A light-hearted moment at a Coldplay concert quickly spiralled into controversy after the venue’s “Kiss Cam” captured two senior executives from tech company Astronomer Inc.—CEO Andy Byron and Chief People Officer Kristin Cabot—standing closely together during the show at Boston’s Gillette Stadium on Wednesday night.
The pair were spotted in an intimate pose, arms wrapped around each other, but swiftly pulled away and covered their faces when they realised they were on the big screen. Despite their attempt to dodge the camera, the footage had already made its way onto TikTok, Reddit, and Twitter, fuelling rumours of an affair and sparking heated discussions online.
Adding to the moment, Coldplay frontman Chris Martin jokingly told the crowd: “Oh look at these two… either they're having an affair or they're very shy,” drawing laughter from the audience.
Online reactions ranged from amusement to criticism, with some calling the moment “sad” and “reckless,” particularly given Byron’s reported marital status. “Sorry for the wife but glad they're being exposed and embarrassed,” one Twitter user commented, while others questioned the judgement behind such a public display, asking: “Why would you go to a concert if you’re having an affair?”
The viral clip has also opened wider conversations about workplace dynamics and professional boundaries, especially concerning relationships within senior leadership teams.
So far, neither Astronomer Inc. nor the two executives have issued an official statement. Astronomer, known for its Astro data orchestration platform built on Apache Airflow, may face growing scrutiny over internal conduct as the situation unfolds.
Appointed Chief People Officer in November 2024, Kristin Cabot described her role in a January 2025 interview with Techrseries as aligning people strategy with business goals: “Magic happens when you align the people strategy to the business strategy and sync the two.”
Beyond a single concert moment, the incident has put the spotlight on the complex intersection of corporate leadership, ethics, and personal relationships.