Solange and Esperanza Spalding are among the artists attending the aptly-named Peace Ball
Speaking solely for myself, the fact that we are just days away from the U.S. Inauguration — a topic of, shall we say, quite some contention — blows my mind. The rest of the world, including the arts and activism communities, is making their own adjustment to a new era of American taste.
And on January 19, the night before the inauguration, an eclectic group of performers and thinkers will be holding a Peace Ball.
The event, whose full name is Peace Ball: Voices of Hope and Resistance, will “[celebrate] the accomplishments and successes of the past 4 years and the vow to continue to be the change we want to see in the world.” Taking place at the National Museum of African American History and Culture in Washington, D.C., announced performers and guests include Solange Knowles, jazz champion and musical chameleon Esperanza Spalding, professor and political commentator Melissa Harris-Perry, activist Angela Davis, Black Lives Matter co-founder Alicia Garza, and writer Cheryl Strayed.
As Pitchfork notes in its coverage of the event, Solange’s big sis Beyoncé is no stranger to official inauguration proceedings. She performed that cover of Etta James’s “At Last” at the Obamas’ first inauguration ball and had a weird truther movement around her 2013 performance of “The Star-Spangled Banner.” (Which laid the groundwork for a memorable musical clap back.)
Though the Peace Ball seems like a singular gathering at the moment, we’re curious as to what other alt-inauguration events are in the works. For those of you in D.C., whatever you get up to, find your people and settle in for an interesting time.
