Bruce Springsteen calls Trump 'corrupt, incompetent and treasonous' on stage

Bruce Springsteen isn't pulling any punches in "dangerous times."

The Boss kicked off the inaugural performance of the E Steet Band On May 14, Bruce Springsteen will kick off his European tour at the Co-op Live in Manchester, England, urging people to speak out against authoritarianism. His passionate speech sharply criticized autoritarian regimes. President Donald Trump .

Springsteen stated before performing "The Land of Hope and Dreams," the opening song for the evening, "Tonight, the powerful E Street Band stands ready to invoke the divine strength found within art, music, and rock 'n' roll during these perilous times." videos from the show.

At home, the America I cherish—the one I’ve chronicled as a symbol of hope and liberty for 250 years—is now under the control of a corrupt, inept, and traitorous government.Tonight, join me in calling upon everyone who believes in democracy and embodies the finest aspects of our American ethos to stand up with us, amplify your voices against tyranny, and ensure freedom echoes loud and clear. This is ‘The Land of Hope and Dreams.’

Subsequently, during the first performance of "Rainmaker" from the album "Letter to You" released in 2020, Springsteen honored "our beloved leader." This song narrates the tale of a community suffering from drought, with their fields dried up as they yearn for salvation.

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"Rainmaker takes all your possessions /Sometimes people need to believe in something so desperately, so desperately, so desperately," crooned Springsteen.

The performance included an updated playlist relative to the band’s 2023-24 tour, featuring "Death to My Hometown," "Murder Incorporated," "House of Thousand Guitars," and "Born in the U.S.A." among the selections.

A cover of Bob Dylan's “Chimes of Freedom” closed the show.

“Take this home with you,” Springsteen said.

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The 16-show tour marks the last part of the highly praised E Street tour which started on February 1, 2023, at the Amalie Arena in Tampa, Florida. Springsteen named this series "The Land of Hope and Dreams Tour" and hinted at potential alterations to both the setlist and theme for these performances.

Throughout most of his career, Springsteen avoided discussing political topics during performances with the E Street Band.

"One of an artist's roles is to understand existence and to interpret the present era they inhabit, as well as to provide context for those times," Springsteen has said before. Variety Each artist approaches their work uniquely. This thought is always with me, and I'm confident it will shine through during our upcoming part of the tour.

The next performance of the E Street Band will be held on Saturday, May 17, returning to the Co-op Live in Manchester.

The E Street Band's performance on May 14 in Manchester, UK, had this setlist:

• Homeland of Hopes and Journeys
• "Death to My Hometown"
• "Lonesome Day"
• My Love Won’t Abandon You
• "Rainmaker"
• Twilight at the Fringe of Town
• "The Promised Land"
• "Hungry Heart"
• "My Hometown"
• "Youngstown"
• "Murder Incorporated"
• "Long Walk Home"
• Home 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"

The article initially appeared in the Asbury Park Press. Bruce Springsteen denounces Trump as 'corrupt, incompetent, and traitorous' during a performance onstage.