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Obama’s “30 Days To Victory Concert”

Amen Oyiboke |
October 8, 2012 | 7:44 p.m. PDT

Staff Reporter

(Amen Oyiboke/Neon Tommy)
(Amen Oyiboke/Neon Tommy)
When politics and Grammy Award-Winning artists met Sunday, it led to a night of stellar performances and unforgettable speeches.

Filled with star-studded talent and about 6,000 Obama supporters, the Nokia Center-L.A. Live was filled Sunday for the “Obama 30 days to Victory Concert”.

The show featured performances from Earth, Wind & Fire, Jennifer Hudson, Bon Jovi, Katy Perry and Stevie Wonder.

Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaragaiosa entered the stage urging L.A. voters to be smart.

“We are a lot smarter than governor '47 percent' thinks. He doesn’t have a record to run on but a record to run from, we won’t let him run. We’re moving forward not backward,” said Villaragaiosa.

After his statements fired up the audience, the mayor introduced award-winning “Dreamgirl” Jennifer Hudson to the stage.

Hudson moved the crowd and received a standing ovation with her performances of Sam Cooke’s classic “A Change is Gonna Come,” and Nina Simone’s hit “Feeling Good.”

(Video of Jennifer Hudson performing "A change is gonna come;" Video by Courtney M Fowler)

Following Hudson’s performance, San Antonio, Texas, Mayor Julian Castro addressed the crowd.

“We need a President who can make our best days ahead of us. A man who already is our leader, President Obama. He built a vision for prosperity,” said Castro.

After Castro’s speech, Bon Jovi who performed hits “ Dead or Alive,” and  “Living on a Prayer.”

After Bon Jovi, Katy Perry walked on stage with a Statue of Liberty inspired gown and a torch-shaped microphone and performed “Let’s Stay Together” by Al Green.

Perry’s enthusiasm soon had the crowd jumping when she performed her hits “Teenage Dream,” “Part of Me” and “Fireworks” with the Silver Lake Conservatory choir.

Moments later, actor George Clooney entered the stage to introduced the last performance of the night, Grammy Award-Winning artist Stevie Wonder.

“It’s important to have a leader who doesn’t only speak on money but who is all about human interest," Wonder said. "We have to come together and make this election happen.”

Wonder’s unchanged voice and timeless performances of “My Cherie Amour,” “Very Superstitious” and “ Sign, Sealed, Delivered I’m Yours” had the crowd up and dancing.

 

(Video of Stevie Wonder performing by Courtney M Fowler)

After all the musical performances, President Barack Obama addressed his supporters with a speech filled with jokes and electoral encouragement.

The president joked about his first presidential debate of the campaign. He praised the singers at the concert stating, “Everybody here is incredible professionals, they're such great friends and they just perform flawlessly night after night. I can't always say the same.”

Before coming to the Nokia Center, Obama appeared at an exclusive event at the home of Hollywood heavyweight Jeffrey Katzenberg, with 12 money donors who had the opportunity to speak with the president and former president Bill Clinton.

Obama continued his fundraising campaign in California, Monday in San Francisco, where John Legend and SpearHead’s Michael Franti performed a show at the Bill Graham Civic Auditorium.

Reach Staff Reporter Amen Oyiboke here.



 

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