Thaindian News

London, January 19 (ANI): Thousands of Americans poured in the city of Washington to laud Barack Obama and his family at a pre-inauguration rock concert on January 18.

The President-elect along with wife Michelle, daughters Sasha and Malia, was received with cheers as they arrived at Lincoln Memorial for the star-studded “We Are One” gig.

A high-profile lineup, including Stevie Wonder, Bruce Springsteen, Bono, Beyonce, Jon Bon Jovi, John Legend, Shakira and James Taylor performed at the free event - two days before US welcomes its first African-American President to begin his term in the office.

Those giving historical readings, to honour Civil War president Abraham Lincoln and the American outdoors, were Jamie Foxx, Denzel Washington, Tom Hanks and Jack Black.

While Springsteen opened the concert by singing the Rising, Bono referred to Obamas victory as the finale of “the Irish dream, the European dream, the African dream, the Israeli dream and also the Palestinian dream.”

“On Tuesday, that dream comes to pass,” The Telegraph quoted Bono as saying.

The would-be-44th-President repeated tunes with folk singer Pete Seeger as he sang “This Land is Your Land”, and by the end of the concert urged national struggle.

He said: “There is no doubt that our road will be long, that our climb will be steep. But never forget that the true character of our nation is revealed not during times of comfort and ease, but by the right we do when the moment is hard,” he said.

“Despite the enormity of the task that lies ahead, I stand here today as hopeful as ever that the United States of America will endure, that it will prevail, that the dream of our founders will live on.” (ANI)