That was the only time in my life I'd ever been in a crowd anywhere near that large. I guess that was my "Woodstock," even if it only lasted 90 minutes and there was only one act.

Any fellow New Yorkers care to share their memories of that day?



Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 2021-09-19 17:22 by tatters.

My husband and I tried but literally could not get into the park. It was so unbelievably crowded. I've enjoyed videos of it time and time again until this day. A great show.

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steffialicia
My husband and I tried but literally could not get into the park. It was so unbelievably crowded. I've enjoyed videos of it time and time again until this day. A great show.

You might not have been able to make onto the Great Lawn where you'd be able to see or hear something, but it's hard to believe you couldn't get into the park at all. Did the cops stop letting people in at some point?

I took the train in from Long Island with an old childhood friend of mine. We took a bus uptown and arrived at the park at around 2 pm with the concert not scheduled to begin until 6:00. The lawn was already full, but my friend was like, "I'm not just gonna sit here for four hours and wait," so we ended up spending a couple of hours at the American Museum of Natural History, which, because everyone was at the concert, was completely deserted. We literally had the entire museum all to ourselves. That would have been a pretty good day all by itself, but then we walked across the street and found a spot, not on the Great Lawn, but on the softball fields adjacent to it. We must have been at least a quarter of a mile from the stage. Couldn't see anything, but we could hear them, barely. After a few songs, we began inching our way slowly towards the northernmost end of the lawn, and by the end of the concert, we had managed to push our way as far as the middle of the lawn. Still couldn't see anything.



Edited 3 time(s). Last edit at 2021-09-19 20:06 by tatters.

I was just listening to this on vinyl,a few weeks ago.What a great gig it was.So wish I had been there.

It was originally supposed to have been a Paul Simon solo concert. Then he decided he'd like to have Artie join him for a few songs. Rehearsals began, and gradually, they kept adding more and more S&G songs, to the point where fully half of the concert was going to be a Simon and Garfunkel reunion. That would have made Paul, in effect, the opening act for Simon and Garfunkel. He didn't want that, so he just said @#$%& it, let's just do the whole show as a Simon and Garfunkel concert.

This was something that had been in the works all that summer, but was kept a closely guarded secret from the public. It wasn't until Friday, September 11th, just 8 days before that concert, that radio stations began reporting that this unlikeliest of reunions would actually be taking place. A single newspaper advertisement appeared in the Sunday New York Times on September 13th. It was all just so unexpected and out of the blue, and I think that's what made it so exciting to be there.



Edited 3 time(s). Last edit at 2021-09-20 00:43 by tatters.

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tatters
It was originally supposed to have been a Paul Simon solo concert. Then he decided he'd like to have Artie join him for a few songs. Rehearsals began, and gradually, they kept adding more and more S&G songs, to the point where fully half of the concert was going to be a Simon and Garfunkel reunion. That would have made Paul, in effect, the opening act for Simon and Garfunkel. He didn't want that, so he just said @#$%& it, let's just do the whole show as a Simon and Garfunkel concert.

This was something that had been in the works all that summer, but was kept a closely guarded secret from the public. It wasn't until Friday, September 11th, just 8 days before that concert, that radio stations began reporting that this unlikeliest of reunions would actually be taking place. A single newspaper advertisement appeared in the Sunday New York Times on September 13th. It was all just so unexpected and out of the blue, and I think that's what made it so exciting to be there.

And Garfunkel a Special Guest.

I lived in Bayonne at the time, senior year of high school. Took the bust to Journal Square in Jersey City and hopped he PATH to the city. It was madness in Central Park, but we had weed and beer and had a great time LOL!

It's impossible for me to listen to the double live album without remembering that I spent all of Side Two looking for a place to take a leak, and all of Side Three returning from the place where I took a leak. For fully half of the concert, I was separated from my friend and nowhere even near to the Great Lawn.

