Inaugural Events - Monday January 19 2009

Jay-Z

Ashton Kutcher, Demi Moore

Judith Light, Sharon Stone

Shakira

Larry David

First stop on Monday was the pre-show reception for the Jay-Z show at the Warner Theater.  David & I left in plenty of time and got to the Warner with hours to spare.  My contact wasn't there yet, so we walked aroung the back to the "Stage Door", and got waved right in, NO credentials, NO questions.  Guess we looked liked we belonged.  The second we got to the door, David heard Jay-Z doing sound checks and rehearsing the show....We walked in, via backstage, sat in seats in the theater, and just to our right was Beyonce, just hanging out alone, watching.  Pretty cool.  Beyonce was soon escorted out by two guys that made me look tiny. Couple hours later Jay-Z hit the red carpet at the reception, so I was out the door.  Beyonce performed during the Jay-Z show, as well as Mary J. Blige...nice line-up

Second stop - I then headed down PA Ave to the Newseum for the Huffington Post/My Space Pre-Inaugural party.  The celebs and guests poured into the building, and I mean poured in.  I had no idea where they were putting this many people, tho they were piling in to see Sting, Will.I.Am and Sheryl Crow perform.

At the end of the arrivals at about 12:30am, I walked down Pa Ave from 6th back to the Warner at 13th.  The streets were deserted, the barricades were up at every intersection, they lined the street from the Capitol to the White House.  It wasn't an eery feeling, it was was an exciting feeling,  change was in the air... knowing that in less than 6 hours more than a million people would be covering every inch of real estate along the route of the parade to the White house from the Capitol.