The former Carrier Dome’s reign as the largest concert venue in Syracuse, N.Y., is officially over.
That’s because Lainey Wilson now holds the record for the biggest crowd in Syracuse concert history. The country singer drew an estimated 53,200 fans to the New York State Fair’s Suburban Park stage on Wednesday, Aug. 23, eclipsing the previous concert attendance records at both the Dome and the NYS Fair.
“I have never in all my years seen that many people at a concert at the fair,” said Joe Altier, a longtime local radio personality and musician known as Just Joe, on Facebook. “I’m here every year playing everyday and that crowd (for Lainey Wilson) was massive.”
No other concert has ever had a larger crowd in Syracuse, according to The Post-Standard archives and several figures in the Central New York live music scene we spoke with. Syracuse University officials confirmed the highest attendance for a concert was 47,319 for The Who at the Carrier Dome in 1982 — now the second largest concert crowd in Syracuse, behind Wilson.
“Wow,” New York State Fair Director Sean Hennessey said in an interview with syracuse.com | The Post-Standard. “That’s just, you know, an accolade that we never really thought we’d achieve but we’re really happy that it’s happened right here in Central New York at the Great New York State Fair. This is a great concert venue.”
The JMA Wireless Dome, as the Syracuse University stadium is now known, currently has an official capacity of 49,207 seats. Besides The Who, only seven other concert tours at the SU venue have pulled in 40,000 or more people: The Rolling Stones in 1981, Sting & The Police in 1984, Genesis in 1983, The Rolling Stones again in 1989 (80,000 over two nights), Bruce Springsteen in 1985 (80,000 over two nights), Billy Joel in 1990 (80,000 over two nights) and Pink Floyd in 1994.
Mick Jagger performs with The Rolling Stones at the Carrier Dome, Syracuse, N.Y., in this 1989 file photo. (Harry DiOrio | The Post-Standard)
Suburban Park is now the largest live music venue in Syracuse, as the JMA Dome will never be able to top 50,000 people like Wilson did at the Fair. Soon the Dome’s capacity will be reduced to less than 43,000 total seats due to new seating as part of a renovation project expected to begin next year. Modern stadium tour configurations also tend to eliminate a lot of seats behind the stage; for example, The Beatles legend Paul McCartney played to nearly sold-out crowds of 35,000 in 2017 and 2022.
And no other concert venue in Syracuse has the ability to hold as many people as the Dome or the New York State Fairgrounds. St. Joseph’s Health Amphitheater at Lakeview has an official capacity of 17,500 (though St. Joe’s Amp sometimes exceeds that number on the lawn); Upstate Medical Arena at The Oncenter War Memorial holds 7,000; and the Landmark Theatre has 2,908 seats. For perspective, Wilson’s audience was approximately three times the Amp’s capacity and more than seven times the War Memorial.
The New York State Fair lucked out in booking Wilson at just the right time, too, as the “Things a Man Oughta Know” singer’s star power has risen dramatically from opening act for Morgan Wallen at the Amp last year to winning ACM and CMA awards, appearing on the hit TV series “Yellowstone,” selling out her own concerts (including a February show at Keg’s Canalside in Jordan) and getting her song “Heart Like a Truck” in a Dodge Ram commercial. Hennessey didn’t say how much it cost to book Wilson, but said her booking fee has gone up seven times since Triangle Talent contracted her for the Fair in the spring.
“This is absolutely insane,” Wilson said at one point, looking out at the sea of people.
NYS Fair concerts are all free with admission, so attendance figures are calculated using a formula that largely centers on estimating crowd sizes in various grids around Chevy Court and Suburban Park, and then adding them up. In 2018, then-acting director Troy Waffner told syracuse.com | The Post-Standard that it leads to a final number that’s likely accurate within five percent. (Even if Wilson’s crowd was overestimated by 5%, she still would have had at least 50,000.)
Maybe it’s a little unfair to compare crowd sizes for “free” concerts (NYS Fair admission is $6 this year) to Dome events, which are ticketed and typically more expensive. A ticket for The Who in 1982 cost $15 (or approximately $47.50 in today’s dollars); with inflation, that means the Pete Townshend-led rock band grossed $2.2 million with a single concert filled with 47,000 people. (In 2017, the New York State Fair’s entire 13-day concert lineup cost $1.7 million in booking fees, even with big names like Lynyrd Skynyrd, Migos, 3 Doors Down and Earth, Wind & Fire.)
