Stayin’ Alive – Stamford’s Two Outdoor Concert Series are Back in Action

Sugar Ray at Alive@Five in 2014 

When Norwalk, CT-based R&B singer Omar Wilson hits the stage tomorrow at Wednesday Nite Live to open for Chaka Khan, he knows what to expect – he opened for Boyz II Men at Alive@Five back in 2015 – but after the pandemic kept him and every other artist from being in front of a crowd for over a year, he has one word to describe what it’s going to feel like to once again look out at a sea of smiling faces ready to have a good time – “Breathtaking!!”

Alive@Five, and Wednesday Nite Live (formerly Jazz-Up July) have been staples of the summer in Stamford for nearly 25 years. Alive@Five typically features acts that skew towards a younger audience, with this year’s lineup including Third Eye Blind, and Ludacris, while Wednesday Nite Live is for a slightly older crowd, with Jefferson Starship, Village People, and the aforementioned Chaka Khan among this year’s acts. 

 

 This year’s lineups (click to enlarge)   

Booking this year’s shows was a unique experience, as it had to be done before anyone knew when live music would be able to return.

Normally a July/August affair, Annette R. Einhorn, who is the Director of Events and Marketing for Stamford Downtown Special Services District, says September became the target month for 2021, noting, “We thought it would be a safer time frame to conduct the concerts.”

While Einhorn had no trouble booking all the dates, Wilson admits the uncertainty of COVID had him wondering if this would be yet another cancelled show.

Thankfully, everything has worked out, and Wilson is thrilled, saying having these shows throughout September is “definitely needed for people’s sanity,” adding, “I think it will do amazing things for everyone’s spirit.”

Conor Horrigan, who is the Founder and Chief Hoptimist at Half Full Brewery, which is a first time sponsor of Alive@Five and Wednesday Nite Live this year, agrees with Wilson’s sentiment, saying he feels the shows are “huge for the community,” adding, “Anything that brings people together regularly, and gives them something to look forward to, is great for the Stamford community.”

 

 Omar Wilson performing at Alive@Five in 2015 

Longtime concert goers will notice a few changes to this year’s proceedings. First off, people can purchase tickets in advance rather than having to attempt to get to the gates as early as possible. Second, another thing that can, and in this case has to be done in advance is the new requirement of proof of vaccination, or a negative COVID test within 72 hours of the show.

Perhaps the biggest change, however, is the location, as the shows have moved to Mill River Park.

“Conversations were happening prior to COVID about the possibility of moving to Mill River Park,” Einhorn explains, “COVID solidified our decision to make the move … to give everyone plenty of room to spread out, and give everyone the space they need to enjoy the concerts safely.”

Wilson loves the community-based outdoor shows, saying the crowd is “a mosaic on full display,” noting the concerts are a “social gathering of all nationalities having a good time, and bonding, despite our physical differences.”

We all have music in common, and Wilson, and a host of others, are ready to get us together throughout September, and bring summer to a close on a joyous high note.

 

For more info on Alive@Five, and Wednesday Nite Live, go to stamford-downtown.com, and for tickets to shows, click here.