Trump's Inauguration Ball; The list of performers and the backlash

[drunkenshoe]

While the mainstream media is full of bashing his list on performers, it seems some performers themselves are pretty upset about being selected and some famous names - the ones with enough salt- declined the invitation. (Like Elton John for example.)

If Republicans don't ensure a good amount of people to show up as first arrivals, and leave it to its own course this could turn out to be pretty embarassing event and it is not good for everyone.

Did this happen before? The rejection and backlash on the performers list? It must be a first, right? May be it is just a part of the media.

As a response the president-elect twitted that he doesn't want A-listers, but just people.

There are also other official and unofficial inauguration balls to happen.

Donald Trump’s Inauguration: Full List of Musicians Who Will Perform

http://heavy.com/news/2016/12/donald-trump-inauguration-ball-ceremony-musicians-performers-celebrities-performances-list-all-american/

Donald Trump’s inauguration is less than a month away, and we’re now beginning to get a glimpse at the entertainment that is lined up.

The inaugural events will kick off on Thursday, January 19th, when Donald Trump and Mike Pence will lay a wreath at Arlington National Cemetery. There will then be a welcome concert at the Lincoln Memorial, although the musicians who will be playing at this particular concert have not yet been announced.

As of this writing, three performances have been confirmed for the official inauguration event. They are:

Jackie Evancho is a 16-year-old America’s Got Talent contestant, and she will be singing the “Star Spangled Banner” at the 2017 inauguration.

“I am so excited,” Evancho said in a Today show interview. “It’s going to be awesome. I felt really honored to be able to sing for the office. It’s a great honor for me.”

Evancho first gained recognition in 2009, when she finished second place in the 15th annual USA World Showcase Talent Competition in Las Vegas. She was only 10 years old when she was a contestant on America’s Got Talent. Since then, she has released six albums, including one platinum and one gold album. During her 2011 Dream With Me tour, she became the youngest artist to give a solo concert at Lincoln Center.

“We’re delighted to have Jackie Evancho performing the National Anthem at the 58th Presidential Inaugural Ceremony,” Inaugural Committee Director of Communications Boris Epshteyn said in a statement. “As the youngest solo artist to ever go platinum, she is a true role model and inspiration for people young and old in our country and around the globe. Jackie represents the best and the brightest of America.”

This is her first inauguration performance, but it will not be her first time performing for the president, as in 2010, she sang at the National Christmas Tree lighting and met President Barack Obama.

Evancho’s sister, Juliet Evancho, is transgender, and she says that her sister’s newfound fame was both a hassle and an inspiration for her.

“I began to worry because not only did I feel ‘different,’ but Jackie’s newfound fame put our entire family under a microscope,” Juliet Evancho wrote in Teen Vogue. “This made things even more difficult for me. Now, I not only worried about what my family thought of me, but I also worried about some trashy magazine trying to make a spectacle out of me if they found out, and it hurting my family. Personally, however, I saw this self-discovery as positive thing, whether it fit the norm or not.”

In addition, the Mormon Tabernacle Choir will sing at the swearing-in ceremony this year, the group announced on Thursday.

The choir has previously performed at the inauguration of George H.W. Bush, Richard Nixon and Lyndon Johnson. They also sang at an inaugural parade for George W. Bush. (No performers have been announced for Donald Trump’s inaugural parade.)

“The Mormon Tabernacle Choir has a great tradition of performing at the inaugurals of U. S. presidents,” Ron Jarrett, president of the Mormon Tabernacle Choir, said in a statement. “Singing the music of America is one of the things we do best. We are honored to be able to serve our country by providing music for the inauguration of our next president.”

Ronald Reagan once referred to the Mormon Tabernacle Choir as “America’s Choir,” and George H. W. Bush called them a “national treasure.” The group, which is a part of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, consists of 360 volunteer singers. It was originally founded in 1847.

According to polling from Pew Research, 61 percent of Mormons voted for Trump in the 2016 election.

Finally, the Radio City Rockettes will be performing at the inauguration, Presidential Inaugural Committee Communications Director Boris Epshteyn revealed in a CNN interview on Thursday.

However, he said that the specifics of when and where the Rockettes will perform have not been determined.

