RADIO CITY MUSIC HALL, NYC, The BIGGEST and the BEST !!
Written: Jul 18 '03 (Updated Dec 13 '05)
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Product Rating:
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Pros: Unbelievably gorgeous. The Rockets. The Christmas Spectacular, Top World Talent all year long!
Cons: Every seat is good, but, you must purchase better seats for up close view.
The Bottom Line: Radio City is the largest theatre in the world. It is world class in all it is and shows.
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| popsrocks's Full Review: Radio City Music Hall |
As a young child I remember going to Radio City Music Hall to see the Christmas Spectacular. It was and still is one of the most amazing shows you could ever see. Having seen the show before doesn't hold back the delight of seeing it again and again. I have seen it as a child. I have watched it with my children and I look forward to seeing it very soon with my two grandchildren.
I remember waiting on the lines outside the southern end of the building. Pretzel vendors would be selling their hot twists on a cold day. The smells in the air and the sounds of the bells of the street Santa's collecting contributions for the Salvation Army were always wonderful. There was always and still is an anticipation waiting, and moving slowly on line.
The ticket office is open most days from 11:00AM till 5:00PM. The hours are longer on some days and in different seasons.
The theatre is a short walk from the Times Square area. It's on 6th Avenue between %0th and 51st Streets.
There are parking garages nearby. I have used them many times. Figure on a forty dollar fee.
MANY TOP ARTISTS
Ever since the place opened the best artists of the time played this venue. Frank Sinatra and Ella Fitzgerald did this place too!
Years ago in the very early sixties I went to a show there with my parents. At the time they would show a movie and then have an intermission with a live show. I remember we saw James Brown doing his famous scenes with his cape up on stage. It's hard to believe the guy is still doing the same show now and still with great energy. A little OT right here. My son who is in a band did a show in England last year on the same ticket as James Brown. He said the guy still puts on a great show.
Back to the shows at Radio City. I believe Ringo Starr. Iron Maiden, Sheryl Crow, Nelly, and Mariah Carey are playing soon and many of the hottest artists play this venue all year long.
Just a year ago or so my wife and I went to see The Gypsy Kings there. They play some really fantastic upbeat Spanish music. What a great show it was and the buildings acoustics are marvelous. Ha, even the newly refurbished seats stood up to the abuse of this big guy standing on them.
INSIDE THE THEATRE
Built in 1932 Radio City Music Hall is the largest of any and all indoor theatres of the world. It is huge! It was designed by a gentleman by the name of Donald Deskey. According to the Music Hall Site he "chose elegance over excess and grandeur over glitz". What a perfect description of this place. It is a grand and elegant theatre that was recently renovated in 1999. The project cost over $70,000,000! I have seen it before and after. It's awesome indeed!
The stage has three sections with elevators that can help in making fast changes of sets. There is also a Wurlitzer Organ that is played before many shows. It too is a world class instrument.
The curtain for the stage is also the largest in the world.
The theatre has an orchestra and three mezzanine sections. Though the theatre is so large it was designed without any inside support columns. There are no seats with an obstruction in front of it.
The beauty of the theatre is the design of it. As you walk in you see in tones of gold a huge curved arch that goes from one end of the theatre to the other. The whole inside is magnificent!! It's all done in an art deco look.
OUTSIDE THE THEATRE
The marque of Radio City Music Hall is a city block wide. On top of it, in season, you can see a simulation of the famous Rockettes doing the slow motion theatrics of falling down after the cannon shot.
Radio City Music Hall was part of a whole make over and grand scale idea of John D. Rockefeller to design an area in the city that businesses, merchants, and the population would be drawn to. This whole area is named Rockefeller Center. He hooked up with the up and coming National Broadcasting Company. They have the NBC building and studios right across the street from Radio City named after themselves. The NBC building also is home of Rainbow Room. It was "the place to be" by all those who needed to rub elbows with the rich and famous. People from New York all over the world for a classy, dress up, night out.
Just under the NBC building and across from the Radio City is the skating rink and the site of the Rockefeller Plaza Christmas Tree that is now world famous. This area is just gorgeous in the winter. People flock here during the Christmas Holidays. It has fine little shops and cafe's. It really is a wonderful experience walking this area. Many people continue across the street and look at the windows of Sak's Fifth Ave. Right next to that one block uptown is St Patrick's Cathedral. I wrote a piece here on Epinions about an evening in the city this past winter.
THE CHRISTMAS SPECTACULAR
Every year the show goes on. If you haven't seen it before it really is hard to explain the enormity of the show.
It is expensive with tickets running between $50.00 and $150.00. This can be a once in a lifetime experience if you are from out of town. It's worth it! Try and get tickets ahead of time. The shows start in the beginning of November and run a week or two after Christmas.
The show has many different sets and scenes. Each one is larger and more grand than anything you may have ever seen before. This place is for tourists and New Yorkers alike.
I have been there many times and still hope for a couple more visits before............before I start bringing my great grand children.
Each year is a different show with many holiday scenes. A scene from the "Nutcracker is usually shown along with the Twelve days of Christmas, and sometimes a live animation of the Christmas story that starts with "Twas the night before Christmas and all through the house, not a..........".
I will always remember the "Sugar Plums" they had on stage one year. It's just one of those little things you never forget.
Those are some of the type of things you may see. Three things that are always in the show are the Rockette's as Wooden Soldiers, The Living Nativity Scene, and of course good old Santa. It's the "real one".
The Rockettes generally do a couple of numbers. We do get to see them in their famous kick line and their great looking legs! Later they don the Soldier Uniforms and do their famous cannon scene.
The Living Nativity is awesome. The full stage is used and also the wings. Live animals are on stage including camels.
Santa makes his visit too. The whole show certainly lives up to its name "Spectacular".
That's what the theatre is too. Come and do what over THREE HUNDRED MILLION people have already done. See a show at RADIO CITY MUSIC HALL !!!.
This is one of the many great NYC sites found in this book
The Great Sights of New York: A Photographic Guide
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Jewish Heritage Museum
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Something is Missing A Tribute to the good people and the twin towers that were lost on 9/11 http://www.epinions.com/content_3161628804
Millenium Hilton Downtown Great location for downtown sites.
Popsrocks Reviews
Recommended:
Yes
Best Time to Travel Here: Anytime
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