Few events in my lifetime could ever compare to the feeling I had watching this concert with a sea of hundreds of thousands of people from the foot of the Washington Monument. Some photos from Day 1 of Obama Inauguration Week and video from the ”We Are One” Obama Inauguration Week Opening Concert:
U2 “Pride (In The Name Of Love) / City Of Blinding Lights”
Stevie Wonder, Usher & Shakira “Higher Ground”
Bruce Springsteen “The Rising”
Herbie Hancock, will.i.am, Sheryl Crow “One Love”
James Taylor, John Legend, Jennifer Nettles “Shower The People”
Mary J Blige “Lean On Me”
John Mellencamp “Pink Houses (Ain’t That America)”
Jon Bon Jovi & Bettye LaVette “A Change Gonna Come”
Josh Groban & Heather Headley “My Country Tis of Thee”
For a 20th Anniversary tour. Check them out in your ‘hood….
November 1 - Cleveland, OH @ The Palace Theatre
November 3,4 - Toronto, ONT @ Massey Hall
November 6,7 - New York, NY @ United Palace Theatre
November 8 - Atlantic City, NJ @ Borgata
November 11,12 - Washington, DC @ DAR Constitution Hall
November 14,15 - Boston, MA @ The Wang Center
November 16 - Uncasville, CT @ Mohegan Sun Arena
November 18, 19 - Chicago, IL @ Chicago Theatre
November 21,22 - Chicago, IL @ Auditorium Theatre
November 26 - St. Louis, MO @ Fox Theatre
November 30 - San Diego, CA @ RIMAC Arena
December 2,3 - Los Angeles, CA @ Gibson Amphitheatre
Big fan of Miss Janelle Monae - think OutKast meets Gnarls Barkley transmitted through a really gifted female voice. Check out her EP Metropolis - The Chase Suite it’s really dope. The song “Sincerely, Jane” is enough reason to cop it.
Here’s the first song that put me on to her - “Letting Go” (MP3) from the Big Boi compilation Got Purp? Vol II
And be sure to check her out in person if she’s performing at a venue in your town. Her live show is definitely a good time.
Opening for Raphael Saadiq @ Highline Ballroom, NYC:
Checked out Jazmine Sullivan last night at STEVEN in the Lower East Side of NYC - in a packed space of booty tight, sweaty people but still she rocked it like a champ.
Her debut album Fearless is out now - for now check out some things below that put me onto her a while ago, including a track not on the album - a live rendition of the jazz standard “Round Midnight” and her first TV performance as an 11-year-old on Showtime At The Apollo…
Nine Inch Nails, The Greater Good for All Its 8:15 pm and a huge crowd has gathered around the Bud Light stage for the last of the Lollapalooza headliners. Everyone from hipsters, rockers, average joes, and girly girls eagerly await Trent and team to come on the stage. Luckily, the Ed Hardy clan was at Kanye West, leaving the true NIN fans at their stage (all 40,000 of them). NIN makes their appearance shortly after, opening with 1,000,000. The crowd begins to move and and then really pick up by the second and third songs of Letting You and Discipline. Move to the fourth song of the classic March of the Pigs and you have several mosh pits going and fists pumping in the air as everyone belts out the words with Reznor, “All the pigs are all lined up, I give you all that you want, Take the skin and peel it back, Now doesnt that make you feel better?”
The whole NIN set was an amazing conglomerate of light and sound show, mixing new songs like Ghosts and Echoplex with old favorites such as Head Like a Hole and Closer. Props to Robin Finck who recently rejoined NIN as lead guitarist. Finck killed it on every song, showcasing his legendary status in a now legendary band. Although Trent announced he was struggling with his voice, it was nowhere near apparent at any moment of his energetic and frantic set. Fans all around me did not stop dancing, jumping or singing for one minute, bonding with the love of NIN and gasping at the innovative light screens on stage. Trent ended the show on piano as fans watched, sweaty and satisfied. This had to have been one of the best headlining shows in Lolla’s history, leaving everyone wanting 2 more hours of an insanely good time.
Can you say Cansei? The Brazilians know how to dance. And they know how to get the Lolla crowd moving. After having to cancel their performance last minute at last years lolla, CSS came out with full energy this year. Lovefoxxx rocked a red and blue floral jumpsuit with full on painted makeup as she belted out lyrics to new songs such as “Reggae all night” and old favorites such as “Alala” and “Lets make and love and listen to death from above”. The band also had a dressed up dancer on stage, showing Americans how to move their hips and arms the Brazilian way. The band sounded solid and were definitely needed to pump up the hot and tired fans, bringing the life back into them.
Hard Rock, Easy Living The Hard Rock Hotel, in association with BMF Media, was home to The Music Lounge presented by Metromix again this year. The Music Lounge is a place where Lolla artists and VIP’s can chill, hang out and play rockband, get free tattoos, and be treated to great swag from companies such as SkullCandy, Diesel, Blue Microphone and Solstice sunglasses. Artists and Press got to enjoy and pamper themselves with free services such as massages, haircuts and hair styling, makeup application and manicures. The lounge was also a great environment for not only the artists to relax before their sets, but also for press to gather and collect their interviews and photos.
The Eastsport Cafe presented by SPIN Magazine was also part of The Music Lounge. Here, artists and guest got to enjoy lunch from China Grill, yogurt from Berry Chill, grab drinks from Fuse, Fiji and Ciroc, and catch up on emails all while listening to acts such as Butch Walker and Kim Clements.
At night, the lounge turned into a real party presented by Rock the Vote. Guests got to dance to the tunes played by DJ Mom Jeans (Danny Masterson), Spankrock, Mark Ronson and Samantha Ronson who was there with gal pal Lindsey Lohan.
The setting was a perfect place to take a break from all of the chaos at Lollapalooza, a true VIP experience for all who were lucky enough to come through.
The Black Keys are playing a secret MySpace show in Cleveland at the Beachland Tavern where the Keys played their first show ever. The Black Girls (local) are openers.
Wristbands passed out at the club at 2pm.
The Black Keys’ Danger Mouse produced album Attack & Release is available in stores now
