have played the Vatican’s Christmas concert! This is — checks notes — sorry, no idea.
And through it all, occasional glimpses of magic. Liam Payne and Rita Ora were young and beautiful and managed to look sincere as they sang ‘For You’: that had the essence of pop. The Rolling Stones were thrillingly approximate as they stumbled through a ‘You Can’t Always Get What You Want’ that was part live, part prerecorded. And full marks to Eddie Vedder of Pearl Jam for deciding that what would really perk up the doctors and nurses on a Saturday night would be him playing ‘River’s Cross’ (a cheerless song to start with), alone at the harmonium, the only instrument that sounds like antique medical equipment. And the musical highlight: Luis Fonsi performing the still-glorious ‘Despacito’ with an acoustic band. But Luis? Why are all the band in the room with you? Luis, don’t you know there’s a pandemic on? Oh, for goodness sake…
Because you read about bbc1
Also by Michael Hann
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