Pete Souza: President Obama greets the Tennessee State University Marching Band at the White House following a reception for the opening of the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture in Washington, D.C. The band entertained arriving guests on the South Lawn.
Lexi Belcufine: Local Band Comfort Tech A Hit With President Obama
Local rock ‘n’ roll band Comfort Tech can add “serenading and meeting President Barack Obama” to its list of accolades. The four band members and housemates happen to live a stone’s throw away from the Community College of Allegheny County’s West Hills Center, where the president and Vice President Joe Biden spoke Wednesday about federal funding for community college programs. When singer and guitarist Sean Conner, 24, realized POTUS and VPOTUS would be in their back yard, he said he knew it was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. But how to get the attention of the leaders of the free world? They made a red, white and blue banner reading “Welcome Mr. President!” and hung it on their porch, above the driveway-turned-stage. The plan was to be respectful and not disruptive, he said. As the motorcade drove by, Comfort Tech belted out an original, “Lumberjack.” “I definitely hit wrong notes because I was looking out in awe,” said bass player and singer Brett White, 25. “It was surreal. It’s not every day you get to play your music as the president drives by your house.”
In the back of his mind, he said he thought: “What if he actually comes over? But it was far-fetched as far as I was concerned.” Soon after, the Secret Service did show up. “We thought for sure we were going to get shut down,” Mr. Conner said, but they just wanted to tell the band how much they liked their music. While talking about gear, more unmarked cars and police arrived. “Who’s in the band?” they asked. Mr. Obama wanted to meet them. Before they even saw him, they heard the president saying, “Where’s Comfort Tech? Where’s the band?” After shaking hands and casually talking about the blues-influenced band’s music for a bit, Mr. Obama told them to send him their CD when it’s finished. “He said he wanted to come over and hear us play but the Secret Service wouldn’t let him,” Mr. White said. They were invited to stay for the speech, after which, as the crowd cheered, Mr. Obama pointed to the band in the audience and said, “All right, Comfort Tech,” with a smile and a thumbs up. In a room of the “most important people in Pittsburgh, among these highly respected individuals,” Mr. Conner said the band felt like it had an inside joke with the president.
Sidewinder, the Missouri Air National Guard rock band, was at the White House Wednesday to help First Lady Michelle Obama and Dr. Jill Biden celebrate the one-year anniversary of Joining Forces.
…. check out video of their performances, including their covers of Adele’s “Rolling in the Deep” and Journey’s “Don’t Stop Believing”
President Barack Obama and First Lady Michelle Obama pretend to march to music in the Blue Room of the White House, July 4, 2010, before delivering remarks to military families during a Fourth of July celebration. (Official White House Photo by Pete Souza)
The official band runs to get out of the rain moments before the arrival of US President Barack Obama for an official arrival ceremony at State Palace Complex-Istana Merdeka on November 9, 2010 in Jakarta
Obama White House.gov
The Obama Diary 
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