„Celebrating America“ ​​concert: Watch Katy Perry, Bruce Springsteen, more

In an exciting show that represents different types and generations – while addressing social causes – the Celebrating America A special ceremony was held on Wednesday built on the President Joe Biden And vice president Kamala HarrisThemes of the campaign and the opening: Emphasizing unity and embracing diversity.

The honored climax event and the opening conclusion featured pop stars, newcomers and rock legends alike. Highlighting a wide range of America’s rich music scene, and including performances before Bruce SpringsteenAnd the Faux fightersAnd the Demi LovatoAnd the Justin TimberlakeAnd the John LegendAnd the John Bon JoviAnd and Ants clemons. The day before the event, Tim McGraw And the Tyler Hubbard It was Added to the celebrations. The couple performed „Undivided“ from the newly released Nashville title Loneliness.

The star-studded event was hosted by Tom Hanks and also featured actresses Eve Longoria and Kerry Washington, basketball legend Karim Abdul-Jabbar, Chef Jose Andres, Labor leader Dolores Huerta, and the first major league general manager Kim Ng of baseball. Lin-Manuel Miranda performed the classic work of Irish poet Seamus Heaney’s „The Trojan Cure“; Biden read out the lines next to him at the end.

The night also included remarks from President Biden, who reiterated the call for unity and respect and spoke of optimism for the future – a peek at the event. Vice President Harris also spoke at the event, speaking of American ambition and determination: „Even in troubled times, we don’t just dream, we dream,“ she said. Former presidents Barack Obama, George W. Bush, and Bill Clinton also collaborated to hold a conversation, further highlighting the call for unity.

Bruce Springsteen opened the band and introduced the song „Land of Hope and Dreams,“ a song he started singing with E Street in 1999 that would later appear on the 2012 studio album Wrecking ball. He performed the song on an acoustic guitar while standing on the stairs surrounding the Lincoln Memorial on the National Mall. The musician routinely voiced support for Biden and in October Narrated „Biden’s hometown“ A Scranton, Pennsylvania campaign ad with „My Hometown“ as its soundtrack.

During the 2009 We Are One Gala, which celebrated the upcoming Obama and Biden administration, Springsteen performance „The Rising“ as well as Woody Guthrie’s classic „This Land Is Your Land“ along with Pete Seeger and Seeger’s grandson Tao Rodríguez-Seeger. Now, 12 years later, he announced the former vice president’s ascension to the position of commander in chief of the armed forces to launch the night with an optimistic outlook towards the future.

John Bon Jovi, campaigning for Biden, was followed by a touching and loyal showing of the Beatles‘ song „Here Comes the Sun“ alongside his bandmates while on a sidewalk in Miami, and at an occasional moment, the sun shot up during their performance. Bon Jovi Politically charged 2020 The album dropped in October. LP addresses mass shootings, disinformation, police brutality, racial injustice and the pandemic, among other top-notch issues of social awareness, making his appearance in the squad a fitting choice for a new administration facing the remaining challenges in the wake of former President Trump’s term. .

Relative newcomer Ant Clemons and veteran Justin Timberlake collaborated on their collection, which was broadcast from the Stax Museum of American Soul Music in Memphis, Tennessee. In many ways, Clemons‘ appearance was indicative of the American dream of aspiring artists. The The singer said Rolling rock He worked at Red Lobster and slept on friend’s floors while he worked to break into the writing community. He eventually linked up with Jeremih, then Kanye West.

On Wednesday, Clemons‘ talents shone in the national spotlight as he led „Better Days“ with Timberlake. Their emotional voices reassured that „better days are coming.“ The gospel group, which started inside the museum, quickly spread to the street as students and alumni of Stax Music Academy joined them with a band led by Adam Blackstone for a great performance.

Faux Fighters introduced „Times Like This,“ which Dave Grohl dedicated to educators, who, like his mother Virginia and first lady Dr. Jill Biden, „continue to enlighten our nation’s children every day.“ Grohl said the song has acquired a new meaning at this age. Grohl said NPR He originally wrote it while he was at a crossroads and at that time „decided to choose hope and rebirth.“ While the song was dropped in 2003, he felt that it “definitely applies to how everyone is feeling now. You know when you say it’s times like this when you learn to live again, that marks a new beginning. And I think a lot of people feel that this is what we need now. „.

John Legend, who played several previous campaigns for Biden, Harris and Digital fundraising Juvenile, an impressive performance of „Feeling Good“, the beginning of the song a cappella before moving to his piano for the jazz group.

Like many of her fellow performers, Demi Lovato supported Biden and Harris before the election. she Partnership with Project Lincoln To advertise a political campaign featuring Trump criticizing the „commander in chief.“ From Los Angeles, she sang the classic „Beautiful Day“ by Bill Withers, backed by people from all walks of life across the country who orchestrated the chorus while the Biden family watched the group from inside the White House.

In an unannounced appearance at the National Mall, Katy Perry Surprisingly displayed „fireworks,“ the resilience-enhancing song as fireworks lit up the sky over Washington, DC to end the festivities.

The jubilant concert party capped a day of opening musical events, which included the rendition of Lady Gaga National anthemJennifer Lopez’s performance.This land is your land„Garth Brooks leads.“An amazing blessingThe New Radicals are meeting for the first time in 22 years to play.You reap what you sow. „