Yesterday, the Presidential Inaugural Committee sent out a release announcing that a deal had been struck with HBO that would allow the pay cable network to broadcast exclusively an event being called the “Opening Celebration for the 56th Presidential Inaugural,” a free concert on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial planned for Sunday, January 18. The release boasted that event will feature “some of the biggest acts in the world of entertainment.” Today, WTOP reported they’ve heard that Bruce Springsteen is expected to headline.

Now, the key word here is “expected.” Rumors were rampant that Springsteen was also “expected” to perform at Obama’s acceptance speech at Invesco Field in Denver at the end of the Democratic Nation Convention last August, but the Boss never materialized (Stevie Wonder and Michael McDonald played instead). We’re sure WTOP has what they think is reliable information, but when it comes to Bruce Springsteen, we don’t recommend betting that he’ll follow through, though of course we’d love to pleasantly surprised. Given the involvement of HBO, though, we can at least be sure that some big name act will be performing a free concert in Washington on January 18. So stay tuned. Full release from the PIC on the HBO deal after the jump.