Feature: Greek artists give truck-top concert to Athenians under COVID-19 lockdown
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E-mail Xinhua, April 26, 2020
by Maria Spiliopoulou, Valentini Anagnostopoulou
ATHENS, April 25 (Xinhua) -- The ban on concerts amidst the COVID-19 lockdown in Greece has not kept singer Alkistis Protopsalti and her band away from their fans.
The vocalist, one of the most acclaimed and popular singers in the past four decades in Greece, climbed to the top of a truck and gave an unprecedented performance across the center of Athens on Saturday, spreading joy and hope for 3.5 hours.
People cheered on from sidewalks and applauded from their balconies. Patients waved behind hospital window and medics went out in the yard to sing along with the artists.
The "travelling" concert was organized by the City of Athens. The truck, with "from the street with love" written on the banner spread along its side, made short stops at central squares, in front of COVID-19 referral hospitals and the office of Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis.
"I suppose you have never before given such a performance. We cannot even shake hands. You are amazing. Be well. Thank you so much," Mitsotakis said, greeting the artist.
"This is from the bottom of my heart and it was materialized in the best possible way. A big thank you to our mayor, big thank you to doctors and nurses," Protopsalti replied.
"We are staying home, but we are optimistic. Today is a great day in Athens, sunny and bright. It was filled with music with a truck full of songs so that we can share a little bit of joy and optimism," Athens Mayor Kostas Bakoyannis told Xinhua and other media.
The unique concert was a way to express gratitude to those battling the novel coronavirus pandemic on the frontline and to boost the morale of people stuck at home for weeks, the mayor explained.
The initiative enthralled the locals. "It is very positive for our psychology. I am one step from starting to sing along with her," Violetta Mitili, an Athens resident, told Xinhua while Protopsalti was performing in Kypselis Square.
"It is very good amidst this misery we are living in nowadays," Sotiris Kouzounas, another resident, added.
Eleni Papageorgiou, an expert at the medical laboratory of Sotiria Hospital, warmly welcomed the short break from her stressful routine these days.
"It is a very nice gesture. It means that we are in their thoughts," she told Xinhua.
"It was very heart warming. On our part we are eager for this encouragement. We need it," said Stamatina, a nurse at Sotiria Hospital.
The concert ended shortly before Health Ministry spokesman, Prof. Sotirios Tsiodras, gave the latest update on the coronavirus developments in Greece.
During a regular press briefing, Tsiodras announced 16 new confirmed cases of COVID-19 nationwide from Friday, which brought the total to 2,506.
For a second time this week, no new fatality was registered across Greece within 24 hours, he said. The death toll in the country remains at 130. Currently 47 patients were being treated in intensive care units.
Greece is under lockdown since March 23. The restrictions are expected to be lifted on May 4, the government said earlier this week. Enditem
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