There were no video screens, so there was really nothing to see, nothing to look at. All you could do was listen. The volume of the music fluctuated wildly, the result of the wind literally blowing the sound around from one side of the park to the other and back again. Steve Gadd's booming drums on "50 Ways to Leave Your Lover" sounded exactly like someone tapping with their fingers on the dashboard of a car.

It was still a very, very fun night out.

Ten years later, when Paul played an equally massive solo concert in Central Park, I called up the friend I had gone to the 1981 concert with and suggested we have our own little reunion and attend the show together. We were barely still keeping in touch at that point, and hadn't gone to a show together since we'd seen Bob Dylan and Tom Petty (with a surprise appearance by one Ronnie Wood) at Madison Square Garden in 1986. Unfortunately, he couldn't make it into the city that night.

In 1991 I had an office near Columbus Circle and was living on the upper east side. It would have the easiest thing in the world to go to that show, but I just didn't feel like going alone. It was kinda sad. I literally had to walk around the concert to get home from work that night. I watched it on television in my apartment, live on HBO, just a few blocks from where the concert was taking place without me.



Edited 3 time(s). Last edit at 2021-09-20 13:50 by tatters.

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tatters
It's impossible for me to listen to the double live album without remembering that I spent all of Side Two looking for a place to take a leak, and all of Side Three returning from the place where I took a leak. For fully half of the concert, I was separated from my friend and nowhere even near to the Great Lawn.

There were no video screens, so there was really nothing to see, nothing to look at. All you could do was listen. The volume of the music fluctuated wildly, the result of the wind literally blowing the sound around from one side of the park to the other and back again. Steve Gadd's booming drums on "50 Ways to Leave Your Lover" sounded exactly like someone tapping with their fingers on the dashboard of a car.

It was still a very, very fun night out.

Ten years later, when Paul played an equally massive solo concert in Central Park, I called up the friend I had gone to the 1981 concert with and suggested we have our own little reunion and attend the show together. We were barely still keeping in touch at that point, and hadn't gone to a show together since we'd seen Bob Dylan and Tom Petty (with a surprise appearance by one Ronnie Wood) at Madison Square Garden in 1986. Unfortunately, he couldn't make it into the city that night.

In 1991 I had an office near Columbus Circle and was living on the upper east side. It would have the easiest thing in the world to go to that show, but I just didn't feel like going alone. It was kinda sad. I literally had to walk around the concert to get home from work that night. I watched it on television in my apartment, live on HBO, just a few blocks from where the concert was taking place without me.

I've gone to many, many things on my own over the years. I'd rather go alone, if need be, than not go at all. I've attended Stones shows both on my own and with friends, but it has to be the "right" friends. If people aren't really into it, I'd rather be on my own.

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tatters
It's impossible for me to listen to the double live album without remembering that I spent all of Side Two looking for a place to take a leak, and all of Side Three returning from the place where I took a leak. For fully half of the concert, I was separated from my friend and nowhere even near to the Great Lawn.

There were no video screens, so there was really nothing to see, nothing to look at. All you could do was listen. The volume of the music fluctuated wildly, the result of the wind literally blowing the sound around from one side of the park to the other and back again. Steve Gadd's booming drums on "50 Ways to Leave Your Lover" sounded exactly like someone tapping with their fingers on the dashboard of a car.

It was still a very, very fun night out.

Ten years later, when Paul played an equally massive solo concert in Central Park, I called up the friend I had gone to the 1981 concert with and suggested we have our own little reunion and attend the show together. We were barely still keeping in touch at that point, and hadn't gone to a show together since we'd seen Bob Dylan and Tom Petty (with a surprise appearance by one Ronnie Wood) at Madison Square Garden in 1986. Unfortunately, he couldn't make it into the city that night.

In 1991 I had an office near Columbus Circle and was living on the upper east side. It would have the easiest thing in the world to go to that show, but I just didn't feel like going alone. It was kinda sad. I literally had to walk around the concert to get home from work that night. I watched it on television in my apartment, live on HBO, just a few blocks from where the concert was taking place without me.

So where did you end up taking a leak at?

