Alive@5 To End Season With T-Pain Performance In Stamford

STAMFORD, CT — The popular Stamford summer concert series Alive@5 will come close out its 2019 season Thursday night with performances by T-Pain and A-natural. The event will take place in Columbus Park in Downtown Stamford "at 5" p.m.

Sandy Goldstein, president of the Stamford Downtown Special Services District, said they are very excited to have T-Pain performing, the perfect way to cap off this year's strong roster of performers, which included 98° and Andy Grammer.

"We had really terrific music this season," Goldstein said. "We entertained a lot of people. So far, it's been a very positive experience."

Despite some high-profile performances, this concert series saw its share of challenges this year, mainly the weather. This year, the DSSD has had to cancel or re-position three out of four of its Wednesday Night Live concerts, which runs in tandem with the Alive@5 series.

An Alive@5 concert featuring 98° scheduled for July 18 also had to be moved from Columbus Park to the Palace Theatre on Atlantic Street due to inclement weather that day.

"We had one total wash out [for Alive@5], but we had three other very nice nights. There's a level of anxiety when you're producing an outdoor event that is like nothing you could imagine," Goldstein said. "We've been doing this for 20 years. We hardly ever had rain on Thursday or Wednesday night, and this year has been an apparition."

The erratic weather also took its toll on the financial success of the concert series, as well as attendance, which tends to go down when there is rain in the forecast.

"In terms of the entertainers, we've done extraordinarily well," Goldstein said. "In terms of the financial success, we've been hit very hard, because of when you cancel a concert or when people think it's going to rain and don't come."

Funding for the concerts comes from sponsors and money made at the gate. Compared to last year, Goldstein said the cost of the concerts was the same, however they "have raised much less money" this year. She also said exact figures were not yet available.

Nonetheless, Goldstein still finds the concerts have been successful in a number of areas this year.

"When it comes right down to analyzing the cost and benefits of these concerts, even this year we will have exceeded the receipts," Goldstein said. "We're still very happy with these concerts, because they bring a level of joy and dynamism to the downtown."

She also noted that guests this year have loved the concerts, as the series remains a summer staple for Stamford.

"It's kind of stressful, however it's been a wonderful concert series," Goldstein said. "It continues to be a signature event for our city, so it's really nice for us to be able to put it on."

The DSSD will meet in the next few weeks for the staff's internal evaluation of this year's event. Planning for next year will be completed in January, however Goldstein will not be around then, as she recently announced she plans to retire on Dec. 31.

Though this year's Alive@5 series will be her last with the DSSD, Goldstein will always cherish her time spent putting them together despite the stress.

"I enjoy every piece of [Alive@5]. I enjoy watching everybody have fun. I love it. It's one of my favorite events," Goldstein said. "It's hard work, but I love it."