Musicians were vocal and visible in their support of Barack Obama during his campaign, and now many of them want to celebrate the president-elect. On Sunday, “We Are One: The Obama Inaugural Celebration at the Lincoln Memorial” concert takes place during the afternoon, and HBO will air two hours of the concert from 7 to 9 p.m., making it available to all cable and satellite TV viewers, even those who don’t subscribe to the channel.

President John F. Kennedy famously challenged Americans in his inaugural address: “Ask not what your country can do for you; ask what you can do for your country.“ President-elect Barack Obama didn’t wait that long. He asked in advance for a day of service on the day before his inauguration. It helps that the day is Martin Luther King Day, which has been commemorated as a national day of service since the mid-1990s. Still, the impact this year may be greater than ever, thanks to an Obama campaign organization that has turned into a potential grass-roots powerhouse.

The city of Richmond has already kicked into emergency mode for an anticipated surge of travelers heading to Washington for the presidential inauguration. Richmond Mayor Dwight C. Jones declared a local state of emergency yesterday, and the city’s emergency operations center will open today at 8 a.m. and be fully staffed on Inauguration Day.

Commuter rail service from Fredericksburg is sold out for Inauguration Day, as travelers look for ways to enter and leave the nation’s capital without a vehicle. The Virginia Railway Express sold its last ticket yesterday for 15 trains scheduled to run each way on Tuesday, when two major interstates and all of the bridges to Washington will be closed to personal vehicles.

Staff Writer Olympia Meola previews her story on politicians giving advice to the Obamas before they move into the White House.

Multimedia Reporter Penelope Carrington talks about inaugural gowns through the years.

Staff writer Jeremy Slayton talks about the three marching bands from Virginia playing in the presidential inauguration.

Behind the scenes: creating “Postcards For The President” with Chris Young.

Virginians to trek to the Capitol: Staff Writer Katherine Calos previews her story.

WASHINGTON Randi Martin never will forget her first inaugural ball. There were the sequins, the president, the champagne—and the riot. Martin was at a ball for President Bill Clinton’s second inauguration when Clinton arrived, danced with first lady Hillary Clinton, played the saxophone and left—followed by a majority of those gathered to see him.

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Nicole test 12/17