The Radio City Rockettes previously performed at the inauguration of George W. Bush in 2001 and again in 2005.

“The Radio City Rockettes, an original American brand, have performed at Radio City Music Hall since 1932 and, as treasured American icons, have taken part in some of the nation’s most illustrious events such as Super Bowl halftime shows, Macy’s Thanksgiving Day parades and presidential inaugurations, including in 2001 and 2005,” James Dolan, executive chairman of The Madison Square Garden Company, said in a statement. “We are honored that the Rockettes have again been asked to perform in the upcoming inauguration festivities.”

Some within the theater community have criticized the Radio City Rockettes for agreeing to perform at the inauguration.

According to Broadway World, the Rockettes’ union, the American Guild of Variety Artists, told them that they are forbidden from boycotting the event. One of the dancers, Phoebe Pearl, recently ranted on Instagram about having to participate in the inauguration, according to The New York Daily News.

Pearl’s account has since been made private, but here’s what she originally wrote:

"I usually don’t use social media to make a political stand but I feel overwhelmed with emotion. Finding out that it has been decided for us that Rockettes will be performing at the Presidential inauguration makes me feel embarrassed and disappointed. The women I work with are intelligent and are full of love and the decision of performing for a man that stands for everything we’re against is appalling. I am speaking for just myself but please know that after we found out this news, we have been performing with tears in our eyes and heavy hearts. We will not be forced!" #notmypresident

That’s all we know so far about the main inauguration ceremony; the names of more performers will continue to be announced over the next few weeks.

However, The Wrap reported on Wednesday that President-Elect Donald Trump is very unhappy that his staff has not been able to book any major stars for his inauguration. The president-elect himself has now weighed in on Twitter, saying that he doesn’t want A-list celebrities at all.

A number of artists, including Elton John, have reportedly declined invitations. And when opera singer Andrea Bocelli was said to be in talks with the Trump team, he received intense online backlash and later announced he would not participate in the event.

Conservative commentator Tomi Lahren recently took issue with the fact that Hollywood celebrities are feeling pressured to skip the inauguration, accusing the left of being intolerant.

“There are still many Americans out there that fail to understand that Donald Trump will be our 45th president and that he will be inaugurated on Jan. 20,” Lahren said on Fox News. “They haven’t even accepted that yet. If they can’t accept that, of course they’re not gonna accept entertainers going to perform at an inauguration. This should be an exciting moment for America.”

In addition to the actual inauguration, though, there will also be several inaugural balls, both official and unofficial. We don’t yet know exactly where Donald Trump will be on the night of January 20th; closer to the inauguration itself, the Presidential Inaugural Committee will announce the official inaugural balls and detail exactly what Trump’s schedule for that evening will look like.

The Presidential Inaugural Committee has said, however, that Donald Trump will attend a ball saluting armed services and first responders.

One of the balls being put on this year is the All American Inaugural Ball, which boasts that it will feature a “stellar list of special guests, plus multiple areas of entertainment and attractions, which represent diversity, energy and promise of America.” This ball is open to the public, with tickets currently going for $250 per person. That $250 price tag is evidently only there for a limited time, though, and the list price of a single ticket is $350. This ball will actually take place the night before the inauguration, from 9:00 p.m. to 12:00 a.m. at the Hyatt Regency Washington on Capitol Hill on January 19th.

So who is included on that stellar list of guests? The lineup is not yet complete, but here is who has been announced:

Beau Davidson â€" The most famous name performing at the All American Inaugural Ball is singer and songwriter Beau Davidson. Earlier this year, Davidson sang a cover of “Stand By Me” for Trump at Mar-A-Lago. This included Davidson’s own take on the lyrics, as he sang, “So Donald, Donald stand by us, and we’ll stand by you.” Davidson later denied that Trump was uncomfortable during the performance.

