The Celebrate Brooklyn concert on Aug.
4, featuring Ben Folds, Rufus Wainwright (pictured) and Ben Lee,
which is a benefit for the performing arts series, sold out last
Saturday. This is great news for Celebrate Brooklyn, but bad
news for those left without tickets.
"We’ve never had a sold-out Celebrate Brooklyn benefit concert
in four years," said Jack Walsh, Celebrate Brooklyn’s executive
director.
"It’s a very hot ticket," said Walsh of the show, which
is the only New York City stop on the musicians’ "Odd Men
Out" tour.
A ticketed event, such as the Aug. 4 performance, which charges
$35 a pop, helps Celebrate Brooklyn raise funds to support its
free programs for which there’s just a $3 suggested donation.
While there is just one benefit show this summer, there are 24
free events, Walsh said. (The series’ opening night concert,
featuring Rickie Lee Jones, was also a benefit for the series,
but it allowed non-ticket holders to take seats outside of the
VIP area. That seating will not be available for the Aug. 4 show.)
What’s particularly appealing about the show – a mixture of alternative
rock and theatrical pop – is that the headlining acts, Wainwright
and Folds, are appearing together as solo artists, each performing
with their own full band.
Wainwright’s performance comes after the release of his second
album, "Want Two," which is oozing with operatic vocals,
symphonic arrangements, religious references and even Latin.
Folds, singer and songwriter of Ben Folds Five, came to fame
in the late ’90s. Following the breakup of the band in 2000,
Folds pursued a successful solo career, showcasing his talents
as a piano player, singer and songwriter.
Keeping in mind that the show is sold out, we don’t want to get
too many a disappointed fan’s hopes up. But all is not lost.
If you’re dying to hear these artists in action, and we emphasize
the word "hear," you may do so without a ticket – if
you don’t mind lounging on the grass on the other side of an
8-foot fence, which will be put up to obscure the view of the
stage for non-ticket holders.
The Aug. 4 show begins at 7 pm at the Prospect Park band shell
at Ninth Street and Prospect Park West in Park Slope. For more
information about upcoming performances, call (718) 855-7882
ext. 45 or visit www.celebratebrooklyn.org.
