DCR Hatch Memorial Shell

The Edward A. Hatch Memorial Shell (commonly referred to as the "Hatch Shell") is an outdoor concert venue on the Charles River Esplanade near downtown Boston. The Hatch Shell is best known for hosting the Boston Pops Orchestra annually for the Boston Fourth of July celebration, but is also used for free concerts most weekends and many weeknights during the summer months. The grass pavilion in front of the stage has no permanent seating. There is a memorial to Arthur Fiedler, first permanent conductor of the Pops, nearby. The original, wooden shell was built in 1928 as a temporary venue for the Pops with expectations of construction of a permanent structure in the near future. It was first used for a concert on July 4, 1929, with Arthur Fiedler conducting the Boston Pops Orchestra. A second, temporary shell, made of metal, was built in 1934, but owing to sparse funding throughout the Great Depression, construction of a permanent Hatch Shell was delayed until 1939-1940. Today's permanent shell was designed by architect Richard J. Shaw, given by Maria Hatch in memory of her brother, and dedicated on July 2, 1940. In preparation for its 50th anniversary in 1991, it underwent significant renovation and repair along with modernization of its acoustics by Boston architecture firm Finegold Alexander. Bostonian Howard Brickman, a master craftsman specializing in wood floors, re-created the intricate interior paneling of the shell by hand. Statue of Arthur Fiedler on the Esplanade near Hatch Shell One of the most memorable shows at the venue was on September 9, 1994 when Green Day held a free concert. The event was touted as the Welcome Back Weekend show for college students, and was sponsored by WFNX Radio. Tens of thousands of people showed up, and during the song, "Longview", Green Day's frontman, Billie Joe Armstrong, began ripping up a flowerbed and the crowd began violently rioting. Police formed a human chain, and eventually pushed the remaining fans off the Esplanade. Calm was restored after about two hours.