Music acts in recent years have included Lady Gaga, Katy Perry and Justin Bieber.
Adam LambertWestern Massachusetts is blessed with many great concert venues.
From the intimate settings of the Iron Horse Music Hall in Northampton to larger venues like the Mullins Center in Amherst, music fans have a wide array of choices, whether they like lesser-known indie acts or more famous mainstream artists.
But one stage often goes overlooked, and that because music is a secondary concern there Six Flags New England in Agawam has brought in some of the most popular artist ever to play in these parts. .
Although its primary draw is its array of amusement rides, Six Flags is no slouch in booking concerts. In recent years, the park has featured such stars as Katy Perry in 2008, Lady Gaga and Justin Bieber in 2009, Ke$ha and Bruno Mars in 2010, and LMFAO last year.
This year's opening show is Adam Lambert on Saturday afternoon.
Melissa Pinkerton, spokesperson for Six Flags New England, said that while most people come for the rides and stay for the show, the opposite also occurs.
"I think it's a little of both," she said. "Some people come to play all day, and the concert is a bonus. But either way, it's a great deal."
Pinkerton added that there is no extra charge for the concerts, which are included both with season passes and single-day admissions. Although shows are free with admission, preferred standing area tickets can be purchased for an additional $20.
While some of the shows are booked through Six Flags radio station, the list of high-profile acts that appear at the park's River's Edge Picnic Grove stage is quite impressive. How do they pull it off?
"We often have them booked right as they are taking off," Pinkerton said. "We had Lady Gaga booked just as she was starting to get popular. By the time she played here, it was crazy. And she brought her full show here. The props, the costume changes, everything. It was an amazing show."
The Adam Lambert concert is sure to draw enough attention just through Lambert himself, but Pinkerton noted that the show also has two other rising stars as support acts: Javier Colon, winner of The first season of "The Voice," as well as season two winner, Jermaine Paul.
While Lambert is definitely a show that will draw a huge crowd, Pinkerton said she also looking forward to the Flo Rida concert on June 3.
"He's been here before and he puts on a great act," she said.
Other shows will be announced as they are confirmed.
Playing shows at an amusement park is probably a nice change for artists on the road, often sleeping on your buses or trapped in hotels. So it's not unusual for the stars to request a ride on one of the coasters after the show, Pinkerton said.
"I think being here brings out the kid in everybody," she said.