Update: Bruce Springsteen Cover Band Booked For Garden State Gala Ball Before Trump Inauguration
UPDATE: Shortly after this story was posted, Billboard spoke to a member of the B-Street Band who clarified that the Garden State Gala is a non-partisan event unconnected to official Trump inaugural balls and that the gig was booked four years ago, before Trump was a nominee for president.
During his first press conference in nearly six months on Wednesday (Jan 11), president-elect Donald Trump promised"tremendous talent"for his inauguration festivities. Though nobody with the Trump team has specified the full roster of performers so far, given the latest name on the short list for Trump's celebration, it's looking unlikely that next week's events will match the star-power that greeted President Obama during his first 2009 inauguration.
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In contrast to such high-profile stars such as Jay Z, Mariah Carey, Alicia Keys, Kanye West, Stevie Wonder and Mary J. Blige who played at Obama's inaugural balls and his massive "We Are One" concert in 2009, the biggest new booking for an event during Trump's inauguration weekend is one of the hardest working (cover) bands in the land: the Bruce Springsteen tribute act the B-Street Band. They join America's Got Talent season five runner-up Jackie Evancho, the Mormon Tabernacle Choir, most of the Radio City Rockettes, country duoBig & Rich and country rapperCowboy Troy as the only announced performers connected to the Trump inauguration so far.
On Monday, Trump told The New York Times that there will be "plenty of movie and entertainment stars" at his coronation, though given his recent attack on "over-rated" screen legend Meryl Streep it seems unlikely that many Hollywood A-listers will show up to support him. The B-Street Band will headline the non-partisan Garden State Gala on Jan. 19 at the Washington Court Hotel, the night before the inauguration. The booking is ironic, if only because the real Boss was a full-throated supporter of Trump rival Hillary Clinton and has referred to the former Celebrity Apprentice host as a " moron" and a "toxic narcissist" and questioned the real estate mogul'scompetenceto do the job.
Among the acts booked for official inaugural balls are the 1980s cover band The Reagan Years, who will be joined by DJ Freedom, the "Mid-Atlantic's hottest party band" The MIXX and singer Beau Davidson, who will rock the All American Ball .
Amid ongoing reports of difficulties securing big-name performers at Wednesday's presser, Trump promised that it will be a "beautiful event" with "great talent, tremendous talent," citing expected performances from "most" of the bands representing the various branches of the military. "I've heard some of these bands over the years they're incredible," he said. "We're gonna have a very, very elegant day… and I think we're going to have massive crowds.
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