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steffialicia

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tatters
It's impossible for me to listen to the double live album without remembering that I spent all of Side Two looking for a place to take a leak, and all of Side Three returning from the place where I took a leak. For fully half of the concert, I was separated from my friend and nowhere even near to the Great Lawn.

There were no video screens, so there was really nothing to see, nothing to look at. All you could do was listen. The volume of the music fluctuated wildly, the result of the wind literally blowing the sound around from one side of the park to the other and back again. Steve Gadd's booming drums on "50 Ways to Leave Your Lover" sounded exactly like someone tapping with their fingers on the dashboard of a car.

It was still a very, very fun night out.

Ten years later, when Paul played an equally massive solo concert in Central Park, I called up the friend I had gone to the 1981 concert with and suggested we have our own little reunion and attend the show together. We were barely still keeping in touch at that point, and hadn't gone to a show together since we'd seen Bob Dylan and Tom Petty (with a surprise appearance by one Ronnie Wood) at Madison Square Garden in 1986. Unfortunately, he couldn't make it into the city that night.

In 1991 I had an office near Columbus Circle and was living on the upper east side. It would have the easiest thing in the world to go to that show, but I just didn't feel like going alone. It was kinda sad. I literally had to walk around the concert to get home from work that night. I watched it on television in my apartment, live on HBO, just a few blocks from where the concert was taking place without me.

I've gone to many, many things on my own over the years. I'd rather go alone, if need be, than not go at all. I've attended Stones shows both on my own and with friends, but it has to be the "right" friends. If people aren't really into it, I'd rather be on my own.

Its always a toss up for me. If no one will go with me, I don't mind going alone, but only if I really want to. I like going with people because its then not JUST about the show, its about being with those people. But then also, I don't like bringing people to shows I've built up, because then I need them to live up to expectations and my enjoyment hinges on whether they're having a good time lol. Like when I brought my dad to Pearl Jam and I'm like "@#$%&, they're doing a set where he doesn't know anything and he's getting bored." So it was a great set if I was alone, but with him all those rarities were kinda tainted by the fact that he was bored. I'd have rather been by myself then. But also, if I've seen the person a million times, I've been to shows alone where I'm like "who was I proving to myself. I've seen these guys with a group and alone and this was unnecessary" lol.

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steffialicia

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tatters
It's impossible for me to listen to the double live album without remembering that I spent all of Side Two looking for a place to take a leak, and all of Side Three returning from the place where I took a leak. For fully half of the concert, I was separated from my friend and nowhere even near to the Great Lawn.

There were no video screens, so there was really nothing to see, nothing to look at. All you could do was listen. The volume of the music fluctuated wildly, the result of the wind literally blowing the sound around from one side of the park to the other and back again. Steve Gadd's booming drums on "50 Ways to Leave Your Lover" sounded exactly like someone tapping with their fingers on the dashboard of a car.

It was still a very, very fun night out.

Ten years later, when Paul played an equally massive solo concert in Central Park, I called up the friend I had gone to the 1981 concert with and suggested we have our own little reunion and attend the show together. We were barely still keeping in touch at that point, and hadn't gone to a show together since we'd seen Bob Dylan and Tom Petty (with a surprise appearance by one Ronnie Wood) at Madison Square Garden in 1986. Unfortunately, he couldn't make it into the city that night.

In 1991 I had an office near Columbus Circle and was living on the upper east side. It would have the easiest thing in the world to go to that show, but I just didn't feel like going alone. It was kinda sad. I literally had to walk around the concert to get home from work that night. I watched it on television in my apartment, live on HBO, just a few blocks from where the concert was taking place without me.

I've gone to many, many things on my own over the years. I'd rather go alone, if need be, than not go at all. I've attended Stones shows both on my own and with friends, but it has to be the "right" friends. If people aren't really into it, I'd rather be on my own.

