Usually at 7:45am, what little foot traffic there was would be heading west towards Central Park. Not today! Lots of people out and about and streaming east away from the park. Like salmons swimming upstream, we went against the tide and fought our way to the 72nd Street entrance.
Lots of noise coming from the theater housing Summer Stage where every Friday morning Good Morning America presents a live concert. If you remember, this blog described a day when Lady Gaga performed and the crowds she drew to this venue in the park.
As they say in the 'hood, "You ain't seen nothing yet." They were here to see and hear Beyonce in action. Only those blessed by God would actually gain entry to Summer Stage.
The crowd waiting outside the park entrance was enormous; far exceeding the Lady Gaga fans. So large, that normal (?) people like us, were not permitted entrance to the park and had to walk another four blocks to 76th street to gain entry. The attendees were of a different caliber and while very vocal lacked the costumes sported by the Gaga followers. These were in traditional jean garb and except for the shrieks emanating from their mouths appeared no different from any of today's younger generation.
When we finally got into the park we were able to get relatively near the center of action. It was at that point that Jane heard a park attendant telling a young girl that "If you climb to the top of this lamppost, you might see something."
He was definitely smoking hemp as there was no way that would happen. Where we were standing the concert was only a rumor. Beyonce could not be heard over the din and there was nothing to be seen, but the bass was pounding in our ears.
I have a dim memory of the first time I actually got involved with a situation like this. It was in 1944 when I was 10 years old. My sister was a member of the bobby sock generation and their idol was Frank Sinatra. The venue was the Paramount Theater theater on Broadway. I grew up with that man and his music, and he remains a favorite until this day.My Sinatra story took place at a recording session I was privileged to attend one early morning. It was not anything like they depict in movies. It consisted of a bunch of motley looking people in a control booth looking out on shirt sleeved musicians and a not so relaxed and cool Sinatra. The session lasted over three hours until a cursing and short tempered Sinatra accepted the final cut. He was a perfectionist and long after the producer said "that's a wrap" Sinatra insisted it be done again, again and again. To this day, when I hear "It happened in Monterey", it causes a shiver to run down my spine.
On the night of September 19, 1981, the folk-rock duo of Simon & Garfunkel reunited for a free concert on the Great Lawn of Central Park. For those of us who were there it was an experience that would never again be repeated. It was attended by more than 500,000 people which at that time was the largest audience to ever attend a concert in the park.
People started to gather and "reserve" their spots on the lawn two days in advance. We were so late in getting there that we actually never found a spot of earth that was not already taken, so we joined the never ending line of people circulating around the outer perimeter of the Great Lawn. We never stopped moving as the NYPD was there to insure that we could not alight anywhere.
As we approached the park, we noticed that there was this strange looking fog bank covering the Great Lawn. We thought that was peculiar as the night was perfectly clear. Once in the park, the reason for this fog was perfectly evident. Nearly everyone had lit up an illegal substance and were busily enjoying The Sounds of Silence (this clip is from the concert) and other songs, and enhancing the music with whatever they were smoking. This mixture was lethal and that unlike President Clinton, I did inhale. AND never felt more mellow in my life.
As Archie and Edith sang..."those were the days."
