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You Know What? Going to Space With Ben Gibbard and Bethany Cosentino Sounds Completely Awesome Right Now.

They're part of a terrific lineup taking part in a virtual National Air and Space Museum-sponsored concert on April 30.

Image by Lawrence Azerrad.
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Ready to get off this planet? LOL why did I even ask! That’s why I just added Space Songs: Through the Distance, a virtual event the Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum is organizing for next week, to my calendar.

The lineup is, oh what the heck, let’s just say it, out of this world: Performers include Ben Gibbard, Bethany Cosentino (Best Coast), Dan Deacon, Grace Potter, Wolf Parade, Valerie June, Clipping, Lukas Nelson, and Vagabon.  They’ll share “songs about space and isolation to celebrate how extreme situations can bring out the very best in us all and why there’s no challenge we can’t face together,” the release says, so what’s not to love.

The museum, currently closed, is producing the concert with the designer Lawrence Azerrad (who designed the cover of Best Coast’s California Nights) and local treasure BYT Media. ​

Gibbard’s been doing a weekly live-stream from his home during lockdown and wrote a song called “Life in Quarantine” that’s pretty swell. But the part that I’m most looking forward to is songs about space, which is a playlist I’m definitely going to start making after work tonight. What should I think about putting on there? Email or tweet me your suggestions. And next week, ladies and gentlemen, we will be floating in space.

The concert will take place on YouTube on Thursday, April 30, at 8 PM. Visit the link now and set yourself a reminder! 

Senior editor

Andrew Beaujon joined Washingtonian in late 2014. He was previously with the Poynter Institute, TBD.com, and Washington City Paper. He lives in Del Ray.