Posts Tagged ‘Keith Lockhart’

Oh, say can you see those super-Boston-imposed fireworks at this year’s Boston Pops Independence Day spectacular? What we natives so proudly hail as the greatest city around, the twilight of works will be gleaming with NO Boston theme.

Last year, the Pops production popped up images like Fenway Park and the State House as works boomed within. The reproduction was a little off and forced on viewers. Taking away from the beauty of the flames.

“The public spoke … people didn’t care for it,” said Steve MacDonald, a spokesman for Boston 4 Productions. “We always try new and different things. We always look at the event and what would enhance the broadcast.”

Turning 39 this year, the Boston Pops will sparkle our Fourth of July on the banks of the Charles River. “From the mountains, to the prairies, to the oceans, white with foam…”

Millions tune into the  CBS broadcast for the nation’s premiere Independence Show.  Happy Birthday America!

The Hatch Shell opens at 9am, usually fills up by 2pm and the works bang the city by 8pm. FREELY.

Alcohol, glass containers and tarps larger than 8’ x 10’ will be confiscated if you plan on hatching it up at the Oval. If you don’t get a wristband to hang in the Shell all day. Don’t worry you can catch the rockets beaming the  Boston skyline all over the Back Bay.

It’s an all-day summer affair. Recorded live music will keep the grounds entertained early. As the Pops get ready to ship it with Fleet Week, The Drop Kick Murphy’s, Hollywood Jennifer Hudson, Mama Mia cast, Actor Michael Chiklis, and Keith Lockhart who will all be center stage for the halftime show.

Not only are the Drop Kick’s Boston bright, Chiklis is a hometown native who will shoot our homes this Fall as gangster Vincent Savino in the upcoming CBS drama series “Vegas”.

We’ll  be going Way Way Back, to Marshvegas for the Fourth but it doesn’t matter if we’re on the banks of the Charles River, a Castle Island feet or bobbing on a boat off Plymouth harbor.

We are free because of the BRAVE! Take a moment during your holiday red, white and blue to remember the sacrifices made by brave American service members that continue to defend our country and protect our freedom!

Boston’s annual 4th of July Pops concert is gearing up for yet another year of amazing musical performances, crowds decked out in patriotic regalia, and of course, a spectacular fireworks display over the Charles River.

This year’s celebration will be helmed by Massachusetts native Michael Chiklis, and will feature Grammy and Oscar winner Lionel Richie as the evening’s special musical guest. Richie will of course be backed by the world renowned Boston Pops Orchestra under the direction of conductor Keith Lockhart.

Chiklis, who was born in Lowell, Massachusetts, and graduated from Boston University’s School for the Arts, has worked most recently on “No Ordinary Family” and is best known for his role on the FX Networks series, “The Shield.”

The 38th annual outdoor concert on Monday, July 4th, begins at 8:30PM and leads up to the fireworks display at 10:30PM, and will be nationally broadcast on CBS.

In prior years, the special event has been hosted by “Late, Late Show” host Craig Ferguson, and featured the musical stylings of the likes of Toby Keith and Neil Diamond. This year’s celebration is expected to draw close to 500,000 spectators that will fill the oval in front of the Hatch Shell on the Esplanade, as well as line the blocked off areas of Storrow Drive.

Thursday evening, Chronicle’s Anthony Everett and NewsCenter Five’s JC Monahan were on hand to host Channel 5’s live broadcast of the annual Boston Common tree lighting ceremony, which featured performances by the Radio City Rockettes, 2006 “American Idol” runner-up Katharine McPhee, Grammy-winning R&B singer Patti Austin, a capella group Five O’Clock Shadow, the Boston Arts Academy, and the Boston Pops Gospel Choir, with a special appearance by Pops conductor Keith Lockhart.

Though the temperature was a brisk 38 degrees, one less than the number of years Boston has been holding its annual tree lighting ceremony on Boston Common, people still turned out in the hundreds to see the 50-foot white spruce decked out for the holidays. Attendees were also treated to goodies at the Boston Common Tree Lighting Sampling Village, where tents and vans handed out free samples of Dunkin Donuts hot chocolate, Nantucket Nectars juices, Hood egg nog, and more.

The tree was donated by Gary and Roseann Meisner of North Alton, Annapolis Valley, Nova Scotia, and selected by Ross Pentz of the Nova Scotia Department of Natural Resources. Nova Scotia sends a tree to Boston each year as a thank-you for the help the city provided after the explosion of a munitions ship in Halifax Harbor on December 6, 1917.

McPhee performed two songs off of her recently released third studio album, the holiday-themed Christmas Is the Time to Say I Love You, which was released in October. The singer first appeared on season 5 of “American Idol,” placing runner-up to winner Taylor Hicks. She’s also tried her hand at acting, making her debut in 2008′s The House Bunny, with What’s Your Number star, Anna Faris.

Check out video of Katharine McPhee performing a holiday favorite below!

Late night talk show host Craig Ferguson once again helmed Boston’s annual celebration on the 4th of July. The nationally televised concert put on by the Boston Pops at the Hatch Shell overlooking the Charles River featured country crooner Toby Keith, and was conducted by Keith Lockhart. The national telecast aired on CBS, and featured the usual patriotic tunes played by the Boston Pops orchestra, and 20 minutes of fireworks perfectly timed to a variety of current pop music recordings, including songs by Michael Buble and Lady Gaga. Though not in attendance on Sunday night, the “Pokerface” singer was in Boston July 1st and 2nd, playing to sold out audiences at the TD Banknorth Garden.

When arriving in town Wednesday night, the 24-year-old Grammy winner, known for her eccentric behavior and outlandish performances, grabbed some beers with Berklee band Semi Precious Weapons, her opening act, at the Bukowski Tavern in Inman Square in Cambridge, and was also honored with a special unveiling of an exclusive Polaroid to be displayed at the MIT Museum. Earlier this year, the woman who was born Stefani Joanne Angelina Germanotta, was named Creative Director of the Polaroid camera company. That same night, police were called to the Ritz-Carlton parking garage after a member of the paparazzi got into a scuffle with one of Lady Gaga’s bodyguards.