Concert halls and theaters are gradually re-opening amid the pandemic, but most musicians continue to host performances online.
During Thanksgiving week, that virtual list includes two ways to watch Josh Groban, the “Disney Holiday Singalong” and the viral daddy-daughter duo Mat and Savanna Shaw.
Here are six concerts to watch from the comfort of your home over Thanksgiving break.
THURSDAY
Josh Groban
- What: From performing in the shower to releasing an album to hosting a series of virtual concerts, Josh Groban has been at the forefront when it comes to finding creative ways to connect with fans during the pandemic. Groban’s next livestream — which celebrates his new album, “Harmony” — airs Thanksgiving Day.
Groban recently told the Deseret News these livestreams are providing him — and his fans, he hopes — with healing during a troubled year.
“Now is not the time for silence,” he said. “We need music to connect us. I don’t even mean just COVID — we’re so divided. Everybody is so scared, they’re so angry.
“It’s good for my soul,” the singer added. “It’s given me a huge bright spot on an otherwise tragic year, and hopefully it’s done a little bit of that for other people as well.”
- When: Nov. 26, 2 p.m. MT
- Where: joshgroban.com/tour
- How much: Tickets start at $25
Nurse Heroes Live!
- What: An all-star lineup is celebrating the nurses who have been on the COVID-19 frontlines. The benefit concert will include performances from Andrea Bocelli, Josh Groban, Celine Dion, Carole King, Stevie Wonder, Allen Stone and more.
- When: Nov. 26, 5 p.m. MT
- Where: Nurse Heroes YouTube and Facebook pages.
FRIDAY
- What: The five Tabernacle and Temple Square organists — Richard Elliott, Andrew Unsworth, Brian Mathias, Linda Margetts and Joseph Peeples — take turns performing weekly recitals in a series called “Piping Up: Organ Concerts at Temple Square.”
- When: The concerts stream Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays at noon.
- Where: Concerts stream on the Tabernacle Choir’s YouTube channel and Facebook page, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints live watch page (broadcasts.ChurchofJesusChrist.org), and the choir’s website (thetabernaclechoir.org).
SATURDAY
Mat and Savanna Shaw
- What: After unexpectedly going viral for their version of “The Prayer,” Mat and Savanna Shaw’s lives have been a blur these last several months. The daddy-daughter duo has since released two albums and is performing in a big concert on Nov. 28.
Directed by Broadway star Sierra Boggess — well known for her role as Christine in “The Phantom of the Opera” — the Shaws are doing a livestream concert called “What the World Needs Now,” featuring their Broadway, holiday and fan favorites, the Deseret News previously reported.
“It means a lot just to be able to be in a position now — especially in the times that we’re experiencing with this pandemic — to be able to share these messages of hope and encouragement through music,” Mat Shaw previously told the Deseret News. “Never in a million dreams would we have ever thought that our music would have this kind of impact. That’s been the best part.”
- When: Nov. 28, 6 p.m. MT
- Where: matandsavannamusic.com
- How much: $35
SUNDAY
- What: “Josh Groban: An Evening of Harmony” will air exclusively on PBS Sunday night. The virtual concert showcases Groban’s greatest hits and features music from his new album, “Harmony,” which has emerged from the pandemic.
“I think that when we come back to the point where we can all be in a room and cheer our heads off and do the full show and celebrate that, it will be like a renaissance — bigger than anything we’ve ever had in the past because we all miss it so much and we realize how much we need it,” Groban recently told the Deseret News.
- When: Nov. 29, 7 p.m.
- Where: PBS/KUED
MONDAY
“Disney Holiday Singalong”
- What: Disney is celebrating Christmas a little early with its “Holiday Singalong.” The event Monday night includes performances from Andrea Bocelli, Leslie Odom Jr. — who played Aaron Burr in the original Broadway production of “Hamilton” — dancers and Utah natives Derek and Julianne Hough, Katy Perry, Michael Bublé and more, the Deseret News reported.
Just like Disney’s first two singalong specials, the one-hour event will show animated lyrics onscreen, inviting viewers at home to join in.
- When: Nov. 30, 7 p.m.
- Where: ABC network