Washed-up rocker Bruce Springsteen headlined a star-studded left-wing political festival Saturday as musicians and activist groups joined forces to mobilize opposition to President Trump ahead of the midterms.
The “Power to the People” festival was held at Merriweather Post Pavilion in Columbia, Maryland.
The event featured Springsteen, Dave Matthews, and Rage Against the Machine guitarist Tom Morello alongside a collection of progressive activist organizations.
Although marketed as a music festival, politics dominated the event.
The festival promoted voter registration and political organizing while declaring its intention to harness the power of ordinary people to “shape” the country “on, and beyond, Election Day.”
A hip-hop group opening the festival led chants of “Free Palestine,” denounced Immigration and Customs Enforcement as a “terrorist organization” and railed against “Western imperialism.”
Bruce Springsteen and Dave Matthews are headlining a music festival in Maryland today built around a network of anti-Trump nonprofits and Democratic-aligned activists mobilizing ahead of the midterms, reports @FoxNews Digital’s @AsraNomani and @M_Dorgan.
The “Power To The… pic.twitter.com/iAGofsVm0y
— Fox News Politics (@foxnewspolitics) October 3, 2026
Morello, a longtime left-wing activist, used his appearance to attack “fascists and the would-be dictators” as well as wealthy “oligarchs.”
The festival grounds also contained a “Freedom Village” featuring activist organizations including Indivisible, the ACLU and Third Act.
WATCH: Radicalism meets capitalism.
At today’s “Power to the People” anti-Trump music festival featuring Bruce Springsteen and Dave Matthews, The Neighborhood Kids chant “Free, free Palestine!” and blast “Western imperialism,” then pivot to sales:
“We got merch in that tent!… pic.twitter.com/vhINtNE66Y
— Asra Nomani (@AsraNomani) October 3, 2026
Indivisible has played a major role in organizing anti-Trump demonstrations, including the “No Kings” and “Hands Off” protests.
Springsteen himself has become increasingly involved in Democratic politics and anti-Trump activism.
The rock star endorsed Kamala Harris and Tim Walz during the 2024 presidential election and performed at a Harris campaign rally in Philadelphia.
He has since used many of his shows to rally against Trump, ICE, and the conflict in Iran.
Most of the performers had close ties to the Democratic Party.
Matthews previously participated in a concert promoting Joe Biden, Harris, and Democratic candidates, while also expressing support for Bernie Sanders.
Festival DJ Shepard Fairey, meanwhile, created Barack Obama’s famous “Hope” poster before producing political artwork supporting Harris in 2024.
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Saturday’s festival comes just weeks before Americans vote in midterm elections that will determine control of Congress.
The concert ultimately resembled less a conventional music festival than a massive left-wing political rally.
