"Wall To Wall Sondheim" LIVE on XM Radio Online- FREE! (kinda)

[Broadway Matt]

Posted: 3/19/05 at 11:40am

Hey everyone, I've just made an amazing discovery that you'll want to take advantage of if you're around right now. Today is Symphony Space's "Wall To Wall Sondheim" festival, in which they honor the man for 12 straight hours on their stage, featuring performances by over 100 amazing people throughout the day. If you hadn't heard about this, it truly is a massive event, all presented for free to a first come first serve audience. To see for yourself how huge this is, check out this schedule:

http://www.playbill.com/news/article/91818.html

Anyway, my big news is this. For those who aren't in NY today or who (like me) just can't deal with that kind of crowd (apparently thousands have been lined up since early this morning), the other option is XM Radio. The full 12 hours is being broadcast live on the pay satellite service. I'm guessing that not too many people here actually own the proper equipment and subscribe to XM.

BUT-

I was browsing their site trying to convince myself to buy an XM radio device and found that they are kind enough to offer an option called XM Radio Online, where you can actually listen to anything on the XM network as streaming audio through the Internet. Naturally it costs money to subscribe to the online service, but the good people of XM offer a free 3-day trial with no strings attached, to let people try it out. And what better day is there to consider the exciting new world of commercial-free satellite radio?

All you need is an email address and the proper Windows Media software and IE, they don't ask for a credit card number or try and trap you into anything, all you have to do is register your name and email, and they give you a login name that simply stops working in 3 days.


So I've got my trial up and running, and as I write this, am sitting here listening LIVE to a cast of talented youngsters performing excerpts from INTO THE WOODS JR. Hopefully this reaches some of your who are as excited for this 12 hours as I am and don't mind mildly taking advantage of a satellite radio company in the name of entertainment. I had planned to get so much done today, but now I'm thinking my living room is a decent place to spend the next half-day. If you're thinking something similar, you just need to hit

http://www.xmradio.com/xstream/

and the event is being broadcast on Channel 28.

Updated On: 3/20/05 at 11:40 AM

[GovernorSlaton]

Posted: 3/19/05 at 11:48am

I was going to listen to the four hours being broadcast on another site, but I think I'll try this instead. :)

[apdarcey]

Posted: 3/19/05 at 11:52am

thank you for this.

[Broadway Matt]

Posted: 3/19/05 at 11:57am

it's awesome, you hear what the audience is hearing. it's basically like being there, only in a more comfortable chair. if you're still making up your mind, you'd best hurry up and get registered. Edelman, Ripley, Callaway, and Arden are all set to perform in the noon to 4 time slot. There also appears to be some woman named Stritch on the schedule to sing a ditty about women who enjoy a mid-morning meal. Alright, I'm calming down and ordering a pizza.

[apdarcey]

Posted: 3/19/05 at 11:58am

do you have a location with the schedule for me to see?

[morosco]

Posted: 3/19/05 at 12:00pm

Wow! I'm listening on XM Satellite as well. Weren't the kids performing INTO THE WOODS marvelous?

Here's the link to the 3 day free offer from XM Satellite Radio:
XM Satellite Radio

[staticradar]

Posted: 3/19/05 at 12:01pm

for full schedule

http://www.symphonyspace.org/genres/eventPage.php?genreId=1&eventId=1005

[apdarcey]

Posted: 3/19/05 at 12:02pm

thanks so much!

[morosco]

Posted: 3/19/05 at 12:02pm

Here's a link to the performer/song line up for today:
Symphony Space

[GovernorSlaton]

Posted: 3/19/05 at 12:04pm

I joined, but how do you get to the channel it's on?

[apdarcey]

Posted: 3/19/05 at 12:05pm

play music - channel 28

[morosco]

Posted: 3/19/05 at 12:05pm

The XM Broadcast is on channels 28 and 200

[GovernorSlaton]

Posted: 3/19/05 at 12:07pm

Thank you SO much.

[iluvtheatertrash]

Posted: 3/19/05 at 12:10pm

I am sitting here DROOLING.

[Broadway Matt]

Posted: 3/19/05 at 12:22pm

this has been my good deed for the month, and I'm glad that I'm not the only one sitting around being a geek on this lovely saturday afternoon.

and may I just say, I LOVE Alice Ripley.

[morosco]

Posted: 3/19/05 at 12:24pm

Ripley was a MARVELOUS Amy in the Kennedy Center's COMPANY. For me she was the highlight of the production.

[GovernorSlaton]

Posted: 3/19/05 at 12:24pm

The last notes of Getting Married Today were heavenly.

Oh, and Edelman's Marry Me a Little probably ties with Michael Rupert's as my favorite.

[iluvtheatertrash]

Posted: 3/19/05 at 12:27pm

Edelman sang the hell out of that.

[GovernorSlaton]

Posted: 3/19/05 at 12:29pm

I was looking at the list of performers for the day...

Carolee is singing There Won't Be Trumpets and Move On (with Gregg).

Brilliant.

[Broadway Matt]

Posted: 3/19/05 at 12:32pm

I'm more of a Barrowman guy when it comes to "Company", but Rupert is pretty wonderful too. Best Marvin in the business. Man, I'm physically experiencing a kind of panicked anxiety waiting for Stritch to come out. I feel underdressed. I'm going to change.

[GovernorSlaton]

Posted: 3/19/05 at 12:34pm

With So Little to be Sure of was wonderful.

[iluvtheatertrash]

Posted: 3/19/05 at 12:38pm

Melissa's glorious. Do you think it was in her key? Supposedly she'll only sing in one key. Wonder how true that is.

[Broadway Matt]

Posted: 3/19/05 at 12:39pm

oh my god, I'm just realizing how packed the 8-11 PM slot is. It's tempting to head up there and wait all day for a seat just to see Lansbury and Hearn do "Priest". Or even just to see Barbara Cook do anything.

[GovernorSlaton]

Posted: 3/19/05 at 12:41pm

I think I'm going to faint after seeing the 8-11 slot, but then I won't be able to hear it.

*turns speaker up and walks back to chair woozily*

[apdarcey]

Posted: 3/19/05 at 12:45pm

that tierney sutton song was so brilliant. i love it... i had never heard it before.