Yes, going to a show with the wrong people can totally ruin the experience. I'll give you a good example of that. Thirty years ago, I took a date to see an all-star tribute to John Lee Hooker that was being held at Madison Square Garden. Sometime during the show, a friend of her's recognizes her and comes over and says he's got access to one of the Garden's luxury suites, and there's a party going on and would we like to join him and his friends? I was perfectly happy where we were, but I figured what the hell, I've never been inside one of those luxury suites before, maybe it'll be fun. So we get up there and there's this party going on and no one, and I mean no one, is paying any attention to the music at all. I'm literally the only person there actively trying to watch and listen to the show. My date is like, "Why don't you come join the party?" and I said, "You see those two guys on the stage? That's John Lee Hooker and Willie Dixon. Onstage. Together. This is something that's literally never going to happen again in the history of the world, so I'd kinda like to see this if you don't mind." So she says, "Well, I guess you can just leave if you want to."

I stayed. Took her home, went through the motions of telling her what a nice time I'd had, and wishing her a good night. And never called her again.



Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 2021-09-20 19:53 by tatters.

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Woz
I lived in Bayonne at the time, senior year of high school. Took the bust to Journal Square in Jersey City and hopped he PATH to the city. It was madness in Central Park, but we had weed and beer and had a great time LOL!

But Bayonne is in France.

Just come back from near there.

Good surfing nearby, as you will know.

( And Biaritz)

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tatters

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steffialicia

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tatters
It's impossible for me to listen to the double live album without remembering that I spent all of Side Two looking for a place to take a leak, and all of Side Three returning from the place where I took a leak. For fully half of the concert, I was separated from my friend and nowhere even near to the Great Lawn.

There were no video screens, so there was really nothing to see, nothing to look at. All you could do was listen. The volume of the music fluctuated wildly, the result of the wind literally blowing the sound around from one side of the park to the other and back again. Steve Gadd's booming drums on "50 Ways to Leave Your Lover" sounded exactly like someone tapping with their fingers on the dashboard of a car.

It was still a very, very fun night out.

Ten years later, when Paul played an equally massive solo concert in Central Park, I called up the friend I had gone to the 1981 concert with and suggested we have our own little reunion and attend the show together. We were barely still keeping in touch at that point, and hadn't gone to a show together since we'd seen Bob Dylan and Tom Petty (with a surprise appearance by one Ronnie Wood) at Madison Square Garden in 1986. Unfortunately, he couldn't make it into the city that night.

In 1991 I had an office near Columbus Circle and was living on the upper east side. It would have the easiest thing in the world to go to that show, but I just didn't feel like going alone. It was kinda sad. I literally had to walk around the concert to get home from work that night. I watched it on television in my apartment, live on HBO, just a few blocks from where the concert was taking place without me.

I've gone to many, many things on my own over the years. I'd rather go alone, if need be, than not go at all. I've attended Stones shows both on my own and with friends, but it has to be the "right" friends. If people aren't really into it, I'd rather be on my own.

Yes, going to a show with the wrong people can totally ruin the experience. I'll give you a good example of that. Thirty years ago, I took a date to see an all-star tribute to John Lee Hooker that was being held at Madison Square Garden. Sometime during the show, a friend of her's recognizes her and comes over and says he's got access to one of the Garden's luxury suites, and there's a party going on and would we like to join him and his friends? I was perfectly happy where we were, but I figured what the hell, I've never been inside one of those luxury suites before, maybe it'll be fun. So we get up there and there's this party going on and no one, and I mean no one, is paying any attention to the music at all. I'm literally the only person there actively trying to watch and listen to the show. My date is like, "Why don't you come join the party?" and I said, "You see those two guys on the stage? That's John Lee Hooker and Willie Dixon. Onstage. Together. This is something that's literally never going to happen again in the history of the world, so I'd kinda like to see this if you don't mind." So she says, "Well, I guess you can just leave if you want to."

I stayed. Took her home, went through the motions of telling her what a nice time I'd had, and wishing her a good night. And never called her again.

An excellent example Tatters. Unfortunate.

I have a good friend who went to the Toronto show at Skydome in 1993. Great setlist. I wish I would have went. Blue Rodeo and Gordon Lightfoot opened.

