Why Coldplay's Glastonbury duet with Michael J Fox was 40 years in the making

1 July 2024, 09:24

"I guess you guys aren't ready for that yet. But your kids are gonna love it."

As ever, Glastonbury had its ups and downs over its five days, but an absolute highlight was Coldplay bringing out acting legend Michael J Fox to perform a couple of songs with them.

Fox joined the band, enjoying their record FIFTH headline set on the Pyramid Stage, to play guitar on 'Humankind' and 'Fix You'.

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As for exactly why Michael J Fox was on stage with one of the biggest bands in the world, the answer comes in a key scene in one of his very biggest roles.

As Marty McFly flung back in time to 1955, Fox played a storming version of 'Johnny B. Goode' in the first Back to the Future movie way back in 1985.

"I guess you guys aren't ready for that yet. But your kids are gonna love it," he told the nonplussed students after he wailed a little too hard on the solo during a high school dance.

Coldplay - Fix You (Glastonbury 2024)

It was a classic scene and iconic rock 'n' roll moment that inspired kids all over the world to pick up a guitar and form their own bands, and Coldplay's frontman Chris Martin let fans know that they were among them.

"The main reason why we're in a band is because of watching Back to the Future," Martin said, having previously introduced Fox as "one who just totally rocks, with his Chuck Berry riff and the way he punched Biff".

"So thank you to our hero forever, and one of the most amazing people on Earth, Mr. Michael J. Fox."

To cap things off, during 'Fix You', Martin threw in another Back to the Future reference with a cheeky “Go, Johnny, go, go, go."

The full Coldplay at Glastonbury setlist was as follows:

1. Yellow
2. Higher Power
3. Adventure of a Lifetime
4. Paradise’ (with Victoria Canal)
5. The Scientist
6. Clocks
7. Hymn for the Weekend
8. Charlie Brown
9. Viva la Vida (with Baltic String Orchestra)
10. We Pray (with Little Simz, Elyanna and Baltic String Orchestra)
11. Arabesque (with Femi Kuti)
12. Violet Hill (sung by Laura Mvula and choir)
13. Infinity Sign
14. Something Just Like This
15. My Universe
16. A Sky Full of Stars’
    Encore:
17. Sunrise
18. Sparks
19. The Jumbotron Song
20. Humankind’ (with Michael J. Fox, Vula Malinga and all prior guests)
21. Fix You’ (with Michael J. Fox)
22. feelslikeimfallinginlove