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In a thrilling display representing diverse genders and generations – while addressing social causes – the Celebrate America Special concert on Wednesday on the themes of President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris’ Campaign and Inauguration: Focus on Unity and Embrace Diversity.
The prime-time event honoring and closing their grand opening featured pop stars, newcomers and rock legends. Emphasizing a wide range of America’s rich musical landscape, it included performances by Bruce Springsteen, Foo Fighters, Demi Lovato, Justin Timberlake, John Legend, Jon Bon Jovi, and Ant Clemons. The day before the event, Tim McGraw and Tyler Hubbard were added to the festivities. The couple performed their newly released Nashville-themed “Undivided” unit.
Hosted by Tom Hanks, the star-studded event also featured appearances from actresses Eve Longoria and Kerry Washington, basketball legend Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, chef José Andrés, union leader Dolores Huerta and premiere General Manager of Major League Baseball, Kim Ng. Lin-Manuel Miranda performed the classic work of Irish poet Seamus Heaney, “The Cure of Troy”; Biden recited the lines alongside him at the end.
The evening also included remarks from President Biden, who reiterated a call for unity and respect and spoke of optimism for the future – a prospect that the event summed up. Vice President Harris also spoke at the event, addressing America’s aspiration and determination: “Even in dark times, we don’t just dream, we do it,” she said. Former Presidents Barack Obama, George W. Bush and Bill Clinton also joined in a conversation, further emphasizing the call for unity.
Bruce Springsteen opened the musical set, delivering “Land of Hope and Dreams,” a song he started performing with the E Street Band in 1999 and which later appeared on the 2012 studio album. wrecking ball. He performed the song on acoustic guitar while standing on the steps flanking the Lincoln Memorial on the National Mall. The musician has consistently voiced his support for Biden and in October recounted Biden’s “Hometown” Scranton ad campaign, Pennslyvania with “My Hometown” serving as the soundtrack.
At the 2009 We Are One concert, which celebrated the new Obama-Biden administration, Springsteen performed “The Rising” and Woody Guthrie’s classic “This Land Is Your Land” alongside Pete Seeger and grandson of Seeger, Tao Rodríguez-Seeger. Today, 12 years later, it marked the rise of the former VP to Commander-in-Chief to launch the night with an optimistic vision into the future.
Jon Bon Jovi, who campaigned for Biden, followed with a touching and faithful rendition of The Beatles’ ‘Here Comes the Sun’ alongside his band mates on a pier in Miami, and, in a fortuitous moment, the Sun. burst in while they were playing. . Bon Jovi is politically charged 2020 album released in October. The LP deals with mass shootings, disinformation, police brutality, racial injustice and the pandemic, among other socially conscious topical issues, making its appearance in programming a fitting choice for a new administration. facing the challenges left as a result of former President Trump’s tenure. .
Newcomer Ant Clemons and veteran Justin Timberlake teamed up for their set, which aired from the Stax Museum of American Soul Music in Memphis, Tennessee. In many ways, Clemons ‘appearance was indicative of the aspiring artists’ American dream. The singer said Rolling stone he worked at Red Lobster and slept with friends while striving to break into the writing production community. He eventually hooked up with Jeremih, then Kanye West.
On Wednesday, Clemons’ talents shone in the national spotlight as he played “Better Days” with Timberlake. Their moving voice reassured that “better days are coming”. The gospel-tinged decor, which began inside the museum, quickly spread to the streets as students and alumni of Stax Music Academy joined them with a group led by Adam Blackstone for the dynamic performance.
Foo Fighters delivered “Times Like These,” which Dave Grohl dedicated to teachers, who, like his teacher mother Virginia and First Lady Dr. Jill Biden, “continue to enlighten the children of our country every day.” Grohl said the song took on new meaning around this time. Grohl said NPR that he originally wrote it when he was at a crossroads and at that time he “decided to choose hope and rebirth”. As the song dropped in 2003, he felt that “it definitely applies to how everyone is feeling right now. You know when you say it’s times like these, you learn to live again, it represents a new beginning. And I think a lot of people think that’s what we need right now.
John Legend, who has played several previous Biden and Harris campaigns and digital fundraising events, performed an uplifting rendition of “Feeling Good,” starting the song a cappella before taking his piano for the jazzy set.
Like many of her fellow performers, Demi Lovato supported Biden and Harris ahead of the election; she partnered with the Lincoln Project for a political campaign ad featuring the “Commander-in-Chief” criticizing Trump. From Los Angeles, she sang the classic Bill Withers’ Lovely Day, supported by people from all walks of life across the country who harmonized the chorus as the Biden family watched the set from inside the White House.
During an unannounced appearance at the National Mall, Katy Perry performed by surprise “Firework,” the resilience-boosting song as fireworks lit the skies over Washington, DC to close the celebrations.
The jubilant concert closed a day of inaugural musical events, which included Lady Gaga’s delivery of the national anthem, Jennifer Lopez’s performance of “This Land Is Your Land,” Garth Brooks performing “Amazing Grace” and New Radicals coming together for the first time in 22 years to play “You Get What You Give”.
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