The Concert in Central Park attendees. Although rain fell throughout the day and continued until the start of the concert, an estimated 500,000 audience members made this the seventh-largest concert attendance in the United States in history. The stage backdrop depicted an urban rooftop with water tank and air outlet, symbolic of New York's skyline. At twilight, the backing band went onstage, followed by New York's mayor, Ed Koch, who announced, "Ladies and gentlemen, Simon and Garfunkel!" The duo entered through a side stage door, took center stage amid audience applause, looked at each other and shook hands, and began the concert with their 1968
Concert in the Park (South Africa) Concert in the Park (South Africa) Concert in the Park was a benefit concert held in Ellis Park Stadium, Johannesburg, South Africa, on 12 January, 1985. 22 bands played at the benefit, which was attended by an estimated 125,000 people—of whom about 100,000 had purchased tickets. Proceeds of more than R450,000 went to Operation Hunger, a South African charity founded in 1978. The bands and solo artists who played that day were: The band Bright Blue knew they would not be available to play live, but lead singer and songwriter Rob Levitan wrote a song for the occasion, which was