The Red Sox yesterday won city permission to host eight concerts at Fenway Park this summer, starting with the Dead and Company on June 17 and 18.
The Red Sox wanted to host twelve concerts, but city licensing head Christine Pulgini said nope after a hearing last month at which Fenway residents and City Councilor Josh Zakim said they didn't sign up for lots of concerts at Fenway on top of 81 Sox home games.
Lots of concerts were "not part of the bargain when people came to the neighborhood," Zakim said. He and residents cited public safety in general and noise, public urination and trash as particular concerns.
Sox officials said they had worked closely with neighbors to minimize the impact of concerts and would continue to do so.
They'll have to start with the Dead concerts, which raised Fenway neighborhood hackles.
Sox officials said Dead-specific steps will include overnight policing of Sox-owned parking lots to keep people from camping there before concerts and special cleanup crews to rush to them after the concerts.
Also, the Sox will look at installing extra portable toilets in the park area, possibly in the area of the Victory Gardens, for Dead fans. Oh, and they'll have "heightened" social-media postings, announcements and signs asking Dead fans to "respect the neighborhood."
In addition to the Dead concerts, Fenway will also hold concerts by Florida Georgia Line on July 7, New Kids on the Block with Boyz II Men and Paula Abdul on July 8, James Taylor on Aug. 11, Billy Joel on Aug. 30 and and Lady Gaga on Sept. 1 and 2. Rejected were four additional dates in July and August.
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Comments
going to a concert at fenway
By Scumquistador
Fri, 04/07/2017 - 9:55am
seems like a nice time if it was dece weather
Been to a couple
By Kaz
Fri, 04/07/2017 - 11:00am
It's actually a fun venue. Seeing Roger Waters do "The Wall" in front of The Monster was pretty cool.
You must be young
By lbb
Fri, 04/07/2017 - 11:08am
Possibly true for some definition of "the people" and "baseball mecca". In human terms, though, the "baseball mecca" popular status of Fenway is still rather recent. Before the pink hats and disneyification of the ballpark, it was a place where baseball fans -- people who actually know and care about baseball -- went to watch baseball games, not where people went to see and be seen because it was a trendy thing. It was not a corporate outing destination, a luxury box venue, or a major tourist attraction. Baseball fans went to games, maybe had a beer or two before or after, and then went home. If you're young, you probably don't remember those days, but I assure you, they are within living memory and they far outnumber the days of Disney Fenway.
You ever live near Fenway?
By anon
Fri, 04/07/2017 - 11:37am
Those week to two week stretches in the summer where the Sox go on the road are a welcome relief from the constant activity in the area.
People living nearby signed on for the Baseball season. They did not sign on for losing those quiet weeks when one can have friends in town or your parents visiting and such.
And just how does an event at Fenway prevent
By roadman
Fri, 04/07/2017 - 1:01pm
you having friends in town, your parents visiting, etc. Sounds like you're invoking the "Gee, others can't have fun because I find it inconvenient for ME" rationale here.
If you ever lived there
By anon
Fri, 04/07/2017 - 2:29pm
You would know.
It means that people can't use the T without huge crowds. Can't drive in without massive hassles or find a parking space. Can't go to dinner.
The list goes on.
But, hey LIVE THERE and I'll let you talk about it.
You don't have to love in
By Lmo
Fri, 04/07/2017 - 10:24pm
You don't have to love in Fenway to know what it's like, and the reasons above are why some of us don't live there!
you can see on another post here
By Scumquistador
Fri, 04/07/2017 - 1:08pm
my proximity to fenway. my parents retired some time ago and no longer live in MA, but when my mom comes she loves hanging out in the area. if the sox are playing it livens up the whole joint.
she also likes eastern standard, because shes smart and good
I'm disappointed, Adam...
By mseskin
Fri, 04/07/2017 - 10:51am
How does this headline not have an Eight is Enough reference?
Unfortunate that selfish residents and spineless
By roadman
Fri, 04/07/2017 - 12:58pm
City officials are allowed to invoke the WAAAHHHHmbulance to block an established venue from holding - OMG - concerts.
After all, it's not like Fenway Park just opened for business or that the residents aren't aware that it's there.
In a word - pathetic.
from my bedroom window
By Scumquistador
Fri, 04/07/2017 - 1:02pm
[img]http://i.imgur.com/rP6tLcl.jpg[/img]
i say bring it on. don't even care if its not during the baseball season. seriously, don't live next to a ballpark, major interstate, major state roads, massive hub of activity, et cetera, if you dont like noise. i mean honestly.
That some prime real
By whyaduck
Fri, 04/07/2017 - 1:09pm
estate ya got there, Scum.
You probably haven't lived in
By anon
Fri, 04/07/2017 - 1:27pm
You probably haven't lived in the Fenway very long and won't be here for long. Long term residents and voters knew about and enjoy the baseball season, but loud, disruptive concerts were added in a sneaky, underhand way.
?
By Scumquistador
Fri, 04/07/2017 - 4:00pm
i've been in and out of various neighborhoods in the city* for a long time, i dont know why you think that would change
*excluding stops in central square and newton
but uh, central square aint exactly quiet and living on the same street as riverside in newton, well, you get your fair share of shit.
but its a nice little trend you people have going on here where ANY dissenting opinion is invalid because _____________________
i suppose the red sox shouldnt be allowed to host deep post season games at fenway either, because of the relative dearth of those until recently lmao
Outdoor concerts are very different from sporting events
By Waquiot
Fri, 04/07/2017 - 2:24pm
It's all about the noise. The murmur of the crowd punctuated by occasional cheers is a lot different on the ears from drums and guitars run through amplifiers and blasted into speakers.
But hey, you suburban folk need somewhere to go.
And as others point out, 15 years ago there were no musical concerts at Fenway Park.
About that Reading Stadium
By anon
Fri, 04/07/2017 - 3:12pm
The one slated for your neighborhood.
It will feature non-MUCTA signage ... and teenagers! Large numbers of Teenagers roving your neighborhood until 2am.
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