January 18, 2001

METRO/STATE - Faces & Places
People

gb Leighton will play inauguration gig

gb Leighton got the call from President-elect George W. Bush’s people, and the Twin Cities rock band doesn’t have to worry about Senate confirmation.  The assignment is to perform from midnight to 3 a.m. Saturday at the Late Night GOP Jam at the Hard Rock Café in Washington, D.C.  “g.b. is politically neutral but is honored to be part of the inauguration,” said Miki Nord, the band’s manager.  She said one of the band’s admirers at Epic Records passed a CD to someone working on the Bush inaugural festivities. 

Leighton is actually losing money on the deal because the quintet had to back out of a better paying gig Friday night at Brewbaker’s in North St. Paul, as well as another show Saturday night in Owatonna, Minn, but the GOP is paying for airfare and a night at a four-star hotel, Nord said. 

“They said [Vice President – elect Dick] Cheney will be there for sure,” she said.  “As for Bush, they won’t make a commitment.”