What I did today

[cleolinda]

Lincoln Memorial Concert Kicks Off Festivities. My grandmother's birthday was Wednesday so we had lunch for her today, and I'm so out of the loop that I was like, "There's a concert? Oh, right, it would be Tuesday... it's not? It's tonight? Oh, wait, it's this afternoon? Oh, it's about to come on now?" So we sat around with cake and ice cream and watched it on HBO (Fox News was in a righteous froth that they would only be allowed to film a couple of minutes. "THEY EVEN KICKED OUT C-SPAN!!"). I had absolutely no idea who would be there, so every time a new presenter came up, it was this guessing game of Which Randomly Chosen Celebrity This Time? Because they had v. srs speakers like Denzel Washington and Tom Hanks, and then Steve Carell and Jamie Foxx were up together, and then... Kal Penn? Jack Black? That was... odd. I mean, there was some weirdly chosen stuff like that--"Marian Anderson wasn't allowed to sing at Constitution Hall, so... here's Josh Groban with the song she performed here!" And Bettye LaVette was singing "We Are One" and... Jon Bon Jovi strolls out? Weird. I mean, I appreciate the thought; I'm just not sure how they arrived at the results half the time. I did like that the whole thing wasn't omg so srs duets (although there were a lot of those), that John Mellencamp got out there and tore up "Pink Houses," but then Garth Brooks was allowed to showboat for three songs? One of which was "Shout"? As in, "You make me wanna"? What? And then U2 CAME OUT HOLY SHIT THEY GOT U2 BEST INAUGURATION EVER. For some reason I'd assumed they'd have only American performers, so that was awesome. U2 played "Pride (In the Name of Love)," of course, and then "City of Blinding Lights," and I wish they'd thrown in "Where the Streets Have No Name" just so no one could say that Garth Brooks rocked longer than they did, but Bono wandered over stage left and sat down on the steps before he was even done with the second song so... you gotta rest up for these things, man. Also, he felt compelled to namedrop Israel and Palestine, which I'm sure will give Fox News hours of outraged entertainment.

ETA: Holy crap, I forgot to even tell you about the two eagles they trotted out. They had soldiers standing at attention and then a handler brought out "Challenger," turned around in a circle while everyone stared, and held on for dear life while the eagle tried to fly away. And the eagle kept glaring into the camera like, I'D RATHER GO EXTINCT. And then they brought out "Challenger's friend, Mr. Lincoln," and I don't know what kind of "friend" Mr. Lincoln was but you know, look, that's cool, I don't judge, and they did the beauty pageant turn with Mr. Lincoln as well, and then Samuel L. Jackson came out all like "THAT EAGLE AIN'T DONE SHIT TO YOU! PUT THAT FUCKING EAGLE DOWN!" or whatever. It was strange, to say the least.

ETA: Here's when it's re-airing and how to watch it online.

Comments

[roseredhoofbeat.livejournal.com]

GARTH BROOKS IS THE MAN.

<3

[wondersheep.livejournal.com]

I'm watching the football at a bar, so I'm missing it. Alas.

Did they show my Big Gay Bishop?

(a.k.a. the Rt. Rev. V. Gene Robinson, Bishop of New Hampshire (Episcopal Church of the USA))

[emmaorgana.livejournal.com]

Also, he felt compelled to namedrop Israel and Palestine, which I'm sure will give Fox News hours of outraged entertainment.

MWAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAAA

*cough* The SUGAR, it RUSHES THROUGH ME.

[genmaicha.livejournal.com]

Oh god, U2!?

And I missed it!?

[cleolinda.livejournal.com]

I didn't see anyone like that there, just celebrities and/or musicians. And George Lucas in the audience.

[mckennl.livejournal.com]

There wasn't a dry eye in my house when Bono was singing. I expect to remain verklempt until maybe Wednesday.

CAN'T WAIT FOR TUESDAY OMG.

DC is totally all unicorns and rainbows, you can tell from all the smiles in the crowd.

[cleolinda.livejournal.com]

They really, really did not advertise who was playing ahead of time, or at least not that I heard. I suspect it was to keep the crowd calm, because there were like 400,000 people there as it was.

I'm sure it'll turn up on YouTube, or HBO will put it out on DVD.

[wondersheep.livejournal.com]

Hmmm. He was supposed to offer the opening prayer for the whole concert shindig, but we figured the likelyhood of that being aired on HBO was nil.

[phoebesmum.livejournal.com]

I note from the photo that one of what I assume is the Obama children is so thrilled by the concert that she's on her mobile, texting.

Didn't Springsteen play?

[genmaicha.livejournal.com]

Makes sense, but man, I'm going to be scanning YouTube now. At least thanks to you I know they performed!

[dragonzair.livejournal.com]

http://news.yahoo.com/nphotos/Lincoln-Memorial-Inaugural-Celebration/ss/events/pl/011809inaugcelebrate#photoViewer=/090118/photos_pl/2009_01_18t164406_296x450_us_usa_obama

He was there.

[cleolinda.livejournal.com]

Again, keep in mind that we were also having my grandmother's birthday at the same time. He easily could have been there without me seeing him.

[cleolinda.livejournal.com]

Yeah, he opened with a huge choir.

Hey, she could totally be texting her friends about how she just saw Stevie Wonder or something. I don't know.

[wondersheep.livejournal.com]

Nope, news says they didn't bother to air it on HBO.

Ah, well. Someone had to have a camera phone. It'll get on YouTube at some point.

[threeparts.livejournal.com]

I am so confused.

[cleolinda.livejournal.com]

There was an inauguration concert on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial this afternoon. And it was kind of weird in spots.

[threeparts.livejournal.com]

It's just, reading that last paragraph from the point of view of someone who has an extremely hazy idea of what's going on is amazing in terms of wtflol.

You crazy Americans. <3

[demonoflight.livejournal.com]

Gosh, I wish I could've seen that. Sounds like the best inauguration in the universe. Not that I have anything to compare too, but...

[viorica8957.livejournal.com]

I thought the oldest one was eleven. Isn't that a bit young for cellphones/texting?

[maia-cyllene.livejournal.com]

According to HBO.com they're reairing it and making it available on their website. (http://www.hbo.com/weareone/)

My TV provider is also making HBO freely available at the moment.

[cleolinda.livejournal.com]

Hey, and that was just a "festivity." The actual ceremony's on Tuesday.

[mollywobbles867.livejournal.com]

The eagles were definitely a "WTF" moment? Not because they were there, but it was awkward.

Bono made me tired. He just looked worn down. I missed the first bit, so I'll probably tune in again for a little bit.

[elbales]

HAHAHAHA you are so innocent.

No, I kid, but I pretty much expect kids to have cellphones glued to their hands as soon as they have the minimum fine motor skills to be able to punch the buttons. Also, reading. Reading skills would be required, yes. I mean, a few years back Disney and Sprint teamed up to offer easy-to-use phones and wireless service for 8- to 12-year-olds. ("And here's the 'Daddy' button in case you need to interrupt my V Srs Bizness, and...")

This, of course, says nothing to the question of appropriateness, but... kids text early, is what I'm saying. Crazy!

[elbales]

Yeah, my husband was watching bits of the concert on his computer and I was, like, "Wait, what? Inauguration? But that's not today... uh, is it?" Confusion ensued, at least for a moment.

[maramala.livejournal.com]

I have a nice who has one. As a present for her eight birthday.

It's only a matter of time until the make one for fetuses.