By Alana Moss
DULUTH, Ga. | Have you ever watched a musician performing on a television show, and thought, “I wonder how someone gets lucky enough to be there?” Me, too. So, when I found out my favorite band, Green Day, was going to perform on Good Morning America’s Summer Concert series on Friday, July 26, I decided to enter a lottery for tickets.
Moss
I decided that if I was lucky enough to win, I was going (even though transportation to New York City wasn’t included). Because the audience is limited to about 250 people, I knew that it would be the best opportunity I would ever see the band up close. About 10 days before the show date, I got a message confirming my lottery ticket victory!
I actually already had tickets to see Green Day at Truist Park in August! But since they tend to play arenas, this was my chance to see them in an intimate setting.
My friend and I flew to NYC on Thursday afternoon. The next morning, at 5:45 a.m. (in the dark), we arrived at an entrance to Central Park and got in line. The tickets said not to get in line until 6 a.m., but since it was a general admission show, we figured we’d arrive a bit early.
Well, we weren’t the only ones with that idea—the line was already really long! But, the good news was that everyone was friendly, and in a great mood. The weather was perfect—sunny and cool—we couldn’t have asked for anything better.
At 6 a.m., the staff let the barricade down, and let us wind our way about ¼ mile around the park to get to the venue, where they checked our tickets and let us through security. We rounded a corner, and there it was: an intimate stage brightly lit showcasing the band’s instruments and surrounded by three large television screens glowing like embers with sunny promotions for Good Morning America (GMA). There was a small, grassy area in front of the stage (standing only), but we opted to sit near the back on bleachers, which were elevated for a better view.
About 7 a.m. a GMA staff emcee instructed us about how the morning would unfold and directed us when (and how) to clap, cheer, and wait. There would be a lot of waiting.
Basically, we would see the band rehearse a song, the staff would give feedback, wait, then another song, more feedback, more waiting, then the band would go backstage to wait for the beginning of the televised show. While we were in wait mode, the emcee kept us busy by calling on fans to sing Green Day songs acapella. The fans didn’t disappoint. They picked out favorite songs to sing. They knew the lyrics and sang on key.
Around 8:30 a.m., the show began. Green Day played about five songs, weaved in between brief interviews with Ginger Zee, Sam Champion, and Eva Pilgrim. It was incredible to be so close to the performers. The fans stood and sang throughout the show. It was a fantastic time.
Would I do it again? Absolutely. If you’ve ever thought about doing something crazy and impulsive, take the plunge. You won’t regret it!
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