The Reagan Years â€" This ’80s cover band was formed in 1996, and it consists of musicians Sy Seyler, Karen Ellison, Glenn Riley, Jody Lewis, Stephan Scott Lay and Scott Benford. They cover popular songs from the 1980s like Don’t Stop Believing, Footloose, and Rock of Ages, primarily at corporate events, weddings, and private ceremonies. “The Reagan Years is one of the HOTTEST 80’s cover band in the US!” the All American Inaugural Ball says on its website. “You will swear you’ve gone back in time…”

The MIXX â€" The Mixx is described by the All American Inaugural Ball as being “the Mid-Atlantic’s hottest Party Band.” This is actually the same group as The Reagan Years, with the only difference being that The Mixx plays songs from eras other than the 1980s. The Reagan Years describes The Mixx as being their “multi-decade alter ego.” The All American Ball says on its website that The Mixx will play the “biggest hits of the last 5 decades,” including Bruno Mars, Elle King, Boston, Usher, Miley Cyrus and The Beatles.

[At this point in the list, three DJs originally appeared. Since the original publication of this article, they have all been removed from the All American Ball’s website.]

DJ Freedom â€" The last DJ on the list of entertainers is DJ Freedom. The only description about this artist provided by the All American Inaugural Ball is, “DJ Freedom get [sic] you in the mood to celebrate! With a deep catalog of tuned [sic] from all genres, DJ Freedom will be taking requests and spinning all your favorite dance tunes.” Also, the only image the website provides is just a stock photo of a cartoon DJ.

A Place To Be Trio â€" The A Place to Be Trio consists of three singers who each suffers from some form of disability. Amy Stone, who has Cerebral Palsy, says she wants to redefine how people look at individuals in wheelchairs. Brendan Friedrich is blind and says that he wants to be America’s first blind meteorologist. And Forrest Allen experienced a Traumatic Brain Injury during a snowboarding accident in 2011. A documentary about Allen called High Notes is being released next month. The trio will perform a “Heroes Tribute” at the inaugural ball.

The Star Spangled Singers â€" Finally, the Star Spangled Singers is a group of seven women who will be singing uplifting and patriotic songs. They have performed at sporting events and private parties, although their Facebook page has not been updated in over two years.

The Great American Inaugural Ball will be held on January 20th from 9:00 p.m. Eastern Time to 2:00 a.m. Eastern Time. It’s open to the public, and tickets range from $200 to $500. The following performances have been announced:

Right On Band â€" The Right On Band calls itself the “world’s greatest show band;” it is a 10-piece band with a full horn section, and the singers dress in 1970s costumes. They have at some point performed for each of the last three presidents. “Specializing in Motown, Disco, and ‘70s Funk, the band has been keeping the ‘70s alive for more than 18 years,” the Great American Ball says of the Right On Band on its website.

Darryl Worley â€" Darryl Worley is a country music singer known for songs like “I Miss My Friend” and “Awful, Beautiful Life.” His most famous work is “Have You Forgotten,” a song about the September 11th terrorist attacks released in 2003. “Darryl is an All-American entertainer and hero, tried-and-true…,” the Great American Ball Says. One interesting connection between Worley and Trump is that they are both passionate about preventing people from becoming addicted to drugs and alcohol, and Worley says he plans to open a wellness center geared towards young people with addictions.

Chris Styles â€" Chris Styles is a DJ who performs at many political events and weddings in Washington, D.C., and he is one of the disc jockeys on Sirius XM’s “The Heat.” He has been working as a DJ for 20 years.

For The Win â€" For The Win is another cover band that plays popular songs at weddings and private events. The band’s members are “Schwartzy,” Amanda Szott, Matt Greene, Clay Lord, Bill Ledbetter, and Joe Maier. On its website, the group says that it can “literally play any type of song, catering to any type of audience.” (Note: This is not the more popular rock band that is also called For The Win.)

Sam Fazio â€" Sam Fazio is a jazz vocalist who covers songs at private events, hotels, and casinos. He’s a graduate of DePaul University’s School of Music and recently held residency for five years at the Drake Hotel. He has released two CDs, the most recent of which, Swingin’ thru the Holidays, consists of covers of Christmas songs like “Jingle Bells” and “Santa Claus Is Coming To Town.”

