Amid protests and demonstrations against the lack of indictment in the Eric Garner case, thousands squeezed into Rockefeller Center on Wednesday night to see the annual tree lighting ceremony. Hosted by the hosts of The Today Show, the event featured performances from music stars such as, Mariah Carey, Lady Gaga, Tony Bennett, Cyndi Lauper, Darius Rucker, Seth MacFarlane, and Sara Bareilles.
Standing at 85 feet tall and covered in five miles of lights, the tree was the focal point of the event. When we arrived, we were herded (literally) by security into “pens” of barricades, and ushered down towards the tree. After moving a few times and potentially (definitely) stepping on a few toes, we made it into a prime spot on the right side of the tree. No one other than VIPs could see the stage, but luckily, massive TV screens covered the festivities for us average event-goers.
After hearing soundchecks from each performer, the pre-show began at 7:00. It aired on local channels, and featured songs from all of the performers. The live, national TV event began at eight, opened by none other than Mariah Carey. Following rumors that she would not appear at the show, MiMi sang her Christmas anthem “All I Want For Christmas Is You” live – a decision she probably regrets today. She can’t quite hit those high notes like she used to. Of all the acts, though, my favorite had to have been Seth MacFarlane and Sara Bareilles’ rendition of “Baby, It’s Cold Outside”. I knew Seth was multi-talented, but I had no idea he could sing like that. If you ever tire of listening to Michael Bublé’s Christmas songs (as if!), do yourself a favor and check out Seth MacFarlane’s “Holiday For Swing!” album.
Following an uncomfortably sultry version of “I Want A Hippopotamus For Christmas” by LeAnn Rimes, it was finally time for the tree to be lit. With a countdown from The Today Show hosts, the tree was lit, in all of its neon glory. I have only seen the tree lit once, in third grade, so this was a big deal. It was so magical to watch the iconic plaza sparkle with Christmas lights, and was definitely a moment I will never forget.