The Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool on the National Mall in the Washington Monument. The landmark is being painted as part of President Donald Trump’s efforts to repair Washington D.C. in preparation for the Nation’s 250th birthday.
Photo: HEATHER DIEHL/AFP
President Donald Trump’s troubled bid for a star-studded musical celebration of the 250th anniversary of US independence took yet another hit Friday after three more acts pulled out citing political tensions.
Trump’s administration had publicised multiple headliners for a “Freedom 250” concert series between 25 June 25 and 10 July on the National Mall in Washington.
But the event is floundering as one act after another withdraws.
On Friday, glam rocker Bret Michaels and country star Martina McBride joined the Commodores and two other groups announcing they would not take part. This left only four of the line-up originally announced on Wednesday intact.
Those include Vanilla Ice, C+C Music Factory, Flo Rida, and the surviving member of the duo Milli Vanilli, who are best known for a lip-syncing controversy more than three decades ago.
Bret Michaels
Photo: EMILEE CHINN/AFP
Michaels, frontman of 1980s band Poison – of ‘Every Rose Has Its Thorn’ fame – said Friday on Facebook that he made a “difficult decision to step away from this performance”.
“My shows have never been about politics. They’re about giving people a place to come together, have a great time and forget about life’s stresses for a few hours,” he said.
“Unfortunately, what was presented to us as a celebration of our country has evolved into something much more divisive than what I agreed to be a part of.”
A White House official said that “this is not a White House event” when asked by AFP about the withdrawals, and referred inquiries to the “Freedom 250” celebration organisers.
“Freedom 250” insists that it is a nonpartisan and non-political organisation.
It describes itself as a public-private partnership that works with a White House task force for the anniversary. Trump set up the task force last year to deliver the celebrations for this summer.
But Trump has openly tried to stamp his mark on the celebrations, most notably by staging an ultra-violent mixed martial arts fight in a specially constructed arena on the White House lawn on 14 June – his 80th birthday.
Award-winning country singer McBride announced she too will not be performing at the “Great American State Fair” next month.
Martina McBride
Photo: JASON KEMPIN/AFP
“I was presented with an opportunity to perform at a nonpartisan event but that turned out to be misleading,” she told her fans in a post on X.
They join several other acts abandoning the program or dismissing rumours they would perform: rapper Young MC, best known for 1989’s smash hit ‘Bust a Move’; musician Morris Day and the Time, who once collaborated with Prince; and Grammy-winning soul group the Commodores.
“The Commodores will not be performing” at the event, the band posted late Thursday on Instagram. “We support the betterment of all Americans.”
But Vanilla Ice, known for the 1990 hit ‘Ice Ice Baby’, insisted he would be playing.
“I’m not going to get dragged into that. I’m here to party with America, man,” the performer told TMZ – adding that he would also play for President Joe Biden, Russian leader Vladimir Putin or in Iran if asked.
Recording Artist Vanilla Ice.
Photo: JASON KEMPIN/AFP
With artists fleeing, the Democratic Party on Friday trolled Trump’s event, posting an image of the nine announced performers, with Xs over the five cancelled acts.
By contrast, on Wednesday night the nation’s capital hosted singer Bruce Springsteen, a fierce Trump opponent, who announced he would return to the Washington area on 3 October for the Power to the People Festival.
That show will include Foo Fighters, Dave Matthews, Joan Baez, Public Enemy, and other top-billing acts.
– AFP