RICHMOND, VA (CVILLE RIGHT NOW) – A packed Main Street Station crowd who attended Saturday night’s historic Inaugural Ball in Richmond were treated to a performance by Charlottesville’s Dave Matthews.
Matthews performed six songs – “Save Me,” “Singing From the Windows,” “You and Me,” “Crush,” “Don’t Drink the Water,” and “Ants Marching,” part of the celebration for the inauguration of new Virginia Governor Abigail Spanberger, sworn in that afternoon on the southern steps of the Capitol. The Democrat is the Commonwealth’s first female governor.
“It is now so exciting for me, if I’m being honest,” Spanberger said. “You see, I’m a Virginian, and I’m a Wahoo, and there’s a certain someone who might have sung like the soundtrack to, I don’t know, 25 years of my life.”
Matthews, upon arriving on the stage, responded, “I don’t know what to say, because I feel kind of small time compared to you. Thank you, for in a very strange time in our country and in the world, it was nice to be given some hope when Abigail won. Thank you so much.”
Spanberger defeated Republican Winsome Earle-Sears, previously the lieutenant governor, to succeed Gov. Glenn Youngkin, a Republican, in the governor’s mansion.
Matthews, born in South African, spent parts of his childhood in Charlottesville and, in 1991, he launched the Dave Matthews Band, there. He is a two-time Grammy Award winner.
All three of Charlottesville’s General Assembly delegation were there with Senator Creigh Deeds, and Delegates Amy Laufer and Katrina Callsen.
Senate President Pro Tempore Louise Lucas spent much of the time prior to the Spanberger family’s arrival posing for pictures with people.
House Majority Leader Charniele Herring was observed in a VIP area keeping a quiet profile.
Food and drink stations from Virginia vendors were scattered throughout the venue, but some attendees said much of the food required a knife and fork to eat which was a difficult task with very few tables.
The crowd that assembled at Saturday night’s ball to celebrate the historic inauguration dressed in a wide array of attire.
Media members were escorted out of the event when the program and Dave Matthews performance.
