Hatch Shell Concert Schedule

For more than 15 years, 103.3 WODS has sponsored free concerts at Boston’s Hatch Shell. The official name of the program is the 103.3 WODS Free Summer Concert Series. The series is a true public service, allowing hundreds of thousands of Boston residents to attend free performances of some of the greatest bands of all time.

Oldies 103.3 broadcasts a wide variety of music from the 1960s through early 80s. Listeners may hear songs from the British Invasion to Motown, or a smash-hit rock ballad from the 70s. A Carpenters pop melody, or a one-hit wonder from the era, may be on the air at this very moment. One can also listen to this oldies/classic station from the world wide web, and then view a playlist in real-time.

Many great artists have performed at the 103.3 WODS Free Summer Concert Series. In recent years, artists such as Johnny Rivers, The Stylistics, The Guess Who, and The Rascals have performed at the Hatch Shell. This author’s favorite bands were The O’Jays and more recently Three Dog Night. Thousands of people sang along to Love Train and Joy To The World; it was amazing.

For new visitors or tourists, the Hatch Shell is an open-air stadium located at Boston’s Esplanade park. The lawn in front of the shell fills up on a first-come, first-serve basis. Lawn chairs and blankets are extremely popular. Alcohol is strictly prohibited, and violators are subject to arrest.

The WODS concerts usually start at 7:00 pm with a warm-up artist. As the sun recedes, excitement builds for the main act. By nightfall, the Esplanade paths and knolls surrounding the shell are full of happy concert-goers. The acoustics are great at this fun family-friendly event.

Also of course, the oldest tradition at the Hatch Shell is the annual July 4th concert with the Boston Pops. In recent years, the Boston Landmarks Orchestra has performed here, bringing classical music and opera to the Esplanade; another great public service.

 

May, 2012

Saturday May 19, 11:30 am - 4:45 pm (main concert)
Radio 929 EarthFest 2012
Eve 6
Switchfoot
Spin Doctors
Third Eye Blind

June, 2012

Saturday June 16, 7:00 pm - 9:30 pm
103.3 WODS Concert
Starship featuring Mickey Thomas

July, 2012

Tuesday July 3, 8:30 pm - 10:00 pm
Boston Pops Orchestra Independence Day Concert
Wrist Bands Available at 4:00 pm
1812 Overture Played at 9:30 pm

Wednesday July 4, 8:00 pm - 11:00 pm
Boston Pops Orchestra Independence Day Concert
Special Guest Performer:  To Be Announced
Wrist Bands Available at 9:00 am
Fireworks at 10:30 pm

Wednesday July 18, 7:00 pm - 9:00 pm
Landmarks Orchestra
Boston Sings, Works by Aaron Copland
Appalachian Spring
Prairie Night and Celebration Dance from Billy the Kid
Old American Songs
The Promise of Living from The Tender Land

Wednesday July 20, 7:00 pm - 9:00 pm
Landmarks Orchestra
Fiesta Sinfónica
Caribbean Bacchanal by Miguel Del Aguila
Polovstian Dance by Alexander Borodin
Mambo from West Side Story by Leonard Bernstein
Viaje (Afro-Latin Suite) by Gonzalo Grau
Danzón No. 2 by Arturo Márquez

Saturday July 21, 7:00 - 9:30 pm
103.3 WODS Concert
Burton Cummings formerly of The Guess Who
Mark Farner formerly of Grand Funk Railroad

Wednesday July 25, 7:00 pm - 9:00 pm
Landmarks Orchestra
At The River
The Moldau by Bedřich Smetana
The River by Duke Ellington
Symphony No. 3 Rhenish by Robert Schumann
On the Beautiful Blue Danube by Johann Strauss

August 2012

Wednesday August 1, 7:00 pm - 9:00 pm
Landmarks Festival
Guest Orchestra: Boston Civic Symphony
Jupiter from The Planets by Gustav Holst
Symphonie Espagnole by Édouard Lalo
Symphony No. 7 by Ludwig van Beethoven

Saturday August 4, 7:00 - 9:30 pm
103.3 WODS Concert
Rick Springfield

Wednesday August 8, 7:00 pm - 9:00 pm
Landmarks Orchestra
In Concert with Boston Lyric Opera
Works of Puccini, Mozart, Wagner, and Bernstein.

Wednesday August 15, 7:00 pm - 7:00 pm
Landmarks Festival
Guest Orchestra: Longwood Symphony Orchestra
Piano Concerto No. 21, Wolfgang Mozart

Wednesday August 22, 7:00 pm - 9:30 pm
Landmarks Orchestra
Landmarks Virtuosos
Concertstück for Four Horns by Robert Schumann
Sinfonia Concertante by Franz Joseph Haydn
Symphony No. 4 Italian by Felix Mendelssohn

Wednesday August 31, 7:00 pm
Landmarks Orchestra
Boston Loves Shakespeare
Coriolan Overture by Ludwig van Beethoven
Henry V by William Walton
Music to Hamlet by Dmitri Shostakovich
A Midsummer Night's Dream by Felix Mendelssohn

Contact Information & Address:

Hatch Shell (Mass Department of Conservation & Recreation)
Storrow Drive & Mugar Way, Boston, MA
mass.gov/dcr