are you watching the inaugural celebration at lincoln memorial (live now on HBO)? archived

great production so far--musical performances (opening with Bruce doing The Rising; then Obamas bopping along to Mary Blige)) punctuated by (brief) readings or speeches by a mix of actors and political figures (Jamie Fox was great). Turn on your TV! (edited to add: also broadcasting on NPR radio)

YES.
It is very good.

Also HBO is supposed to be unscrambled for everyone.

Kumar!

Okay, they're losing me. The Naval Academy Glee Club? Jack Black?

a country singer in a black hat (Toby Keith? No, correction: Garth Brooks, says my sister) desecrating "American Pie".

omygolly, he's segueing into "Shout!"

and now he's singing "We Shall Be Free." with a choir.




is there a football game on?

No, and I don't intend to, either...

My only hope for Obama is people give him a chance to breathe...

He is not Jesus Christ nor is he the second coming...

He has an enormous job in front of him...

I wish him well...

Back on track with U-2 and Stevie Wonder. Let's hope for four more years of free concerts!

okay, intermittently great and laughable.

but worth it for this: Pete Seeger and Bruce leading the crowd in "This Land Is Your Land." I'm verclempt.

Phenomenal show but could have ended with everyone linking arms and singing "We have Overcome"? Maybe a little too soon, huh?

ril, that was indeed a great moment. My daughter and I sang it out loud together, except when I was too choked-up to sing.

I liked the verse about waiting in line with the "guys outa work" and the sign says "private properteeee" but
"there weren't no signs on the other side and that was the land for you and meeeee....!!!"

Seriously, though, Pete Seeger looked so happy singing with the Boss, and I LOVED "When you walk through a storm hold your head up high," (Rogers and Hammerstein from Carousel) with great singer (Remington or something?) and Stevie Wonder, Garth Brookes singing "Shout" with five hundred thousand people raising their hands to "shout" and five hundred thousand people singing "Bye Bye Miss American Pie..."

I was more than verklempt.

It was great seeing Obama bee-bopping along, and all four Obamas standing when Stevie Wonder was playing and singing.

It will be played again at www.hbo.com/weareone/ at 7:00 and again at 11:30. It's three hours long.

I just watched the start on the broadcast, Springsteen doing "The Rising" with a gospel choir.

Very cool.

[Edited to add] Mary J. Blige doing "Lean On Me". The coolness just keeps going on and on.

Fantastic, even the second time around. I read it'll be rebroadcast on hbo.com at 11:30 again. Might be worth seeing a third time. I really liked Tom Hanks' reading of Aaron Copeland's Abraham Lincoln. This is all such a class act. I am so proud to be a Democrat tonight.

Posted By: revampedI am so proud to be a Democrat tonight.

No, you're proud to be an American!

Exactly Nohero!

True that!!

This Land was wonderful - I was also verklempt! I thought Jon Bon Jovi sounded great with Bettye Lavette, Beyonce singing America the Beautiful with everyone backing her up was also great. So many terrific performances.

Okay, Jack Black featured at an Inaugural event is kind of surreal ...

Posted By: revampedI liked the verse about waiting in line with the "guys outa work" and the sign says "private properteeee" but
"there weren't no signs on the other side and that was the land for you and meeeee....!!!"

That song is older than you are.

There were some odd celebrity choices - Kumar/House guy, Jack Black, Rosario Dawson (?)

U2 doing "In The Name Of Love" at the Lincoln Memorial hits the maximum on the coolness meter.

Posted By: LOST

Posted By: revampedI liked the verse about waiting in line with the "guys outa work" and the sign says "private properteeee" but
"there weren't no signs on the other side and that was the land for you and meeeee....!!!"

That song is older than you are.

Lost,

Isn't it amazing? And Pete Seeger is actually older than I am.

Incredible

Okay, so Pete Seeger singing "This Land Is Your Land" with the biggest smile on his face, and Bruce Springsteen joining him in leading the crowd, also hits the max on the coolness meter.

are you watching the inaugural celebration at lincoln memorial?

Nope

The James Taylor grouping was my favorite.

y'all are getting to see more stuff than me & I'm down here! got here a bit too late to head in for the concert...will check it out on HBO!

It's starting at 10, not 11:30. That's like right now!

The very cool "This Land Is Your Land", that closed the show.

Er - this is what closed the show