Pat Premier â€" Finally, another DJ who will be working the inaugural ball is Pat Premier, whose real name is Patrick Boyd and who performs at events around Washington DC, Maryland and Virginia. In addition to private events, he also sometimes plays at festivals like Chillin Music Fest. He’ll be at the Big Night New Orleans New Year’s Eve Gala this year as well. Although Premier’s website and social media pages advertise the New Year’s Eve Gala, they make no reference to the inaugural ball.

The following inaugural balls are also being held. Each of these is listed as an unofficial ball on the presidential inauguration website.

The Bytes & Books Inaugural Ball â€" Hosted by the National Coalition for Technology in Education and Training, this ball is described as a gathering of individuals from technological and educational spheres.

The Creative Coalition Inaugural Ball â€" An inaugural ball sponsored by The Creative Coalition, a non-profit charity.

George Washington University Inaugural Ball â€" This ball has been held since 1992, and it will take place at the Omni Shoreham Hotel.

Inaugural Deploraball â€" A gathering of individuals who during the election “advanced liberty across the country and the world via blogs, social media, guerrilla art, music, video, and good old-fashioned hard work.”

Peace Ball â€" Taking place at the National Museum of African American History, guests will include Alice Walker, Van Jones, Chef Jose Andrews, Danny Glover, and Angela Davis.

Vettys Presidential Inaugural Ball â€" A ball to celebrate the inauguration and to honor the armed forces, put on by the Academy of United States Veterans, Coalition to Salute America’s Heroes, Military Order of the Purple Heard, Disabled American Veterans, and Paralyzed Veterans of America.

Washingtonian Inaugural Ball â€" This ball will be held at the National Portrait Gallery and Smithsonian American Art Museum, and it is described as “an evening of drinking, dining, and dancing as we celebrate the 58th Presidential Inauguration.”

[Baruch]

Yawn.  Brink back Saddam, he knew how to deal with dissent in the ranks ;-)

[aitm]

One would think Ted Nugent would be spanking his monkey to get on stage and shoot a moose with a bow and arrow as he sings whatever he sings.

[Baruch]

What publicity whore doesn't want to be seen with the ultimate publicity whore?  Maybe they are worried being upstaged by the President-elect?

[Cavebear]

Oh well, maybe he can convince Karen Carpenter, BB King, Pete Seeger, or Michael Jackson to perform.  Shouldn't be a problem for a guy who is HUGE and can do anything.

[Baruch]

Oh well, maybe he can convince Karen Carpenter, BB King, Pete Seeger, or Michael Jackson to perform.  Shouldn't be a problem for a guy who is HUGE and can do anything.

Hologram re-tours of dead stars is already a thing.

[Atheon]

They can't get a neo-Nazi skinhead band to play at his coronation?

[Baruch]

At Hillary's coronation, they were just going to play Darth Vader's theme ;-)  No need for a band just an iPod.

[FaithIsFilth]

Of course the puppet celebrities don't want to be blacklisted like Kanye. Trump doesn't need celebs. He is the entertainment.

[Hydra009]

Of course the puppet celebrities don't want to be blacklisted like Kanye. Trump doesn't need celebs. He is the entertainment.

For real.  With Trump and Carson singing a duet, you don't need any musicians.  Obviously, career musicians are worse than outsider musicians.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bOp9k5WGoIU&list=RDbOp9k5WGoIU

#makemusicgreataggain

[Cavebear]

Perhaps CGI Gollum will attend?

[Baruch]

Perhaps CGI Gollum will attend?

Hillary with her email server, fondling it while saying "my precious" ;-))  Unfortunately Hillary isn't CGI.

[AllPurposeAtheist]

Perhaps they'll get some nobody to sing Edelweiss and pretend it's a love song for Trumpster Fire himself..
After all, it worked for the man in the high castle..
https://youtu.be/BCzvR-9QJNg

[Baruch]

Beautiful song, ya?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Py_IndUbcxc

It wasn't Putin, it was Nazis on the dark side of the Moon!

And we could have had the Democrat version of Sarah Palin as President.  Dumpkopf voters!

[Atheon]

Here are some appropriate songs to perform at the coronation of Der Tweetenscheister:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MD6oDnm43HA

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JqqgmO8VNyU

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-bzWSJG93P8

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TJoExzWnWeA

And of course, it is to be topped off by the National Anthem:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0yDrtNEr_5M