Microsoft Corp. today announced that as part of its worldwide launch of Windows ® XP in New York, it would host a public concert dedicated to the people of New York City on Thursday, Oct. 25. International recording artist Sting will perform at the midday concert in New York’s Bryant Park. The concert will be webcast around the world on MSN ®, the most popular portal destination on the World Wide Web.
“We’re honored to be doing the Windows XP launch in New York and couldn’t be happier that Sting has accepted our invitation to perform,” said Bill Gates, chairman and chief software architect at Microsoft. “This concert gives us a chance to recognize the courage and resiliency of New York as we launch a new age in personal computing with Windows XP.”
The hourlong free concert will take place in the heart of midtown Manhattan, in Bryant Park at 1 p.m., capping the festivities of the Microsoft ® Windows XP launch held three blocks away in Times Square’s Marriott Marquis Theatre. The park will open at 11 a.m. the day of the concert.
Tickets, which are required for the free concert, are available at Manhattan retailers including two CompUSA stores on 57th and Broadway and 5th and 38th; FYE across from the Radio City Music Hall; three Gateway County Stores on Park and 17th, Columbus Circle and East 86th; J&R Computer and Music World on 15 Park Row; and Virgin Megastore in Times Square. Best Buy stores in Secaucus and Rego Park in Queens will also be distributing tickets.
For those unable to attend this exciting event, MSN Music and Intel Corp., a key Microsoft launch participant, will provide a live webcast exclusively for fans in the United States at http://music.msn.com/sting/ on Oct. 25. This site will also include other interesting information about Sting and his upcoming album. For those who miss the live webcast, it will be available one week after the event to view on demand.
Sting’s participation in the launch concert allows him to complete a project cut short by the events of Sept. 11. On that day, Sting was preparing for a global webcast of a concert from Italy that was to be recorded for his upcoming live album, “All This Time.”
With the news spread of the World Trade Center attack, plans for the concert were aborted. Instead, Sting and his band performed and webcast one song, “Fragile,” as a mark of respect for all those who lost their lives. They then shut the webcast down.
“Thursday’s concert and worldwide webcast will allow me to complete the project we chose to abandon due to the horrific events on Sept. 11,” Sting said. “I am especially pleased to do this in the city most affected, and in solidarity with all New Yorkers. I am grateful to Microsoft for giving me the opportunity.”
Microsoft will be making a donation of software at Sting’s request to two schools affected by the Sept. 11 attacks in thanks for his participation in the Windows XP launch concert. At Sting’s request, these schools will be outfitted with the latest in Microsoft ® software, as they work to reopen. The live Bryant Park Concert is being produced by dick clark communications. The webcast is being produced by RFD Productions. Founded in 1975, Microsoft is the worldwide leader in software, services and Internet technologies for personal and business computing. The company offers a wide range of products and services designed to empower people through great software – any time, any place and on any device.
