One well-known freebie that we’d never experienced is the Today Show’s “Summer Concert Series” at Rockefeller Center. During the summer months, world-famous singers perform free outdoor concerts on Friday mornings. Thousands of tourists show up each week, but we’d always stayed away.
It always seemed like a big deal: wake up before 6 a.m., take the subway all the way to Rockefeller Center (these Cheapos live in Brooklyn), stand in a crazed crowd, listen to a couple of songs, and then battle the multitudes down into the subway. Why not just watch it on TV?
Well, this morning we woke up and decided to go for it. We looked at the schedule earlier in the week and noticed that Coldplay, possibly our favorite band, was set to perform at 8:30. So, we hopped on the train at 6:15 a.m. and hoped for the best.
As expected, it was insane. The crowds were thick (some fans slept overnight in order to score a spot close to the stage, while others camped out inside a nearby Dean and Deluca coffee shop), helicopters were flying overhead, and it somehow was already 80 degrees Fahrenheit and humid.
But before this we could say “I need another coffee,” Coldplay took the stage and all was forgiven. Fans were clapping. Al Roker (the Today Show’s affable weatherman) was singing. Double-decker tour buses were driving by, their normally-seated passengers erupting into dance party mode. We were still sweating, but didn’t mind. After all, this was summer in New York and we were seeing Coldplay for free. Viva les Cheapos!
The photos above and below were all taken by the two Cheapos who attended the show (there is a full album on the EuroCheapo Facebook page).
Other upcoming performers appearing later this summer include Boy George (July 7), Miley Cyrus (July 25), and Paula Abdul (August 29). See the Today Show’s website for full details.
