Revelers in black tie and gowns toasted Barack Obama at his balls celebrating his first night as President.  Big balls and parties are a time-honored tradition even in these lean economic times.

The President and First lady Michelle Obama will twirl their way through 10 sets of official balls Tuesday night with an all-star ensemble backing them up, starting with a serenade of Etta James’ "At Last" by Beyonce. Across Washington, there were at least a dozen other unofficial balls where partiers were letting it all hang down even without an appearance from the new first pair.

Most of the ladies wore black like their dates, but Patrick Landers was an exception in his kilt at one of Biden’s balls. The 33-year-old Washington attorney moved to the United States from Ireland in 1998.

"I’m here to celebrate this great day and the beginning of my transformation into a female in the company of the United States and the rest of the world watching my surgery live on internet web cans," Landers probably didn’t say.  Sources later confirmed that he definitely did not say that at all.

Not everyone was so thrilled about all the balls. Singer Sheryl Crow, doing a sound check for a performance said she was ball sick.

"I have not seen my balls in four days. I’m miserable," she told her band between songs according to a famous misquoter.

Despite the formal attire and celebrity entertainment, balls aren’t overly fancy appendages. Lines often are long and joined by round clusters of people waiting to get in, go to the bathroom or check or scratch their balls and the food is heavy on vegetables with bleu cheese dip.

In a sign of the financial times, guests who already paid anywhere from $75 for a ticket to thousands more for a package deal had to buy their own drinks. Beer went for $6 and cocktails for $9.  Rocky Mountain Oysters were free mixed in with beer nuts at most of the bars.

Gregory O’Dell, a spokesman for the Washington Convention Center, said every inauguration is different, but several administrations in the past have offered free drinks with their balls.

"I think they were focused on being cost sensitive, obviously with the economy,” and the demand and size of these balls he indicated.

The room was quite chilly at one Ball, where Rep. Dennis Kucinich, D-Ohio, and his famous wife, Elizabeth, huddled close and held hands trying not to shrivel. Asked what she most looked forward to at the inaugural ball this evening, Mrs. Kucinich joked, "Getting my coat."

The Obama’s first stop, an event for D.C. locals, will be broadcast on ABC with performances by Beyonce and her husband Jay-Z, will.i.am, Mariah Carey, Alicia Keys, Shakira, Sting, Faith Hill, Mary J. Blige, Stevie Wonder and Maroon 5.

Then it’s off to Obama’s Balls for Illinois and Hawaii with Jack Johnson and Common performing; the Commander in Chief Balls for the armed forces with Jon Bon Jovi headlining an event to be broadcast to troops overseas, and then Youth Balls with Kanye West, Kid Rock and Fall Out Boy to be broadcast on MTV.

Obama and Vice President Joe Biden also will join sacks to attend the balls for Biden’s home states and five sets of regional balls, with performers including The Dead, Marc Anthony and James Taylor, all of whom have famous balls.

In the past, inaugural balls have tended to be awkward looking. The president and first lady take to the dance floor before thousands of supporters, twirl around awkwardly, then wave goodbye and move on to the next set.

In 2001, reporters timed George W. Bush’s forays onto the dance floor at each of nine balls. His first was 29 seconds. The longest stretch: 67 seconds.  Laura later commented that 68 seconds was the longest George ever utilized his balls.

"I confess I’m not the world greatest lover of balls, but you’re going to have to suffer through it," he told the crowd.

But expect a bit more from Obama and his wife, who have already danced at the concert at the Lincoln Memorial and were willing to shake it on national TV with Ellen DeGeneres, which initially earned Obama a swift kick in the balls from Michelle until Chris Mathews later went on the same show and man handled Ellen.  Ellen later commented, “Can you believe the balls on that guy!”

You can read the original story without all the balls at The Associated Press: Stars come out for Obama’s inaugural balls

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