The Kids’ Inaugural Concert took place Saturday night and featured performances from Usher, Katy Perry, Mindless Behavior, and Fun. Check out some photos from the event below!
“Now, inauguration is a pretty big deal,” first lady Michelle Obama, who hosted the event along with Jill Biden, told the assembled families at the Washington Convention Center. “But I have to tell you that my very favorite part of this entire weekend is being right here with all of you.” She paid tribute to the sacrifices that military families make, including their kids.
Usher, in black leather, kicked off the proceedings with his hit “Yeah!,” followed by “Without You” and “OMG,” earning a huge cheer from the crowd. In between acts, there were kid-friendly diversions like a dance-off, or a race among mascots of the Washington Nationals: oversized versions of presidents like George Washington, Abraham Lincoln and Teddy Roosevelt.
Three members of the “Glee” cast were greeted warmly by the crowd: Naya Rivera, who plays Santana; Darren Criss, who plays Blaine; and Amber Riley, who plays Mercedes.
Nick Cannon emceed the evening, but it was Mrs. Obama, sporting her new bangs and wearing a white peplum shirt over black pants, who got to introduce the top attraction.
“It is now my pleasure to introduce the fabulous Katy Perry!” she said, and the singer emerged in what looked like a vintage swimsuit, covered patriotically with stars and stripes. She sang her hits “Teenage Dream,” “Part of Me,” “Wide Awake” and then “Firework,” which was accompanied by a slide show of President Barack Obama: Obama in the Oval Office, Obama exiting Air Force One, Obama greeting LeBron James.
