Bruce Springsteen headlines ‘Power to the People’ protest festival

The inaugural ‘Power to the People’ festival, organized by Tom Morello, took place at the Merriweather Post Pavilion in Columbia, Maryland. The event aimed to promote peace, justice, solidarity, and voter turnout, with a portion of ticket proceeds benefiting organizations such as VoteRiders and HeadCount.

Headliner Bruce Springsteen delivered a politically charged set, including the song ‘Streets of Minneapolis’ in response to deaths involving federal immigration agents. Other notable performers included Joan Baez, Dave Matthews, Dave Grohl, and the Foo Fighters. The festival featured various collaborations, such as Springsteen and Baez performing Bob Dylan’s ‘Chimes of Freedom’ and a group rendition of ‘Fortunate Son.’

Former special counsel Jack Smith was also spotted in the crowd wearing a Bruce Springsteen ‘No Kings’ shirt. The festival grounds included a ‘Freedom Village’ where attendees could engage with nonprofits like the ACLU and Farm Aid.