Willie Nelson’s ‘Til Further Notice Online Stream Takes Place Of Luck Festival, Featuring Paul Simon And Neil Young During Thursday Night Benefit Broadcast

“Bad news on my left, bad news on my right,” sang Lucinda Williams.

“’Bad news on my phone’ We all know that feel!” came the reply to the right of the television screen from a viewer taking in the Thursday night streaming event via online video streaming service Twitch.

“Bad News Blues” will see release April 23 when Williams drops her fourteenth studio album Good Souls Better Angels but it was performed Thursday as part of the “Luck Presents ‘Til Further Notice” online stream.

Willie Nelson’s “anti-festival” Luck takes place annually during South By Southwest live from his ranch in Luck, Texas but was cancelled last week out of an abundance of caution in response to the coronavirus pandemic.

Organizers carried forth with a revamped version of the event for broadcast Thursday night as a benefit on Facebook Live and Twitch.

“This is one of the technological wonders of the century!” marveled Asleep at the Wheel frontman Ray Benson of the event, hosting it virtually from Austin, Texas recording facility Arlyn Studios.

Twitch is an interactive online video streaming service which typically focuses on eSports events and live video game streams but carried Thursday night’s event nonstop for over five hours.

A bar at the right side of the screen allows viewers to interact with one another during a Twitch broadcast in real time, conjuring up images of ancient online chat rooms. “Just what our socially starved souls need!” declared a viewer in Iowa of the live music. “I’m new to Twitch, this is f’n awesome!” added a fan in Florida.

Midway through the event, 58,604 viewers were tuned in via Twitch alone for a performance by Alabama rock/Americana outfit Early James. Another 7,000 were logged in about an hour later on Facebook Live during a performance by L.A. folk punk Sunny War.

“If you don’t have any money because we’re all out of work, just enjoy the show,” joked Benson.

The Thursday broadcast featured a digital tip jar and viewers remain encouraged to pass the boot via Venmo donations (@Luck-Reunion), with proceeds benefiting Farm Aid, SIMS Foundation (an Austin-based group that provides mental health and substance abuse assistance for members of the music community) and HAAM (who provides affordable healthcare to Austin musicians).

“I love you, don’t touch me!” joked Benson as Trey Privott of Austin duo Los Coast joined him in studio to kick off Thursday’s event with a socially distanced but soulful, solo acoustic take on Sam Cooke’s “A Change Is Gonna Come.”

The dobro strummed sounds of Ida Mae followed. The married British couple won an online competition to appear this year at the Luck festival, settling instead for a slot on the “‘Til Further Notice” stream. “We hope that next year we can be in a hot sweaty field with you in Texas drinking strawberry daiquiris,” joked singer/guitarist Chris Turpin.

Thursday’s performers took part via live stream from around the globe with Benson directing traffic from Austin.

Following Privott from Texas, Ida Mae appeared live from Nashville. Canadian singer Tami Nielsen sang the song “Texas” – from a record shop in New Zealand.

There was a video featuring a hat maker in New York. Later, a bartender offered a tutorial on quarantine cocktails.

“This stuff we’re going through, it effects everyone: rich, poor, every race,” said Lucinda Williams of the pandemic during Thursday’s broadcast. “Help me feel strength when I’m feeling hopeless,” she sang during an acoustic performance of her latest single “Good Souls.” “Help me stay strong – and fearless.”

An unexpected early surprise was Australian singer songwriter Courtney Barnett who joined Jess Wolfe and Holly Laessig of New York indie pop group Lucius.

“Life’s getting hard in here / So I do some gardening,” sang Barnett during “Avant Gardener.” “Anything to take my mind away from where it’s supposed to be,” followed the eerily prescient lyrics.

Lucius, who’s set to announce a streaming event of their own later today, is selling band branded toilet paper and soap at their website, with all proceeds benefiting the World Health Organization COVID-19 Solidarity Response Fund.

“Stay safe, everyone. Stay well,” said Paul Simon, joined by wife Edie Brickell, daughter Lulu and actor Woody Harrelson.

Simon has a knack for capturing big moments. This one is unprecedented but he summed up what so many are thinking, opening with a solo acoustic take on “American Tune.” “It’s all right, it’s all right / You can’t be forever blessed,” he sang. “Still, tomorrow’s going to be another working day / And I’m trying to get some rest.”

Edie Brickell put forth a quick rendition of a new song about quarantine before joining Simon and Harrelson for a beautifully harmonized take on the Everly Brothers’ “All I Have to do is Dream.”

Lulu Simon ultimately closed the broadcast alongside Harrelson and her father on a cover of Elvis’s “Are You Lonesome Tonight.”

Singer songwriter Jewel looked back on a period of teenage homelessness with a pair of tracks so new she had the guitar chords written down in front of her for reference, ultimately closing her acoustic suite with “Hands.”

“Welcome to the live stream from quarantine zone,” joked Nathaniel Rateliff. “I’d love to be there in person with all of you but this is the best we could do for now.”

Rateliff channeled Django Reinhardt, opening his solo acoustic set with new track “All or Nothing.”

The singer and guitarist fought back tears as he explained the meaning behind his latest album And It’s Still Alright, released last month, and how it corresponds to the times in which we live.

“I really wish we were all together. I just want to say again to remember to take care of each other. Hopefully we will see each other in the summer,” Rateliff said, setting up his closing take on “Time Stands.”

If Courtney Barnett was a surprise early, Neil Young was a bigger one late, lending his solo acoustic take on “Vampire Blues.”

“We’re watching you watching us watching you,” joked Lukas Nelson, setting up a pre-recorded performance alongside brother Micah and father Willie. “We’re live right now watching the whole thing with ya’ll,” added Micah. “Quarentunes,” he joked.

Each of Nelson’s kids took a moment in the spotlight, Micah first on “Everything is Bulls—t,” Lukas later with “Set Me Down on a Cloud” and “Turn Off the News (Build a Garden).”

“This song goes out to Johnny Bush,” said Willie, name checking the writer of the song as the trio launched into “Whiskey River.”

The last two weeks have been littered with the postponement and cancellation of countless concert tours and festivals. Willie Nelson nodded in that direction, picking at his trusty sidekick Trigger during what quickly became one of the evening’s most poignant moments in “On the Road Again,” an optimistic look ahead despite uncertain times.

“Going places that I’ve never been / Seeing things that I may never see again,” sang Nelson. “And I can’t wait to get on the road again.”