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Boston Pops Hits The Streets For Free Show In Stamford

STAMFORD, Conn. -- The Boston Pops invaded Stamford on Monday evening, performing a "Pop Up Pops" free musical performance on Bedford Street to promote the web broadcast of its famous July 4th concert.

Boston Pops Music Director Keith Lockhart snaps his fingers as a smaller version of his famous orchestra performs on Bedford Street on Monday. The event was held to promote the live web streaming of its popular July 4 concert.

Boston Pops Music Director Keith Lockhart snaps his fingers as a smaller version of his famous orchestra performs on Bedford Street on Monday. The event was held to promote the live web streaming of its popular July 4 concert.

Photo Credit: Frank MacEachern
The audience claps as the Boston Pops performs on Bedford Street  on Monday. The event was held to promote the live web streaming of its popular July 4th concert.

The audience claps as the Boston Pops performs on Bedford Street on Monday. The event was held to promote the live web streaming of its popular July 4th concert.

Photo Credit: Frank MacEachern
The audience fills the streets and listens as the Boston Pops performs in Stamford.

The audience fills the streets and listens as the Boston Pops performs in Stamford.

Photo Credit: Frank MacEachern
Audience members grab a chair, or a bit of sidewalk, to listen to the Boston Pops perform on Bedford Street on Monday.

Audience members grab a chair, or a bit of sidewalk, to listen to the Boston Pops perform on Bedford Street on Monday.

Photo Credit: Frank MacEachern
Steve Lange on the trombone, a member of a scaled down Boston Pops Orchestra, performs in Stamford.

Steve Lange on the trombone, a member of a scaled down Boston Pops Orchestra, performs in Stamford.

Photo Credit: Frank MacEachern
Two audience members move ahead of the crowd to get a closer view of the Boston Pops Orchestra in downtown Stamford.

Two audience members move ahead of the crowd to get a closer view of the Boston Pops Orchestra in downtown Stamford.

Photo Credit: Frank MacEachern
Boston Pops Orchestra Music Conductor Keith Lockhart in front of the tour bus parked on Bedford Street in Stamford on Monday afternoon.

Boston Pops Orchestra Music Conductor Keith Lockhart in front of the tour bus parked on Bedford Street in Stamford on Monday afternoon.

Photo Credit: Frank MacEachern
The audience watches and listens as a mini Boston Pops Orchestra performs on Bedford Street  Monday.

The audience watches and listens as a mini Boston Pops Orchestra performs on Bedford Street Monday.

Photo Credit: Frank MacEachern

The 12-member tour group hit Logan International Airport for a 7:30 a.m. performance, then jumped into their bus and headed to New York City for a 30-minute performance at 2 p.m. They finished up a day of performing with a one-hour show that began at 6 p.m. on Bedford Street in downtown Stamford.

"We thought, 'It's time to get into the Internet Age,'" Boston Pops Music Director Keith Lockhart joked as 11 members of the Boston Pops played ragtime music.

"We thought it was a lot of fun to do a grassroots promotion to get people to watch" the July 4th live web broadcast, said Kim Noltemy, chief marketing officer for the Boston Pops.

For the mini-tour, the performance had only 12 members, including Lockhart, Noltemy said, citing logistics.

A large crowd gathered on the nearby sidewalks, with many bringing their own chairs to watch the performance. In the background, an occasional cheer could be heard from German soccer fans at Tigin Bar and Capriccio Cafe as they watched their team defeat Algeria in World Cup action.

Lockhart couldn't resist joking that the cheering was meant for the Boston Pops. 

The section of Bedford Street between Broad Street and Spring Street was closed to traffic from 5 to 8 p.m. to accommodate the show.

But the concert caused evening rush-hour headaches for the east-west Broad Street traffic as the northbound Atlantic Street motorists rested in the intersection as they slowly made a left turn onto Broad Street because Bedford Street was closed.

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