Only one other event in the Salt City has ever come close to the Dome and Fair attendance figures: Syracuse Jazz Fest. Approximately 40,000 people packed the Onondaga Community College campus for a free performance by Aretha Franklin in 2007 and 35,000 attended Ray Charles’ performance in Clinton Square in 2000, according to Jazz Fest founder Frank Malfitano.
Galaxy CEO Ed Levine told syracuse.com | The Post-Standard that the Taste of Syracuse has seen significant crowds, but noted that it’s hard to judge concert size at free events, especially a food festival or other events where there are multiple attractions. Levine estimated the highest Taste of Syracuse concert attendance was 25,000 for Gregg Allman in 2011.
It’s also worth noting that the New York State Fair, and any other venue or festival, will never top the current record for largest crowd at a music event in the greater Central New York region. More than 600,000 people came to Summer Jam in 1973, when the Allman Brothers Band, the Grateful Dead and The Band performed at Watkins Glen. The second-largest in CNY would be Woodstock ‘99, which drew 350,000 people to see Limp Bizkit, KoRn, DMX, Kid Rock and Red Hot Chili Peppers at Griffiss Air Force Base in Rome, N.Y. (K-Rockathon saw crowds of up to 35,000 at Vernon Downs in the ‘90s, and as many as 20,000 at the New York State Fairgrounds, according to Levine and The Post-Standard archives.)
Could another artist top Wilson’s record crowd at the NYS Fair? It’s certainly possible, and recent years have shown hip-hop drives some bigger crowds than traditionally popular genres like country or classic rock; Nelly drew 43,000 last year and City Girls performed to 39,000 people days later, while Ludacris saw this year’s second largest crowd with 39,400 fans on Thursday night.
An aerial view of Ludacris performing at the New York State Fair's Suburban Park Thursday, August 31, 2023. N. Scott Trimble | strimble@syracuse.comN. Scott Trimble | strimble@syracuse.com
According to Fair officials, Suburban Park (previously known as Chevy Park) does not have an official capacity limit because it’s an outdoor space without fencing. Unlike Chevy Court, which lends itself to a confined area within fencing, Suburban Park sprawls out around the “Experience Pond” and extends all the way back to the Midway. While it was extremely cramped when 40,610 watched A Boogie Wit Da Hoodie perform at Chevy Court in 2018, concertgoers could still comfortably move around when Wilson sang to 53,200 at Suburban Park.
Hennessey compared Suburban Park, which first opened in 2018 as the “New York Experience Stage,” to Central Park in New York City in terms of open space, allowing for large crowds to enjoy the concert both near the front of the stage and from far-off Adirondack chairs or picnic tables. The sound design at Suburban Park can’t be overstated; the music sounds phenomenally clear from a great distance, almost like an amphitheater.
Concerts at Suburban Park are supervised by State Fair Security, New York State Police, New York State Office of Fire Prevention and Control, AMR, and other agencies as needed, said Alice Maggiore, Associate Director of Public Information for the New York State Fair. Staffing levels are adjusted based on the anticipated size of the crowd for the concert. The State Fair coordinates with Triangle Talent, which books all NYS Fair concerts, on anticipated crowd size.
Attendance is also monitored from a traffic perspective with New York State Department of Transportation, New York State Police, Syracuse Parking, and Centro.
“At the concert level, we see this in action through a coordinated effort among New York State Police, our hired security, Fire, and other Emergency Service personnel, as well as our Fair administrative staff and representatives from our booking agency,” Maggiore said in a statement. “We have daily meetings where projected attendance at concerts is discussed to ensure that all emergency plans are in place to ensure all attendees have a safe, fun experience at The Fair.”
Could the NYS Fair see 100,000 people at a Suburban Park concert someday?
For starters, that’s unlikely. The all-time single day attendance record at the New York State Fair is 147,749, set in 2019, but none of the headliners that day (Rick Springfield and Theory of a Deadman) even approached the 25 largest crowds in NYS Fair concert history. Daily NYS Fair attendance doesn’t even average 100,000 people most years, and the crowds are typically spread out at food stands, rides, games and other attractions.
“The one key factor that we have is safety,” Hennessey said. “We always shoot for a safe environment for families. That’s the key focus for us, and as long as that’s going to be accomplished with the larger scale events we’re happy to move forward on those type of programs.”