A charity concert put on to raise money for The United Way Children's Charities. The opening band was Blue Rodeo, probably playing to their biggest audience to date. They were followed by Gordon Lightfoot, and the closing act was Simon & Garfunkel. The night was MC'd by SCTV alumni Eugene Levy & John Candy.

01. The Boxer
02. America
03. Homeward Bound
04. Your Mind & Me Belong Together
05. Be-Bop-A-Lula
06. Hey, Schoolgirl
07. April, Come She Will
08. American Tune
09. El Condor Pasa
10. Mrs. Robinson
11. Hearts & Bones (Paul Simon)
12. Feelin' Groovy
13. Scarborough Fair
14. Bridge Over Troubled Water
15. Cecilia
16. Kathy's Song
17. The Sound Of Silence

Encore
18. Old Friends



Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 2021-09-21 01:58 by The Sicilian.

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steffialicia

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tatters

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steffialicia

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tatters
It's impossible for me to listen to the double live album without remembering that I spent all of Side Two looking for a place to take a leak, and all of Side Three returning from the place where I took a leak. For fully half of the concert, I was separated from my friend and nowhere even near to the Great Lawn.

There were no video screens, so there was really nothing to see, nothing to look at. All you could do was listen. The volume of the music fluctuated wildly, the result of the wind literally blowing the sound around from one side of the park to the other and back again. Steve Gadd's booming drums on "50 Ways to Leave Your Lover" sounded exactly like someone tapping with their fingers on the dashboard of a car.

It was still a very, very fun night out.

Ten years later, when Paul played an equally massive solo concert in Central Park, I called up the friend I had gone to the 1981 concert with and suggested we have our own little reunion and attend the show together. We were barely still keeping in touch at that point, and hadn't gone to a show together since we'd seen Bob Dylan and Tom Petty (with a surprise appearance by one Ronnie Wood) at Madison Square Garden in 1986. Unfortunately, he couldn't make it into the city that night.

In 1991 I had an office near Columbus Circle and was living on the upper east side. It would have the easiest thing in the world to go to that show, but I just didn't feel like going alone. It was kinda sad. I literally had to walk around the concert to get home from work that night. I watched it on television in my apartment, live on HBO, just a few blocks from where the concert was taking place without me.

I've gone to many, many things on my own over the years. I'd rather go alone, if need be, than not go at all. I've attended Stones shows both on my own and with friends, but it has to be the "right" friends. If people aren't really into it, I'd rather be on my own.

Yes, going to a show with the wrong people can totally ruin the experience. I'll give you a good example of that. Thirty years ago, I took a date to see an all-star tribute to John Lee Hooker that was being held at Madison Square Garden. Sometime during the show, a friend of her's recognizes her and comes over and says he's got access to one of the Garden's luxury suites, and there's a party going on and would we like to join him and his friends? I was perfectly happy where we were, but I figured what the hell, I've never been inside one of those luxury suites before, maybe it'll be fun. So we get up there and there's this party going on and no one, and I mean no one, is paying any attention to the music at all. I'm literally the only person there actively trying to watch and listen to the show. My date is like, "Why don't you come join the party?" and I said, "You see those two guys on the stage? That's John Lee Hooker and Willie Dixon. Onstage. Together. This is something that's literally never going to happen again in the history of the world, so I'd kinda like to see this if you don't mind." So she says, "Well, I guess you can just leave if you want to."

I stayed. Took her home, went through the motions of telling her what a nice time I'd had, and wishing her a good night. And never called her again.

An excellent example Tatters. Unfortunate.

I have gone to 3 Stones shows alone, as well as Simon and Garfunkel (when they had the Everly Brothers with them) and Macca as well in Seattle. In the case of the Everlys and Macca, I found that it was fairly easy to buy a single good seat on the afternoon of the show. Unless I am going with someone who is a true fan of a group or artist, I’d prefer to just go and enjoy the music. In 1968 I went to see Cream in L.A. with a musically illiterate friend. He just wanted to talk throughout the concert. Never again!!