WASHINGTON – The White House’s troubled bid for a star-studded musical celebration of the 250th anniversary of US independence took yet another hit on May 29 after three more acts pulled out, citing political tensions.
President Donald Trump’s administration had publicised multiple headliners for a concert series between June 25 and July 10 on the National Mall in Washington.
However, the event is floundering as one act after another withdraws.
On May 29, 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 May 27 intact.
Those include Vanilla Ice, C+C Music Factory, Flo Rida, and the surviving member of the duo Milli Vanilli, who haven’t had a new hit in more than a decade.
Michaels, frontman of 1980s band Poison – of Every Rose Has Its Thorn fame – said on May 29 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.”
“Freedom 250“ celebration organisers say they are nonpartisan, but Mr Trump has openly tried to stamp his mark on this summer’s anniversary – most notably by staging an ultra-violent mixed marital arts fight in a specially constructed arena on the White House lawn on June 14 – his 80th birthday.
Award-winning country singer McBride announced she too will not be performing at the “Great American State Fair” in June.
“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 programme 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 on May 28 on Instagram. “We support the betterment of all Americans.”
SCREENSHOT: THE COMMODORES/INSTAGRAM
With artists fleeing, the Democratic Party on May 29 trolled Mr Trump’s event, posting an image of the nine announced performers, with Xs over the five cancelled acts.
By contrast, on the night of May 27 the nation’s capital hosted singer Bruce Springsteen, a fierce Trump opponent, who announced he would return to the Washington area on Oct 3 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