Hennessey also said there are no plans to remove the pond near Suburban Park, calling it a “key feature” to the area where families can take photos. It’s far enough from the stage that it’s only a small obstacle for the truly largest crowds, like Wilson or Nelly.
But more Fair concerts with 40,000 or more people could be in the future. Hennessey said he loves a diverse lineup with shows that appeal to different groups of people; some of his dream acts to book would be the Gipsy Kings, a French-Spanish group known for rumba flamenco pop music, or the two remaining members of the Beastie Boys, though Mike “Mike D” Diamond and Adam “Ad-Rock” Horovitz have previously said they won’t perform live without late bandmate Adam “MCA” Yauch.
“This is a great concert venue,” Hennessey added. “It’s really geared towards families... We’re happy that they trust us enough to come here and enjoy our experience and we just want to make sure that they know that we are very thankful for their support.”
Billy Joel, right, and Elton John greet each other during their performance at the Carrier Dome in Syracuse, N.Y., on May 5, 2001. (The Post-Standard file photo)
The Biggest Crowds in Syracuse Concert History
1. Lainey Wilson – 53,200 at New York State Fair, Suburban Park, in 2023*
2. The Who – 47,319 at Carrier Dome in 1982
3 (tie). The Rolling Stones – 43,000 at Carrier Dome in 1981
3 (tie). Nelly – 43,000 at New York State Fair, Chevy Park, in 2022*
5. The Police – 42,000 at Carrier Dome in 1984
6. Genesis – 40,681 at Carrier Dome in 1983
7. A Boogie Wit Da Hoodie – 40,610 at New York State Fair, Chevy Court, in 2018*
8 (tie). Aretha Franklin – 40,000 at Syracuse Jazz Fest, Onondaga Community College, in 2007*
8 (tie). The Rolling Stones - 40,000 at Carrier Dome in 1989 (80,000 over two nights)
8 (tie). Bruce Springsteen – 40,000 at Carrier Dome in 1985 (80,000 over two nights)
8 (tie). Billy Joel – 40,000 at Carrier Dome in 1990 (80,000 over two nights)
8 (tie). Pink Floyd – 40,000 at Carrier Dome in 1994
13. Ludacris - 39,400 at New York State Fair, Suburban Park, in 2023*
14 (tie). Pink Floyd – 39,000 at Carrier Dome in 1987
14 (tie). U2 – 39,000 at Carrier Dome in 1987
14 (tie). Eric Clapton – 39,000 at Carrier Dome in 1990
14 (tie). Elton John – 39,000 at Carrier Dome in 1992
14 (tie). Billy Joel & Elton John – 39,000 at Carrier Dome in 2001
14 (tie). City Girls – 39,000 at New York State Fair, Chevy Park, in 2022*
20. Billy Joel – 38,500 at Carrier Dome in 2006
21 (tie). New Kids on the Block – 38,000 at Carrier Dome in 1990
21 (tie). Foreigner - 38,000 at New York State Fair, Chevy Park, in 2022*
21 (tie). Elton John – 38,000 at JMA Wireless Dome in 2022*
24. Billy Joel – 37,000 at Carrier Dome in 2015
25. Steve Miller Band - 36,900 at New York State Fair, Chevy Court, in 2015*
26. AJR - 36,397 at New York State Fair, Chevy Park, in 2021*
27. Luke Bryan – 36,000 at Carrier Dome in 2016
28 (tie). Paul McCartney – 35,000 at JMA Wireless Dome in 2022
28 (tie). Paul McCartney – 35,000 at Carrier Dome in 2017
28 (tie). Red Hot Chili Peppers – 35,000 at JMA Wireless Dome in 2023
28 (tie). Bruno Mars - 35,000 at New York State Fair, Chevy Court, in 2011*
28 (tie). Ray Charles – 35,000 at Syracuse Jazz Fest, Clinton Square, in 2000*
Note: All numbers according to official venue tallies and estimates from venues, or The Post-Standard archives. The NYS Fair’s Chevy Park was renamed Suburban Park in 2023. Syracuse University’s Carrier Dome was renamed the JMA Wireless Dome in 2022.
*Concerts with an asterisk are free; performances at New York State Fair are free with admission to NYS Fair.
MORE:
25 largest crowds in NYS Fair concert history: Ludacris makes list for 2nd time (update)
From Santana to Sir Paul: An exhaustive look at the musical legacy of the Carrier Dome