Garth Brooks Performs American Pie at We Are One

Garth stole the night.

We Aren't in Dick Cheney's America Anymore

Goodness. I was logged off for the evening. Until I read this story at Salon. This story really captured the feeling at We Are One. I wasn't there but I watched it so I kind of felt like I was there. The feeling is change has come to America. I don't recall any sort of joyous behavior or celebrations when George Bush took office.
Anyway, Garth Brooks stole the show. Video here. From Salon:

If you'd told me that Garth Brooks would sing more songs than any other entertainer, including Beyonce, Bono and Bruce Springsteen, I'd have been prepared to be disappointed. But for me one high point was Brooks doing the Isley Brothers' "Shout" – it helps if you saw the movie "Wedding Crashers'" great montage showing lame cover bands doing "Shout" at weddings of every race and culture, Jewish, Indian, Irish, African American. Yes, I'll admit that made me think of Obama presiding over a sappy interracial wedding, and watching that sea of arms flying up every time Brooks said "throw your hands up" was one of my favorite moments of the day.

The genius of the whole event was the culture mashup – readings presented by duos like Steve Carell and Jamie Foxx, Jack Black and Rosario Dawson, Laura Linney and Martin Luther King III, Forest Whitaker and Ashley Judd – yes, Jack Black. Likewise, Jon Bon Jovi and Bettye LaVette's duet on Sam Cooke's Obama anthem "A Change is Gonna Come" was extraordinarily moving. My personal high point – I'd have braved the cold and crowds for this moment alone – was Pete Seeger and his son, joined by Springsteen, singing all the lyrics to "This Land is Your Land" – and watching Obama sing along. The only remotely controversial note (beyond Robinson's prayer for anger at discrimination) was when Bono called the values embodied in Obama's election "an American dream, an Irish dream… a European dream, an African dream, an Israeli dream,” and then added: “And also a Palestinian dream.”

Pete Seeger was my favorite moment as well. But Garth really got everyone going. Who knew he was such a great entertainer:

And yes, then there was Garth Brooks. The entire crowd – young, old, black, white, Latino, Asian, everyone – seemed to sing along to "American Pie," including Obama, which could mark him, generationally and culturally, more than anything else that happened today. Who knew they knew all the words? I didn't until today (actually, Brooks wisely shortened it.) And I couldn't help but see Brooks, singing along with a multiracial youth choir, as another part of Obama's outreach to red America, a real reminder that he doesn't plan to be president of Blue America, or Red America, but the United States of America. I hope Republicans get the message. Read more at Salon.

See more photos here. 

Here's a terrific collection of photos.
U2 video here
Beyonce finale here.
Will.I.Am and Sheryl Crow here.
NPR has some terrific photos here.
See Bruce here.

Another large selection of photos here.

NYT has collected reader-submitted photos here, which are brilliant. 

Here are Pete Seeger and Bruce:

Bettye LaVette and Jon Bon Jovi

Bruce Springsteen Performs the Rising at We Are One

U2 Sings Pride at We Are One

Will.I.Am and Sheryl Crow One Love

Pete Seeger Busts Out This Land At We Are One

I love Pete Seeger. I saw photos of the rehearsal of We Are One and thought it was Willie Nelson. It was Pete! He and Bruce Springsteen led the crowd in This Land is Your Land. (see the video here). It was a brilliant production. The best part, amazingly enough (because I'm not a country music fan), was Garth Brooks singing American Pie and Shout. U2 and Bruce were great. Bruce's The Rising, played during the campaign, was fitting. Bono said "I have a Dream" is not just an American dream, it's "an Irish dream, a European dream, and African dream, an Israeli dream, and a Palestinian dream." 
Usher sang Stevie Wonder's Higher Ground, backed up by Stevie on keyboards. Oh, and Bettye LaVette-- wow! Awesome voice. 
Challenger, the bald Eagle, made an appearance. 
Obama's remarks.
CNN's take
Washington Post's take
NYT has some photos.
HBO has some photos.

Obama's remarks at We Are One:

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We Are One Clips:

Garth Brooks' Shout from the crowd: