Bruce Springsteen opened the sold-out Power to the People festival Saturday with “Streets of Minneapolis,” his response to the fatal shootings of Renée Good and Alex Pretti by federal immigration agents in Minneapolis in January. At Merriweather Post Pavilion in Columbia, Maryland, the festival paired protest music with voter-turnout appeals and nonprofit groups.
“This is still America, and this will not stand,” Springsteen told the crowd. He praised “the power and solidarity of the people of Minneapolis, of Minnesota.” Their strength and commitment, he said, had given people hope and shown courage. Then he urged the audience: “Let them hear you in Washington.”
Evangeline Topete, a young fan in a “Destroy American Fascism” shirt, called the event a place where “peace, love, and justice do not have to remain nouns.” People can turn them into actions by coming together, she said. “Rock ‘n’ roll can save us. And so can giving the power where it belongs: to the people!”
The festival’s stated aims
Rage Against the Machine’s Tom Morello organized the one-day, two-stage festival. Its stated mission was to celebrate “peace, justice, solidarity, music and community action” and promote voter turnout. A portion of ticket-sale proceeds was earmarked for VoteRiders and HeadCount, though the article didn’t specify the amount.
Voting and donations to those organizations formed the event’s stated civic channels. Other performers pointed attendees toward nonprofits at the adjacent Freedom Village. Groups there, including the ACLU, Farm Aid, the National Domestic Workers Alliance and Oxfam, met with festivalgoers. The festival came ahead of the midterm elections.
Taylor Momsen told The Associated Press she hoped attendees would leave feeling connected and inspired to care for people around them. “I’m not here to tell anyone what to think or how to vote,” she said. “I hope people leave feeling connected, inspired to care about the people around them, and reminded that we all have a part to play in our communities.”
Federal power and political messages
Grandson sang “My president’s a felon” and covered Bob Dylan’s “Masters of War.” The livestream cut out during his introduction of two actors portraying Jeffrey Epstein and Trump, who appeared onstage linked by a leash.
Killer Mike urged the crowd to “Vote locally in thirty days.” He also told voters to hold elected officials accountable on school boards and county commissions. Local elections took center stage in his remarks.
Attendees wore shirts reading “Immigrants Make America Great,” “No Kings” and “No one is illegal on stolen land.” Festival coverage cast the event as an opposing force to “The Great American State Fair,” a celebration tied to President Donald Trump. Several musical guests had withdrawn from that event.
Songs of protest and solidarity
Joan Baez joined Springsteen for Bob Dylan’s “Chimes of Freedom.” Springsteen, Morello, Dave Matthews and Nathaniel Rateliff performed Creedence Clearwater Revival’s “Fortunate Son”; Baez, Rateliff and Matthews sang Woody Guthrie’s “Deportees.” Baez called the festival a “magnificent antidote.”
The lineup also featured Dropkick Murphys, Jack Black, Serj Tankian, Killer Mike and the Linda Lindas. Jack Black played Black Sabbath covers with a band of children. Geezer Butler joined them for “War Pigs.” Morello performed with Tankian, Chuck D, Run DMC and Flavor Flav, among others.
At the close, performers sang Guthrie’s “This Land Is Your Land,” including its original verses, and John Lennon’s “Power to the People.”