NEW YORK (WCBS 880) — New York City is planning a mega-concert at Central Park to celebrate the Big Apple's rebirth and reopening from the pandemic.
As first reported by the New York Times, music industry giant Clive Davis has been tapped to produce the show.
The target date is Aug. 21 and the concert would be held on the Great Lawn.
"We decided to do something classic, iconic, a massive concert in Central Park to celebrate the rebirth of New York City," Mayor Bill de Blasio said during his daily briefing Monday. "It will celebrate the summer of New York City, the comeback, and it will emphatically make the point there is no stopping New York. It's going to be a great lineup."
No artists have been confirmed, but the 89-year-old Davis has worked with some of the biggest names in music, including Bruce Springsteen, Alicia Keys and others.
The early plans call for eight "iconic" stars to perform a three-hour set in front of 60,000 people.
The concert would also be broadcast on TV worldwide.
Davis, who grew up in Brooklyn, tells the Times that he was "greatly honored" when de Blasio contacted him three weeks ago, asking him to put the show together.
"I turned to Clive, I said, 'I need the biggest, most extraordinary, all-star lineup you could put together. Heavy on New York artists. He said, 'I'm on it, I'm going to make it happen,'" de Blasio said.
The majority of tickets will be free, with some VIP seating.
The event will be the centerpiece of what's being called a "Homecoming Week" for New York.
“This concert is going to be a once in a lifetime opportunity,” de Blasio told the Times. “It’s going to be an amazing lineup. The whole week is going to be like nothing you’ve ever seen before in New York City.”
"Homecoming Week" is the brainchild of Danny Meyer intended to bring New Yorkers together to celebrate and support the city.