Bruce Springsteen opened his headlining set at the inaugural “Power to the People” protest festival on Saturday, Oct. 3, 2026, with “Streets of Minneapolis,” his response to the killings of Renée Good and Alex Pretti. Federal immigration officers fatally shot both people in Minneapolis in January. At Merriweather Post Pavilion in Columbia, Maryland, a sold-out crowd heard the song first.
A Song for Minneapolis
Springsteen didn't stop with the music. “The power and solidarity of the people of Minneapolis, of Minnesota, is an inspiration to the entire country,” he told the crowd. “Their strength and their commitment told us that this is still America, and this will not stand. They gave us hope. They showed us courage.” Then he asked them: “Let them hear you in Washington.”
Political songs followed. Joan Baez joined him for Bob Dylan’s “Chimes of Freedom.” Later, Springsteen, Tom Morello, Dave Matthews and Nathaniel Rateliff played Creedence Clearwater Revival’s “Fortunate Son.” Baez, Rateliff and Matthews performed Woody Guthrie’s “Deportees,” then Baez’s “(Ain’t Gonna Let Nobody) Turn Me Around.” Stephen Stills walked on as they left, playing Buffalo Springfield’s “For What It’s Worth.”
Baez called the festival a “magnificent antidote.”
Music Meets the Ballot Box
Tom Morello of Rage Against the Machine organized the one-day, two-stage event. Its mission statement says it aims to celebrate “peace, justice, solidarity, music and community action” and encourage voter turnout. Organizers planned to direct a portion of proceeds from all ticket sales to VoteRiders and HeadCount. The festival came one month before the midterm elections.
Organizers revealed the festival in May, around the time several musical guests said they'd withdrawn from America’s 250th anniversary celebration, “The Great American State Fair,” because of the event’s ties to President Donald Trump. Coverage described “Power to the People” as standing in stark opposition to that event.
Killer Mike brought the voting message down to the local level. “Vote locally in thirty days,” he said mid-set, urging voters to “hold the (expletive) you vote for accountable — on school boards, county commissions … and when you do, don’t have an ounce of fear or trepidation because this republic is ran by you.” Other performers directed attendees to nonprofits at the adjacent Freedom Village. The ACLU, Farm Aid, the National Domestic Workers Alliance and Oxfam offered people a chance to get involved there.
Taylor Momsen, another performer, told The Associated Press she wasn't there to tell anyone how to vote. “I think the timing is a reminder that showing up matters,” 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.”
Protest, Politics and Pageantry
Some moments were anything but gentle. Grandson, among the day’s earliest performers, sang a song with the refrain “My president’s a felon” before covering Dylan’s Cold War protest song “Masters of War.” A livestream cut out as he introduced two actors portraying Jeffrey Epstein and Trump, who appeared onstage connected by a leash.
The crowd’s clothing made its own statement. Shirts read “Immigrants Make America Great,” “No Kings,” “No one is illegal on stolen land” and “Bring on the Matriarchy.”
There was lighter fare, too. Shortly after 3 p.m., comedian Jack Black appeared as “Jack Sabbath,” playing Black Sabbath covers with a band of children, including the sons of Morello and Anthrax’s Scott Ian. Black Sabbath bassist Geezer Butler joined them for “War Pigs.” During Morello’s early evening set, System of a Down’s Serj Tankian joined him for Audioslave’s “Like a Stone,” honoring late frontman Chris Cornell. Chuck D, Run DMC and Flavor Flav later joined Morello for covers, while Morello and Foo Fighters’ Dave Grohl played Kiss’ “Rock and Roll All Nite.”
All the day’s performers joined in to close the night, singing Guthrie’s “This Land Is Your Land,” including all its original verses, and John Lennon’s “Power to the People.” Evangeline Topete, a young fan wearing a shirt reading “Destroy American Fascism,” told The Associated Press the festival means “that peace, love, and justice do not have to remain nouns. They can become verbs — things that we can all contribute to — when we come together.”
Why This Matters:
The festival linked two deaths in Minneapolis to a midterm push one month before the elections, with some of the biggest names in American music. Ticket proceeds were set to go to VoteRiders and HeadCount, two groups focused on voting. The Freedom Village brought the ACLU, the National Domestic Workers Alliance and Oxfam before a sold-out crowd. Killer Mike urged people to hold officials accountable on school boards and county commissions, presenting civic participation as everyday work rather than something reserved for every few years. For those who see the killings of Good and Pretti as a question of public accountability, the festival offered both a stage and organizations to turn to.