We're not going to spill much more ink on the anti-war protest this weekend. Suffice it to say that the crowds were surprisingly large (around 100,000) and peaceful and fairly diverse. We still take issue with A.N.S.W.E.R., one of the co-sponsoring organizations, and other activists that want to hijack what could be a focused, powerful, single-issue protest to highlight any of a number of other sometimes serious and sometimes loopy concerns.

Still, it seems fair to say that almost none of the protesters in the crowd knew the details of the sponsoring organizations' political affiliations nor did they care. The bulk of the crowd, which included military families and grandmas in greater numbers than black bloc kids, were largely on message - taking an incompetent administration to task for dishonestly pulling us into a disastrous and unnecessary war.

And, it all culminated in a really good, free concert on the Mall. Notable performances included Steve Earle, Campus Progress favorite Ted Leo, The Coup, Thievery Corporation, Le Tigre, and Joan Baez booty dancing. Scroll down for photos and highlights from the show.

Political country music legend, Steve Earle had the crowd singing along with this chorus: "Fuck the FCC. Fuck the FBI. Fuck the CIA." Later, off-stage, Earle lamented the corporatization of country music, "country is becoming what hip-hop has become in the mainstream. It's all about money. People are afraid of alienating anyone who could potentially buy their records. Sure, I probably sell less than if I kept my mouth shut but I already make an embarrassing amount of money for a borderline Marxist."

Though the concert was sometimes scathingly non-partisan in its rebuke of government handling of the war (muckraking journalist Greg Palast called out the "Republicrats") a few political figures did attend. Maxine Waters (D-CA), after commenting on the importance of engaging the hip-hop community, said she didn't exactly know the bands on the roster, but was partial to the Bellrays lead singer, who had just finished performing, saying "there's this great woman with all this energy and a huge afro and tall heels. She was working it."

Etan Thomas, Washington Wizards' center, proposed taking Bush, Rummy, Katherine Harris, John Ashcroft, Bill O'Reilly, and Tucker Carlson on a field trip. "I'll take them on a trip to the hood. And not for some 30 minute documentary photo-op. I'm going to drop them off and leave them there."

Though you could purchase buttons, bumper stickers, flags, t-shirts and all other manner of protest related paraphernalia, there was nary a food stand in sight. The only one was a 15 minute walk off the concert ground and was closed. We've never wanted freedom fries more in our lives.

This peace group from Louisville, Kentucky brought down 2 busloads full of mostly older protesters in their 50s and 60s who had driven through the night. When they heard that we couldn't find any food in the vicinity of the concert, everyone dug in their handbags and pulled out several delicious, smooshed granola bars.

Joan Baez booty dances with Iraqi War Veteran, Jeff Key. Baez was dropping it like it was hot during the Coup's set.

Fresh ink on Cindy Sheehan's ankle. It reads, "Casey '79-'04."

Sheehan meeting the press.

Ted Leo being Ted Leo.

The crowd listening to Ted Leo with the Washington Monument in the background.


Posted by Elana Berkowitz and Mark Pike