LIVE: Southside Johnny & the Asbury Jukes @ Empire State Plaza, 7/4/15

Photographs by Timothy Reidy

Price Chopper has presented New York State’s annual Fourth of July Celebration at the Empire State Plaza in Albany every year since 1976, but this year there was one big change.

The steps of the NYS Museum are being overhauled this summer, which means that the stage was re-located to the north end of the plaza in front of the State Capitol Building. And because the museum steps have traditionally been utilized as seating for the celebration, it also meant that the crowd was packed into a considerably smaller viewing area than in years past.

But with musical headliners Southside Johnny & the Asbury Jukes – who had played inside the plaza at The Egg just a few months ago – yes, we were definitely havin’ a party, even before the fireworks filled the sky.