Just watched the Boston Pops Concert...

[BostonTigger]

...and it could have done without David Lee Roth. Otherwise I thought it was a great show. Although, they did cut for an ad right in the middle of the 1812 Overture...that really irked me. What 4th of July concert/show did you watch? Did you even see a 4th of July concert? I watched it with my fiancee eating Chinese I know, it sounds strange. So what did you do?

 

[chell]

I saw the last half of the show. I was most excited since I've been to the Shell before. How sad is that? Boy that place is beautiful!

 

[CindyKansas]

Also watched the Boston Pops Concert, I was really looking forward to hearing the 1812 Overture and lo and behold, commercial break. Oh well, that's the way it goes I guess.

 

[Randi]

I was disappointed this year in all the singing. I didn't think any of the guests were as good as other years. And a commericial break? Good grief! Hope that director got flack from that!

 

[floridaminnie]

Only watched parts of the Boston Pops...A&E did a much better coverage then CBS has ever done covering the Pops...hopefully one day I'll be able to go, but then I saw a documentary on PBS and couldn't believe how many people go...amazing.

 

[ToriLammy]

We had it on, we have watched it every year on A&E for about 10 years now. The CBS coverage was terrible. Anyone know why they moved it from A&E? I hate seeing a family tradition die but the move to CBS might have killed it for us.

 

[KaterBell]

The fireworks were excellent!! Someday we'll go in person, I think.... but not sure how I'll deal with the 500,000 other people.... now that's a crowd.

Loved how the fireworks went to the music....especially during "What a Wonderful World"...

 

[Virgo10]

I've been several times... once to the Hatch Shell and the rest of the time to Cambridge which has the best view of the fireworks. Didn't go this year because they took the speakers and video screens out of Cambridge. I've got two other threads/rants about that so I won't bring that up again.

I was glad I didn't bother going. I thought the music part of the fireworks was terrible and Jennifer Holliday did more screaming than singing.

It was interesting to me that last year there were around 600,000 people there on a terribly hot and humid day. This year, with perfect conditions, there were only 400,000. Looks like the word got out about them deleting the speakers.

Like others who have posted, I couldn't believe they went to a break in the middle of the 1812. I was listening to the concert on the radio so I heard the entire thing but how dumb to do that.

Roberta

 

[goofy4tink]

Watched it from the Cape with the in-laws. My b-i-l called from his car to find out what radio station it was on and we didn't know. Ah well..maybe he found it. We also hated that break to 'go national' in the middle of the 1812 overture. And we want to go back to A&E also. You couldn't even hear the howetzirs go off. We were there last year, but only on Storrow Dr. Vowed to never go again...it was way too big a zoo. But, last night's coverage was dismal. And the performers weren't all that inspiring either. And I hated the Tanglewood Choirs outfits. That blue shirt with the sort of red tie...yuck.

 

[LindaG4458]

The Boston Pops 4th concerts used to be broadcast on the Boston ABC channel, 5, and on A&E. Last summer, just before the 4th, ABC and A&E lost the broadcast rights to CBS for the usual reason, MONEY!!. I don't remember how long the new contract lasts. If you do a search in the Boston Globe archives for late June/early July 2003 you should be able to find the articles.

 

[Margie J]

Of the entertainers I thought Ms. Silva, the Pops Search winner, did the best. She has an amazing voice. I was disappointed in David Lee Roth. The dapper Dan getup just doesn't fit him. Jennifer Holiday looked great but she can sing so much better than that.

The fireworks were fantastic.

 

[BostonTigger]

I'm planning on emailing them to complain about the coverage. I say everyone else do the same thing....maybe they will do something about it next year.

 

[kylara]

I didn't watch any this year because I couldn't find the pops on here. It seems like the local CBS affiliate here didn't have it. Although, I must say, I was very disappointed with last years coverage anyway so wasn't thinking this year would be any better. It is hard though...it has been a tradition for me to watch the pops on the 4th since I moved out of MA in '94...well actually before that...would watch the pops on TV and then look out the window of my house and see the fireworks.

I still remember during college actually going over to the Charles to watch them. Nothing like being on the lawn with thousands of other people.

 

[WebmasterAlex]

I thought cutting in with the commercial was terrible, the other issue I saw was their sound man did a horrible job with the cannon and bells, you could barely hear them!

 

[jjskribs]

I agree the coverage was terrible this year! I thought the guest artists were horrible except for Tracy Silva........ she did a fantastic job. This was definitely the worst Pops July 4th concert that I have seen. Although I usually like Harry Smith he added absolutely nothing to the show.

 

[BostonTigger]

I just emailed Channel 4 and complained. So hopefully something will come out of it. I'd have to agree with you Alex...you could not hear any of the cannons or bells.

 

[Wagamama]

Aw...I liked David Lee Roth! I thought it was a great show and gets incredibly better ever year. The whole commercial aspect of it did however irk me a great deal.

 

[Snowwark]

Originally posted by BostonTigger
...and it could have done without David Lee Roth. Otherwise I thought it was a great show. Although, they did cut for an ad right in the middle of the 1812 Overture...that really irked me. What 4th of July concert/show did you watch? Did you even see a 4th of July concert? I watched it with my fiancee eating Chinese I know, it sounds strange. So what did you do?

We watched it too, and had the same complaints/questions.

DH also thought the cannon firing wasn't timed quite right, although we understand it's a difficult thing to get perfect.

All in all, we enjoyed it very much!

...all the way up here in Canada!

 

[msdznyduck]

Watched the Macy's fireworks at 9 instead. We were at the Boston Pops last year, which was wonderful, but extremely hot and humid. So didn't want to watch it on TV this year cause I know I would have been disappointed.

 

[aprincessmom]

We were at the concert and fireworks and it was spectacular...the crowds were wonderful, the weather terrific and the fireworks were the best I've ever seen. Glad we saw it live because it sounds like the broadcast was less than spectacular.

DD commented that we have to come back each year now because she can't watch it on TV anymore...she said "it's just not as heart thumping!" and I think she may be right