Tonight’s official inaugural balls promise to be star-studded events. Headliners such as Stevie Wonder, Beyonce, and Alicia Keys are all expected to give performances in celebration of President-elect Barack Obama’s swearing-in. The Youth Inaugural Ball, which promises to pack the most celebrity of all the balls, plans to feature top recording artists Kanye West, Fall Out Boy and Kid Rock, as well as a scheduled speech by Obama. The sold-out event will be broadcast on MTV starting at 10 p.m. and will focus on the role young Americans can play through community service. Tickets for the ball, which were sold to the 18-35 crowd, cost about half the price of the other official balls at $75 per ticket.
The ball for Obama’s home state of Hawaii will feature famous Hawaiian performers including the Auntie Genoa Ohana Ensemble and the Sons of Hawaii. “What we are looking forward to most is the people coming together,” said Micah Kohono Mossman, the ball¹s chairman. “We will be celebrating in full Hawaiian style. It¹s going to be a great party.”
