Bruce Springsteen isn’t pulling any punches in “dangerous times.”
The Boss opened the first show of the E Steet Band’s European tour on May 14 at the Co-op Live in Manchester, England, with a call to raise voices against authoritarianism. Springsteen’s fiery salvo was a spirited takedown of President Donald Trump.
“The mighty E Street Band is here tonight to call upon the righteous power of art, of music, of rock n’ roll in dangerous times,” Springsteen said before the night’s first song, “The Land of Hope and Dreams,” according to videos from the show.
“In my home, the America I love — the America I’ve written about that has been a beacon of hope and liberty for 250 years — is currently in the hands of a corrupt, incompetent and treasonous administration. Tonight, we ask all who believe in democracy and the best of our American spirit to rise with us, raise your voices against authoritarianism and let freedom ring. This is ‘Land of Hope and Dreams.'”
Later, Springsteen dedicated the live debut of “Rainmaker,” from 2020’s “Letter to You,” to “our dear leader.” The track tells a story of a people in a draught with “parched crops” who are desperate for relief.
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“Rainmaker take everything you have/ Sometimes folks need to bеlieve in something so bad, so bad, so bad,” sang Springsteen.
The show featured a new setlist compared to the band’s 2023-24 concerts, with “Death to My Hometown,” “Murder Incorporated,” “House of Thousand Guitars,” and “Born in the U.S.A.” added to the show.
A cover of Bob Dylan’s “Chimes of Freedom” closed the show.
“Take this home with you,” Springsteen said.
Bruce Springsteen seeks to ‘make sense of the current times’
The 16-date tour is the final leg of the critically acclaimed E Street tour that began Feb. 1, 2023, at the Amalie Arena in Tampa, Florida. Springsteen dubbed the run “The Land of Hope and Dreams Tour” and suggested that a set list, and thematic, change-up was in the works.
For the majority of his career, Springsteen had refrained from speaking about political issues from the stage for E Street Band shows.
“One of the artist’s jobs (is) to make sense of existence and to make sense of the current times that you live in, and to contextualize those times,” Springsteen previously told Variety. “Every artist does it in a different way. So I’ve got that on my mind, and I’m sure it’ll be reflected in our next leg of the tour.”
The E Street Band’s next show is Saturday, May 17, back at the Co-op Live in Manchester.
E Street Band’s May 14 Manchester, UK, setlist
“Land of Hope and Dreams”
“Death to My Hometown”
“Lonesome Day”
“My Love Will Not Let You Down”
“Rainmaker”
“Darkness on the Edge of Town”
“The Promised Land”
“Hungry Heart”
“My Hometown”
“Youngstown”
“Murder Incorporated”
“Long Walk Home”
“House of a Thousand Guitars”
“My City of Ruins”
“Letter to You”
“Because the Night”
“Human Touch”
“Wrecking Ball”
“The Rising”
“Badlands”
“Thunder Road”
“Born in the U.S.A.”
“Born to Run”
“Bobby Jean”
“Dancing in the Dark”
“Tenth Avenue Freeze-Out”
“Chimes of Freedom”
This article originally appeared on Asbury Park Press: Bruce Springsteen calls out Donald Trump at concert: ‘Incompetent’
