Crowd of people enjoying concert in night club
The Alive At Five concert series in Stamford is coming to an end after 27 years.
The concert series had been part of the city’s summer entertainment scene since 1997 and it brought bands including Abba, America, Blind Melon, Blues Traveler and many more to downtown Stamford.
In 2006, Hootie & the Blowfish performed during a citywide blackout thanks to a generator that allowed the show to go on.
Stamford Downtown, which has produced and promoted the event since 1999, said it has decided the concert series will not return for another season.
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“Stamford Downtown is re-imagining its event and marketing programming to be more responsive to the tastes of the rapidly growing day- and night-time populations within Downtown and to continue to position Downtown as the center for dining and entertainment for Stamford, surrounding communities, and the region,” Michael Moore, president of Stamford Downtown, said in a statement.
Greg Caggainello, chairman of the Stamford Downtown Board of Commissioners, said they picked the name “Alive At Five” to combat a perception in the late 90s that the Downtown effectively shut down at 5 p.m. when office workers went home.
“That is no longer the case and hasn’t been for a long time. Alive At Five accomplished its original goal beyond all expectations and helped pave the way for Stamford Downtown to become the 24/7 destination and home to thousands that it is today,” he said.
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The concerts were initially held in Columbus Park for many years and then moved to Mill River Park in 2021 to allow the concert series room to grow.
“Am I sad to see it go? You bet! When we began the series there wasn’t a venue for miles to see the level of national talent that we brought to the Alive At Five stage. We started modestly with local favorite Sharkey and the Unknowns and built the shows over the years that included Southside Johnny, America, Joe Bonamassa, and The Bacon Brothers,” Lynne Colatrella, senior vice president of events and marketing for Stamford Downtown, said in a statement.
“In 2006 in a citywide blackout, Hootie and The Blowfish took the stage. I was most proud of that show because we had a generator and, even though there was no power for miles, we had a major concert in our Downtown with a national artist! We loved bringing Boyz II Men to our stage as well as Sugar Ray, The Beach Boys, and Third Eye Blind, who shut down the Downtown with lines around the block,” Colatrella added.
(E)ven though there was no power for miles, we had a major concert in our Downtown with a national artist!
Lynne Colatrella, senior vice president of events and marketing for Stamford Downtown
“Foreigner, Creedence, Bret Michaels, Michael McDonald, Shaggy, OAR, and Jon Batiste were a mix of treasured artists and ones just receiving Grammy gold. Ashanti and All-American Rejects both sold out their shows at Mill River, with 7,500 fans dancing in the park. I’d have to say my favorite artist and the one show I am most honored to have presented was BB King. To have that legendary artist in our backyard was beyond magical. We accomplished what our mission was and what we set out to do was beyond anyone’s wildest expectations. It was an amazing ride,” Colatrella added.
Stamford Downtown said it remains committed to hosting events year-round, including the festive Heights & Lights on Dec. 8.
