Boston, MA – July 2025
What began as a joyful concert moment quickly spiraled into a PR disaster for a high-profile tech executive, all thanks to an unexpected cameo on Coldplay’s kiss cam.

During Coldplay’s electrifying performance at Gillette Stadium, frontman Chris Martin decided to entertain fans with the classic kiss cam segment — a lighthearted tradition that often leads to sweet or funny interactions. But this time, the camera captured something far more dramatic than anyone expected.

As the live footage scanned the audience, it stopped on Andy Byron, the married CEO of software giant Astronomer, and his company’s Chief People Officer, Kristin Cabot. The duo appeared uncomfortably close, sparking whispers across the crowd — and eventually, the entire internet.

Byron, whose company is valued at over $1 billion, was seen with his arm around Cabot, both smiling and laughing. However, the mood changed instantly when they realized they were being projected onto the giant screen in front of thousands. In a moment of visible panic, Byron pulled away and tried to duck out of frame, while Cabot buried her face in embarrassment.

Chris Martin, unaware of the underlying tension, joked from the stage:
“Oh, either they’re having an affair or they’re just very shy!”
The crowd erupted in laughter. But what the audience found amusing may now be career-ending for Byron and deeply damaging for Astronomer’s leadership image.

Since the concert, footage of the moment has gone viral across social media platforms, fueling speculation about a possible office affair. As of now, no official statement has been released by Astronomer, Byron, or Cabot.

For a company that operates in data analytics and AI, this very human error may prove difficult to erase from the internet’s memory.

During Tropical Storm Chantal, a mother worried for the safety of her daughter, who is still grappling with the trauma of Hurricane Helene.

In working through the Winter case files, I often felt pinpricks of déjà vu: an exact turn of phrase, an absurdly specific expenditure.