WASHINGTON (AP) 鈥� Foo Fighters, Dave Matthews, and Joan Baez will headline a star-studded protest festival set for the Washington, D.C., area a month before the midterm elections.
Springsteen and Rage Against the Machine guitarist announced the festival Wednesday while performing together at Nationals Park in Washington as Springsteen winds down his .
At the concert Wednesday, Springsteen played many of his most political songs, including 鈥淎merican Skin (41 Shots)鈥� about a fatal police shooting and in response to the killings of Ren茅e Good and Alex Pretti by federal immigration agents. 鈥淭he Gestapo tactics of this president and this administration will not stand here,鈥� Springsteen said.
鈥淭his American tragedy can only be stopped by the American people: you. There is no one coming to save us. We鈥檝e got to do it ourselves,鈥� he said. 鈥淪o join us and let鈥檚 fight for the America that we love. Do you hear me, Washington?鈥�
The one-day, two-stage Power to the People festival is set for Oct. 3 at Merriweather Post Pavilion in Columbia, Maryland, and is being billed as about “freedom, justice, equality and rock 鈥檔鈥� roll.鈥� A portion of the proceeds from all ticket sales will benefit the organizations VoteRiders and HeadCount.
鈥淚t鈥檚 about the power everyday human beings have when they come together through music, art, community and action,” Morello said in a statement. “We鈥檙e honored to bring this incredible lineup to the DC area for a day that celebrates the spirit of activism, creativity, and hope.鈥�
The festival will also include Dropkick Murphys, Jack Black, Serj Tankian, Killer Mike, Taylor Momsen and the Linda Lindas, among others.
Springsteen has long who in turn has called for a boycott of Springsteen鈥檚 shows, calling him a 鈥渢otal loser who spews hate.鈥�
On Wednesday, Springsteen led the crowd in an 鈥淚CE out!鈥� chant, encouraging the audience to make their voices heard all the way to the White House.
鈥淥ur democracy, our constitution, our rule of law are being challenged right now as never before by a reckless, racist, incompetent, treasonous president and his ship of fools administration,鈥� said Springsteen.
鈥淕od bless Alex Pretti, God bless Ren茅e Good, God bless you and God bless America,鈥� he said before launching into the final song of the night, 鈥淐himes of Freedom.鈥�
___ This story has been corrected to show that Springsteen mentioned Alex Pretti before Ren茅e Good.
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