James Keivom/New York Daily News
John Mayer performs at the 2013 Global Citizen Festival concert in Central Park on Saturday.
There aren’t many events that could bring together stars like Alicia Keys and John Mayer with the secretary general of the United Nations and the president of the World Bank.
But Saturday’s sprawling Global Citizen Festival in Central Park bridged both worlds with ease. Like last year’s inaugural event, the Global Citizen show took place on the Great Lawn before 60,000 fans. It presented the aforementioned stars, along with Stevie Wonder, Kings of Leon and Elvis Costello, as well as speakers like the crown princess of Denmark, the president of Liberia and a slew of U.S. congressmen.
They all gathered for a related cause: the Global Poverty Project, which urges world leaders to help end extreme poverty by 2030. The concert coincided with the United Nations General Assembly meeting in the city.
The project had a savvy way to make sure fans did more than just enjoy the music. To score a free ticket to the event, attendees had to log on to the cause’s website, where they accessed content, which they then had to share with friends via social media. The content featured information about issues from education to women’s rights.
Some fans said they found the process a snap. Alison Eder, 32, of the East Village went to the organization’s website, completed her membership enrollment and the tickets were quickly sent.
“It was as easy as that,” she said.
But a 34-year-old woman who would only identify herself as Alicia said it “seemed like a lot of trouble. We got them on eBay for $50.”
Saturday’s music proved far more wide-ranging than last year’s show. While the 2012 event stressed the raging rock of Neil Young, Foo Fighters and the Black Keys, the sophomore event surveyed blues (Mayer), southern-rock (Kings of Leon), modern R&B (Keys) and classic soul (Wonder).
Kings of Leon played the first set of the day, opening with a spiky and rousing take on their new single “Super Soaker.”
The show also boasted a solo segment from Costello melding a new song “Trip Wire” with the classic, “(What’s So Funny ’bout) Peace Love and Understanding.”
The star-packed event also featured presentations from Bono and Hollywood brand names like Katie Holmes, Olivia Wilde and Gerard Butler.
jfarber@nydailynews.com
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