Hatch Shell Concert Schedule
For more than 15 years, Oldies 103.3 has sponsored free concerts at Boston’s Hatch Shell. The official name of the program is the Oldies 103.3 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 Oldies 103.3 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 Oldies 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 eldest 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.
June, 2009
Saturday June 13, 7:00 - 9:30 pm
WODS Concert - Three Dog Night
Three Dog Night Rocks The Esplanade!
July, 2009
Friday July 3, 8:00 pm
Boston Pops Orchestra Preview Concert
Saturday July 4, 8:00 pm
Boston Pops Orchestra Independence Day Concert
Fireworks At Dusk
Saturday July 11, 7:00 - 9:30 pm
WODS Concert - The Temptations
Wednesday July 15, 7:00 pm
Landmarks Orchestra
Music of Verdi, Mendelssohn, Scarlatti, and Tchaikovsky's Capriccio Italien in a celebration of Italian culture.
Wednesday July 22, 7:00 pm
Landmarks Orchestra
Haydn's Cello Concert in C Major with cellist Jacqueline Choi, plus Brahms' Symphony No. 1.
Saturday July 25, 7:00 - 9:30 pm
WODS Concert - The Beach Boys
The Beach Boys Draw Nearly 100,000!
Wednesday July 29, 7:00 pm
Youth Orchestra of the Americas
Music of Bernstein, Dvorak, and Rachmaninoff's Piano Concerto No. 2 with pianist Gabriela Montero.
August 2009
Wednesday August 5, 7:00 pm
MIT Summer Philharmonic Orchestra
Tchaikovsky's Francesca da Rimini and Rimsky-Korsakov's Scheherazade.
Wednesday August 12, 7:00 pm
Landmarks Orchestra Classical Concert
Opera highlights featuring excerpts from Bizet's Carmen, Mozart's Idomeneo, and Britten's The Turn of the Screw.
Wednesday August 19, 7:00 pm
Longwood Symphony Orchestra
A "Star-Studded" evening featuring Mars from Holst's The Planets, music from Star Wars by John Williams, and Ravel's Piano Concerto in G Major.
Wednesday August 26, 7:00 pm
Landmarks Orchestra
Youthful music of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart and Felix Mendelssohn, including Mendelssohn's Overture to A Midsummer Night's Dream and Mozart's Sinfonia Concertante.
September 2009
Wednesday September 2, 7:00 pm
Landmarks Orchestra
Nature-inspired music by Respighi, Mendelssohn, Handel, and Landmarks Orchestra's newest commission, The Story of Frederick Law Olmsted, composed by Thomas Oboe Lee with story by Nancy Stevenson.
Wednesday September 9, 7:00 pm
Landmarks Orchestra
Brahms' final grand work, featuring Susan Consoli, soprano, Dana Whiteside, baritone, and the New World Chorale.
Contact Information & Address:
Hatch Shell (Mass Department of Conservation & Recreation)
Storrow Drive & Mugar Way, Boston, MA
mass.gov/dcr
