Paul Simon, Bruce Springsteen Join Central Park Reopening Concert

NEW YORK, NY — Paul Simon, Jennifer Hudson and Bruce Springsteen are the first big names to join the lineup for this summer's Central Park "mega-concert" that will celebrate the city's reopening, Mayor Bill de Blasio announced Thursday.

The additions make good on de Blasio's promise to book big stars for the concert, which is set to take place sometime in August on the park's Great Lawn.

First announced last month, the concert will be part of a "Homecoming Week" marking New York City's return to normalcy following the coronavirus pandemic. De Blasio has asked the legendary producer Clive Davis to find eight performers for the three-hour show.

"This is something for the ages," de Blasio said Thursday before announcing the first three musicians.

He described Simon as a "son of Queens," noting that the famed songwriter has a storied history in Central Park: his 1981 performance with Art Garfunkel, and a solo show a decade later.

Hudson, the mayor said, "captures the grit and determination we’re all feeling as we fight through this crisis."

And Springsteen is signing onto the concert days after his solo show became the first Broadway show to reopen, marking the return of one of the city's most prominent industries.

De Blasio called The Boss "beloved in New York City in an extraordinary way, even though he happens to come from Jersey — no one's perfect."

About 60,000 people will be able to attend the concert, with about 70 percent of free tickets going to vaccinated people, according to the New York Times.

The announcement was greeted with a mixture of surprise and excitement, though City Councilmember Ben Kallos told Patch last month he wanted to see more details about safety and logistics.

De Blasio promised more details, including a full concert lineup, in the coming weeks.

Previous coverage:x

• Central Park 'Mega-Concert' Eyed Warily By East Side Lawmaker
• Mega-Concert In Central Park Will Celebrate City's Reopening