Never mind those stinging "celebrity" ads, or the rebuttal by Paris Hilton. Musicians, artists and Hollywood types are descending on Denver - and so what if Barack Obama doesn't need their star power?

He'll get it anyway.

Of course, many of the most high-profile parties and concerts planned for the four-day Democratic Convention are ostensibly set apart from Team Obama.

Even fellow Chicagoan Kanye West's performance Wednesday is for Bono's nonpartisan ONE Campaign, which plans another concert - though with Chris Daughtry instead of West - on the sidelines of the Republican gathering in St. Paul, Minn.

The key Democrat-sponsored concert was a welcoming event Sunday night at Denver's Red Rocks Amphitheatre, featuring Dave Matthews Band, Sugarland and Sheryl Crow.

On Saturday night, the Rock The Bells Tour brought hip-hop acts to Fiddler's Green south of town. In the lineup was Murs, who says in a song that he's "hoping that the world fall in love with Obama," and veteran rapper Nas, who in a new song with Young Jeezy lectures the Illinois senator.

"When thousands of peoples is riled up to see you, that could arouse your ego," Nas raps on "My President." "We got mouths to feed, though. Gotta stay true to who you are and where you came from. 'Cause at the top will be the same place you hang from."