The entrance to Central Park SummerStage is in Central Park, between 70th and 71st Street, just to the west of Fifth Avenue, along the road that goes south from the 72nd Street entrance to Central Park.  The SummerStage is actually located at the Rumsey Playfield, an elevated portion of Manhattan’s enormous Central Park.  The Central Park Conservancy designed it specifically for outdoor concerts in 1986, and Central Park SummerStage (now managed by the City Parks Foundation) holds concerts there during the summer.

The actual stage floor of the SummerStage isn’t on grass, but rather some Astroturf-like mat over concrete or stone.  There are also bleachers behind the stage floor, giving it a seating area comparable to Prospect Park Bandshell or the late McCarren Park Pool.  The stage itself is quite massive, with a photo pit in the front and a VIP area to the house-right side.  Beer and food tents are located around the house-right entrance, as well as to the far house-left.  There is some sectioning within the stage floor, but the barriers are not connected, making them more of crowd control than real, separate, exclusive sections.  The trees of Central Park surround the whole place, creating a lovely frame, with Manhattan’s high-rises and skyscrapers only peaking out above the canopy in the distance.

Most of the events held at the Central Park SummerStage are free, with a few paid events, mostly benefits for the organization.  SummerStage holds a wide mix of concerts, from indie-rock to adult contemporary, though there’s a strong emphasis on world music in the free events.  However, the headlining acts are invariably big names in their genre, befitting the big-name status of the venue, especially for the paid events, like Indigo Girls (who played during the 2003 blackout, and were still able to put on their concert, thanks to generator power) or Pavement's upcoming 2010 four show reunion.  With its eclectic and rather high-minded collection of acts, not everything is going to be someone’s cup of tea, but it’s one of the best places to catch someone you do like.

Capacity: 5,000

all ages

Address:

Within Central Park, between 70th and 71st Street

By Subway:

4 & 6 train to 68th Street – walk 3 blocks west to 5th Avenue, 1 block north to 69th Street entrance to Central Park, follow Central Park path west to street, follow street north to SummerStage
B & C trains to 72nd Street – follow Central Park path east to SummerStage

QRO Coverage:

-Phoenix, with Passion Pit, September 26th, 2009 – Phoenix photos, Passion Pit photos

-Dinosaur Jr, with The Walkmen, August 16th, 2009 – Dinosaur Jr live review, Dinosaur Jr photos, The Walkmen photos

-M. Ward, with Mike Watt & Nels Cline, August 1st, 2009 – M. Ward photos, Mike Watt & Nels Cline photos

-Juana Molina, with Curumin, July 8th, 2009 (Latin Alternative Music Conference) – Juana Molina photos, Curumin photos

-The Kooks with stellastarr* and Illinois, September 10th, 2008 – live review, The Kooks photos, stellastarr* photos, Illinois photos

-Sharon Jones & The Dap-Kings with Menahan Street Band and Naomi Shelton & The Gospel Queens, August 17th, 2008 – Sharon Jones & The Dap-Kings photos, Menahan Street Band photos, Naomi Shelton & The Gospel Queens photos

-Battles with Black Dice and Gang Gang Dance, August 16th, 2008 – Battles photos, Black Dice photos, Gang Gang Dace photos

-The National with Yeasayer, August 4th, 2008 – The National photos, Yeasayer photos  

-Cinematic Orchestra with RAMP, Kevin Michaels and El Michael Affair, July 10th, 2007 – The Cinematic Orchestra photos, RAMP photos, Kevin Michaels photos, El Michael Affair photos