Obamas Hosts Bruno Mars Concert for Military Families: ‘Freedom is Not Free’

President Obama and First Lady Michelle Obama hosted an Independence Day Bruno Mars concert in honor of U.S. military members and their families at the White House on Saturday.

Several thousand people attended the USO-sponsored Mars concert, People magazine reports.

“We are grateful to our armed services,” Obama said from the stage alongside his wife and the pop star. “We are grateful to our military families. We are grateful to our veterans. Without you, we could not enjoy the incredible blessings that we do in this greatest country on Earth.”

According to PopCrush, Mars played an extended medley that included Led Zeppelin’s “Whole Lotta Love,” Bell Biv Devoe’s “Poison,” Montell Jordan’s “This is How We Do It,” Bobby Brown’s “Every Little Step” and Michael Jackson’s “Rock With You.”

“Thank you so much, you guys, for celebrating with us today. But it wasn’t too long ago that we were playing bars and pubs in L.A., trying to make a buck,” Mars told the crowd shortly before his performance. “We’re just going to jam out. This is what we’re going to do.”

In his short remarks, Obama also reminded those at the concert that “freedom is not free.”

“So we just want to wish you the happiest Fourth of July and remind ourselves that freedom is not free; It’s paid by all the folks who are here today and all the folks who are around the world,” Obama said.

After Obama spoke, red, white, and blue fireworks lit up the sky above the White House.