MINNEAPOLIS (AP) 鈥� was in a defiant but upbeat mood as he returned Tuesday night to the 鈥淪treets of Minneapolis” to launch his , denouncing the Trump administration’s immigration crackdown in the city and opening with a not-so-veiled salvo against the war in Iran
Springsteen kicked off his 鈥淟and of Hope & Dreams American Tour鈥� at the packed Target Center with a show that lasted just shy of three hours, with no intermission. He previously honored the city鈥檚 residents in song for their courage in standing up against the estimated 3,000 federal officers that President Donald Trump鈥檚 administration sent in what it called its largest immigration enforcement action anywhere in the country.
鈥淲e are here in celebration and defense of our American ideals,” Springsteen said. “Democracy, our Constitution and our sacred American promise, the America that I love, the America that I鈥檝e written about for 50 years, that鈥檚 been a beacon of hope and liberty around the world, is currently in the hands of a corrupt, incompetent, racist, reckless, and treasonous administration.鈥�
The Boss then asked the crowd to join 鈥渋n choosing hope over fear, democracy over authoritarianism, the rule of law over lawlessness, ethics over unbridled corruption, resistance over complacency, unity over and peace over … 鈥� before exploding into a thunderous version of 鈥淲ar,” a song he has sung since war clouds loomed over the Reagan administration.
After Springsteen and the E Street Band launched into 鈥淏orn in the U.S.A.鈥� and a few other fan favorites, he stood alone at center stage with just a quiet accompaniment for a song he penned in January amid the over the shooting deaths of by federal officers. Thousands of audience members held their lit-up phones aloft in tribute.
After E Streeters including Steve Van Zandt and Max Weinberg joined in, Springsteen led fans in four chants of the song’s signature line, 鈥淚CE Out Now,鈥� as the house lights came up.
Springsteen played a solo version of Saturday during the national flagship 鈥淣o Kings鈥� rally at the state Capitol in St. Paul. On Tuesday night, he repeated his statement: 鈥淭he solidarity of the people of Minneapolis, of Minnesota, was an inspiration to the entire country.鈥�
鈥淲e鈥檒l take our stand for this land/And the stranger in our midst/We鈥檒l remember the names of those who died/On the streets of Minneapolis,鈥� he sang.
Springsteen later delivered a soliloquy lamenting the state of the country and the world, using it as a lead-in to 鈥淢y City of Ruins.鈥�
There’s between Springsteen and Trump, who have long feuded. During his last year, the Trump administration as a 鈥渞ogue government鈥� of people who have 鈥渘o concern or idea for what it means to be deeply American.鈥�
Trump, in turn, has called Springsteen a 鈥渄ried-out prune of a rocker.鈥� In a , the president once wrote, 鈥淣ever liked him, never liked his music or his Radical Left Politics and, importantly, he鈥檚 not a talented guy 鈥� just a pushy, obnoxious JERK,鈥� he wrote on social media.
The lights went violet as Springsteen and the E Streeters performed Prince’s 鈥淧urple Rain.鈥� Tom Morello delivered a searing rendition of the late Minneapolis-born superstar’s concluding guitar solo.
The show ended with Springsteen again honoring Pretti and Good. Before beginning 鈥淐himes of Freedom,鈥� he told the audience:
鈥淭his is a tour that was not planned. We鈥檙e here tonight because we need to steal your hope and your strength. And we wanted to bring some hope and some strength to you. I hope we did.鈥�
Springsteen told a New York City audience last week, during a 30th anniversary celebration for the independent news program 鈥淒emocracy Now!,鈥� that his tour will head next to Portland, Oregon, and Los Angeles, 鈥渢wo other cities where they had to deal with ICE, ICE鈥檚 terror.鈥� It ends May 27 in Washington, D.C., where he said he鈥檒l have a few choice words for the White House.
Becky Stunc, 75, came to Minneapolis from Sandpoint, Idaho. 鈥淚 really want to make my voice known for what Bruce represents,鈥� she said. “And our country.鈥�
Stunc said she found 鈥淪treets of Minneapolis” especially moving, with its reference to the spots where Good and Pretti fell as 鈥渨here mercy should have stood.鈥�
Peter Somers, 46, of Rochester, Minnesota, brought his 11-year-old son, Jack, saying he was glad that Springsteen was “standing up with people for America and democracy.鈥�
鈥淗e鈥檚 a legend,鈥� Somers said. 鈥淎nd it鈥檚 Jack鈥檚 first concert ever. What better first concert to ever have than Springsteen?鈥�
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