The day is finally here – BMW LSO Open Air Classics in Trafalgar Square starts at 6.30pm this evening. If you don’t already know what this is, you can find full details here.
If you’re planning to come, here’s a few practical tips which should help make everyone’s evening run smoothly and be even more enjoyable.
1. We advise you to come before 5.30pm in order to get a space in the square. Last year the square was full by 5.30pm and we had to close the entrances so that no one else could get in!
2. Once the square is full we will not open the gates again until the end of the concert, even if people leave during the show. If you arrive too late, we will be politely asking you not to try and watch from outside because this causes obstructions for traffic and pedestrians.
3. If you’re meeting friends, make sure they know to come early too. It’s advisable to meet inside the square.
4. Bring food and drink with you. But please don’t bring glass bottles – you will be asked to decant it into plastic jugs.
5. If you can’t bring food and drink with you we advise you not to leave the square to go and buy it once you’re in. If the square closes while you’re out, you won’t be able to get back in again! There’s a cafe on the lower level of the square which will be open until around 9pm. There’s also plenty of public toilets.
6. Please don’t bring furniture with you, but cushions and blankets are welcome. We’ll have cushions available to hire for £2 from wagons in the square.
7. The weather looks a bit changeable today, so be prepared for anything! Raincoats are preferred over umbrellas because these block the view of those behind you. We will also have some rain ponchos to hand out. We will continue to play if it rains as long as the rain isn’t blowing into the stage canopy – rain and expensive stringed instruments don’t mix! If we have to stop we’ll try and restart if we can. Keep an eye on the big screens and listen for announcements.
8. If you have access needs there’s a viewing area set aside for you on the upper terrace. There’s also an accessible toilet on that level.
9. Photography and posting to Twitter and Facebook is encouraged! We want to see how you’re enjoying yourselves. Use the hashtag #lsoopenair.
10. We expect the concert to finish somewhere around 8pm, depending of course on whether we have had to stop for rain…
We hope you have a fantastic evening and will see you again at the Barbican soon.
