Concertgoers had to register on-line, then were told to meet at a secret location in the Chinatown section of Manhattan. From there, they were bussed to the concert location, which was also kept secret. The majority of the acts that would be appearing were also kept secret from the concertgoers. Admission to the concert was free.
The actual concert was shot on Downing Street in Brooklyn, NY on September 18, 2004. The scenes in Ohio leading up to the concert were shot three days in advance.
The college marching band used is Central State University from Wilberforce, Ohio.