Ian Anderson Duet Is Out Of This World
Tull frontman to perform duet with an astronaut
On Tuesday Ian Anderson will perform a duet with US astronaut Catherine Coleman, who happens to be 250 miles above the surface of the earth. Ian will perform from a stage in Perm, Russia, while Coleman will be on board the International Space Station. The two will be performing with each other via video link.
The Guardian reports that Coleman conceived of the project herself, approaching Anderson through a mutual friend, former radio DJ Dayna Steele. "Kate thought it would be fun to do a duet in space and asked me if I knew how to get in touch with Ian since I've been part of that world," Steele told AOL News. "So I tracked him down."
The pair will perform Bourée, an instrumental from the Stand Up album. "I imagine playing music together might be tough," said Steele. "There is usually a four-second delay when you're talking to someone from the space station. It's a challenge trying to talk with someone."
Coleman has reportedly been rehearsing for weeks, studying Anderson's stage manner and perfecting a zero-gravity rendition of his most famous pose – the one-legged flute solo. Astronauts "are allowed to take personal items" to the station, according to Steele, and Anderson donated one of his flutes.