Concertgoers scramble as thunderstorm approaches

By Globe Staff

About 25,000 people who were gathered at the Hatch Shell on the Esplanade in Boston this evening for a concert had to look for cover when the skies darkened and a thunderstorm approached.

People were offered shelter in a Storrow Drive tunnel or told they could stay outside and get soaked, said Steve MacDonald, a spokesman for the festivities.

With organizers expecting the storm to clear up quickly, the rehearsal concert featuring country band Rascal Flatts will still go on as planned, beginning at 8:30 p.m., he said.

"All we can say to those sticking it out is that they may be a little wet, a little soggy, but we’re going to have a great concert. If the people hang around, they’ll be rewarded with an hour and a half of a good show," he said.

The incident came as thunderstorms rumbled across the state, a phenomenon that has become a daily ritual.

Weather spotters reported lightning strikes and trees and wires down in numerous communities across the state.

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