Photos: Central Park Homecoming Concert cut short and evacuated due to bad weather

Just as Barry Manilow was finishing a truncated version of “Copacabana” and embarking on that slow dance classic “Can’t Smile Without You”, an announcement flashed from the scene: Due to the approach of inclement weather, the attendees crowded onto the Great Lawn for Mayor Bill de Blasio called “the concert of the century” ordered to leave Central Park immediately.

The huge, fully vaccinated crowd moved east and west, and the evacuation – just before 8 p.m., just over three hours after the show started – was proceeding safely and at a speed impressive as the rain fell and lightning illuminated the area. But then the mayor of Blasio took the stage and anyone still within earshot heard him announce that the show would continue.

“We want to bring the concert back,” de Blasio said, as he stood in front of a sign that asked attendees to get out quickly and find shelter. He added, “Move to an indoor location briefly nearby. We will provide you with an update shortly.” Jeff Coltin, reporter at City & State, documented chaos:

This caused some viewers to turn around and turn back to the stage to wait for the end.

Among the artists they still hoped to see were headliners like Bruce Springsteen, Patti Smith, Paul Simon, Elvis Costello, Maluma and The Killers.

Meanwhile, CNN – the network broadcasting the concert to those at home – was also left hanging, at one point, bringing in Barry Manilow to sing on the phone with Anderson Cooper.

At this point, they thought the show could still come back, at least for airing. And it’s still not clear why – as Henri approached the city and de Blasio had previously declared New York under a state of emergency –a backup plan has not been put in place earlier in the week that would have allowed the show to continue for a home audience, live, say, from the Beacon Theater.

Following the confusion, another ad finally came out of Central Park, this time not from the mayor, telling those who returned, “This event has been canceled.”

For a few hours however, “We Love NYC: The Homecoming Concert” seemed to deliver on its promise of celebrating our city’s resilience while offering top-notch music programming for free. The festivities kicked off with the New York Philharmonic, acclaimed tenor Andrea Bocelli and opera Jennifer Hudson. After a long speech from the concert’s programmer, Clive Davis, things got a little more rock as Carlos Santana took the stage, performing a song with Wyclef Jean and two with Rob Thomas, who was wearing a “New York” t-shirt. Nowhere Gold “. for the occasion.

Other highlights include LL Cool J, Fat Joe, Reverend Run, Busta Rhymes, Melle Mel, Scorpio and A Boogie Wit da Hoodie ripping a mix of hip hop classics; Travel with “Don’t Stop Believin” and Earth Wind and Fire gets funky with Babyface Edmonds. All these “sets” did not last more than ten minutes.

As the concert grounds were evacuated, it turns out that Central Park was experiencing its “wettest two-hour period in its 151 years of record keeping.”