Free Republic

A hip rock band that features the Soviet national anthem and communist-inspired lyrics was on stage to open for Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama at his record-breaking Portland, Ore., rally that attracted 75,000. The Decemberists, a Portland-based group with a large local following, also closed the May 18 event. The Decemberists typically begin their concerts with a Russian-language recording of the USSR's national anthem. A YouTube video shows the Decemberists beginning an April 31, 2007, concert at Messiah College in Grantham, Pa., with the anthem.

Seems the fantastic Obama rally was not what the media said it was. I know nothing of such things but what the media failed to say in all this is that much of the crowd was drawn to a free concert by the Decemberists. They are a popular, disgusting Indie band only an Oregonian could love. Known for playing the Soviet National Anthem before their concerts. What a quaint little story behind the story.

Barack Obama's massive pre-primary rally in Portland, OR, was aided in no small part by the appearance of an uber-hip band. Their gimmick? They start each performance with the Soviet national anthem.It appears that many of the 75,000 “Obama worshipers” in Portland last weekend really turned up to see a free concert by an uber-hip Portland band, the [1] Decemberists (see photo below). Of course, the MSM didn’t report this fact because it might dampen the story of the new and wonderful miracle of the Obamessiah. Most media reports were reminiscent of the style the Soviet poets used to glorify...

The Decemberists, the Indie rock band that opened for Barack Obama's Portland, Ore., rally on Sunday that drew an estimated 75,000, often opens its own shows with the National Anthem of the now-defunct Soviet Union, according to Wikipedia.

Free Rock Concert Preceded Big Obama Rally in Portland Hugh Hewitt just told me that right before Obama addressed that huge crowd in Portland, the indie rock band the Decemberists played a free 45-minute concert. Now, I'm sure Obama would draw a big crowd either way, but wasn't that worth mentioning in the coverage? From Wikipedia: "Named both in reference to the Russian Decembrist Revolt (which may explain its use of the National Anthem of the Soviet Union as an introduction at many concerts)..." Lovely. I wonder if they played, "Sixteen Military Wives." The video depicts a bully named "Henry...

From CNN to the New York Times, the media hyped Barack Obama's Portland, Oregon rally on Sunday, some comparing him to a rock star. Unmentioned in national reporting was the fact that Obama was preceded by a rare, 45-minute free concert by actual rock stars The Decemberists. The Portland-based band has drawn rave reviews from Rolling Stone magazine, which gave their 2005 album Picaresque four and a half stars (out of five), and another four and a half stars for 2007's The Crane Wife. How many of the people showed up to hear Obama, and how many to hear the...