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Bruce Springsteen headlined Tom Morello’s Power To The People festival in Maryland on Oct. 3, closing with John Lennon’s “Power To The People” alongside performers from the day. The benefit event supported VoteRiders and HeadCount and featured protest songs, surprise collaborations and Dave Grohl’s shout-out to former special counsel Jack Smith. Morello also said in a Rolling Stone interview that he did not vote for Kamala Harris in 2024.
Bruce Springsteen closed Tom Morello’s Power To The People festival in Columbia, Maryland, on Oct. 3 with a set of protest songs, ending with John Lennon’s “Power To The People” alongside the day’s performers. The one-day event, which was livestreamed on MS NOW’s YouTube channel, raised proceeds for civic-engagement groups VoteRiders and HeadCount and featured performances by Dave Grohl, Dave Matthews, Jack Black and others.
Springsteen began his closing set solo with “Streets Of Minneapolis” before moving through songs including Bob Dylan’s “Chimes Of Freedom,” the Clash’s “Clampdown” and his own “The Ghost Of Tom Joad,” with Morello joining him. According to the report, Springsteen also played Creedence Clearwater Revival’s “Fortunate Son,” which he had not performed since 2009, and Neil Young’s “Rockin’ In The Free World,” which he had not played since before 2004. The festival ended with performers gathered onstage for Lennon’s “Power To The People.”
Grohl’s Foo Fighters set included a cover of Mose Allison’s “Young Man Blues,” which the band had not performed since 2021, according to the report. Grohl dedicated “My Hero” to his “new friend Jack.” The person identified as Jack Smith, the former Trump special counsel, was present at the event. Other highlights included Jack Black performing with a group of young musicians as “Jack Sabbath,” with Geezer Butler joining for Black Sabbath’s “War Pigs,” and a Soundgarden tribute featuring Taylor Momsen, Mike McCready, Matt Cameron, Morello and others.
Morello’s own set included Serj Tankian, Grandson and DMC, while Public Enemy, Cypress Hill and other acts also performed. The festival had been billed as non-partisan. On the day of the event, Rolling Stone published an interview in which Morello said he did not vote for Kamala Harris in the 2024 presidential election. He cited his opposition to U.S. policy toward Gaza and to what he called “corporate Democrat” candidates, and said he lives in California, where his vote “may not have moved the meter.”
Protest Music Met Electoral Debate
The event combined a benefit for voter access and civic engagement with a concert built around protest music and political expression. Its lineup brought together artists from rock, hip-hop and folk, using familiar songs and cross-generational collaborations to frame the festival’s stated social-justice aims.
Morello’s comments about his 2024 vote added a separate political development to coverage of a festival billed as non-partisan. His account is his own explanation of his decision; it does not change the stated beneficiaries or establish that the event itself endorsed a candidate. The juxtaposition drew attention because Morello is widely associated with left-wing activism and the festival’s program addressed political themes.
Springsteen’s closing set and Grohl’s dedication also linked the event’s performances to current public life. The appearance of Jack Smith, whose role as a former special counsel has remained part of political debate, gave Grohl’s brief dedication added public interest without making the performance a formal statement from Smith.
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How Morello Framed The Festival
Morello described the festival’s purpose in an earlier interview with Stereogum as an “anti-racist, anti-fascist” celebration and said he was planning surprise guests. The Oct. 3 program included both original material and covers associated with political protest, including songs by Bob Dylan, the Clash, John Lennon and Woody Guthrie.
The event’s closing statement thanked the artists, activists, organizations, partners, volunteers and fans who took part. Morello and the festival said the music had ended but the work continued, and asked supporters to consider donating to the Power To The People Festival Fund. They said donations would benefit organizations advancing civic engagement, social justice and human rights.
““I certainly did not” vote for Kamala Harris in 2024.”
— Tom Morello, in a Rolling Stone interview
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Donation Totals And Political Impact
The organizers did not provide a fundraising total in the supplied post-event statement, and the amount ultimately distributed to VoteRiders and HeadCount has not been reported. The statement invited further donations but did not specify a final deadline or a breakdown of how funds would be allocated.
Morello explained his own decision not to vote for Harris, but the available report does not provide further detail about how his remarks affected festival attendance, donations or the event’s reception. It also does not establish that the festival’s non-partisan designation was changed. Grohl’s dedication was brief; no additional statement from him or Smith about it was reported.
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Festival Fund Remains Open
Morello and the festival’s organizers asked supporters to donate to the Power To The People Festival Fund, saying proceeds would benefit organizations working on civic engagement, social justice and human rights. They did not announce a subsequent festival date or publish a timetable for reporting donations in the statement provided.
Further details to watch for include whether organizers release a fundraising figure and how the proceeds are divided among the named beneficiary groups. For now, the confirmed next step is the organizers’ request for continued support after the concert.
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Key Questions
When and where did Power To The People take place?
The one-day festival took place on Oct. 3, 2026, at Merriweather Post Pavilion in Columbia, Maryland. It was livestreamed on MS NOW’s YouTube channel.
Who benefited from the event?
Proceeds were designated for VoteRiders and HeadCount. In its post-event statement, the festival also invited donations to its fund, saying support would benefit organizations advancing civic engagement, social justice and human rights.
What did Bruce Springsteen perform?
Springsteen closed the festival with a set that included “Streets Of Minneapolis,” covers of Bob Dylan’s “Chimes Of Freedom” and the Clash’s “Clampdown,” and “The Ghost Of Tom Joad.” The performers joined him for John Lennon’s “Power To The People” at the end.
What did Dave Grohl say about Jack Smith?
Grohl dedicated Foo Fighters’ “My Hero” to his “new friend Jack.” Former Trump special counsel Jack Smith was at the festival, according to the report.
What did Tom Morello say about his 2024 vote?
In an interview with Rolling Stone published on the day of the festival, Morello said he did not vote for Kamala Harris. He connected his decision to U.S. policy toward Gaza and opposition to what he called “corporate Democrat” candidates.
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