Capital Benefit Concert Nets $2 Million

Tens of thousands of music fans gathered in the capital Sunday to see Michael Jackson, ‘N Sync, Aerosmith and an array of other pop stars at a marathon concert to celebrate America and raise money for victims of September’s terrorist attacks.

“United We Stand: What More Can I Give?” raised about $2 million through the sale of more than 46,000 tickets. It was one of three benefit concerts over the weekend.

The Backstreet Boys sang the national anthem to kick off the sold-out show at Robert F. Kennedy Memorial Stadium. “We can’t let them defeat us,” said band member Kevin Richardson. “We have to get up, get out and live our lives every day.”

Dressed in a gold suit, James Brown segued from his classic “Sex Machine” to “God Bless America.” The audience sang along to the latter and waved small American flags.

The audience--which had been on its feet for almost the entire concert--sat down at one point at the request of Bette Midler. “I want to sing you a song not of sorrow but of hope,” Midler said before singing her ballad, “The Rose.”

The crowd obliged, but was on its feet again when she finished.

Among the other performers were Ricky Martin, Mariah Carey and Destiny’s Child. Parts of the concert will be televised in a two-hour special on ABC on Nov. 1.

Security was tight outside the stadium, with long lines forming as police searched concert-goers--many wearing red, white and blue--with hand-held metal detectors.

Maureen Stuck and John Re attended the benefit concert in New York on Saturday night, then took a train down to Washington on Sunday morning. “Because of what happened, I wanted to show support,” said Stuck, who was wearing a souvenir T-shirt from the New York event.

Paul McCartney, David Bowie and Billy Joel headlined the Concert for New York at Madison Square Garden on Saturday night. Country music stars Tim McGraw, Trisha Yearwood and Sara Evans were among those scheduled for Sunday night’s Country Freedom Concert at Nashville’s Gaylord Entertainment Center.

Proceeds from the Washington concert will go to the American Red Cross Liberty Fund, the Salvation Army Relief Fund, the Pentagon Relief Fund and the Rewards for Justice Fund.