Target Center in Minneapolis, Minnesota: It wasn’t a “Backstreets” or “Jungleland” type of night. The joyful “Rosalita” would have been out of place, and audience requests were not taken. In fact, the only sign held aloft from the crowd was one that said “No Kings.”
It was opening night for the Land of Hope and Dreams Tour, and Bruce Springsteen knew exactly what he wanted his music to say. Lyrics described the insanity of war, ruined cities, unregulated power and murder. This artist has included pointed societal statements at his concerts for years. In Minneapolis, these themes crystalized into the most powerful political indictment of Springsteen’s career.
He addressed the crowd directly at three points, but the narratives never felt like a harangue. Instead, Springsteen laid out the case for his condemnation of the ongoing political climate in America. He pulled no punches, making his points lucid and concise.
While heated political embers hung in the air, Bruce Springsteen brought fire of another type with apolitical songs like “Because the Night” and “Tenth Avenue Freeze Out.” But even these powerful numbers held their own form of struggle against complacency.
A handful of crowd-pleasing hits briefly lightened the set, obligatory inclusions like “Dancing in the Dark” and “Hungry Heart.” But Springsteen never veered far from singing about the reason he was there – stressing how people must continue to take a stand against darkness. He held up Minneapolis as Exhibit A of such a stand, having composed a namesake tribute about the strength of local citizens’ resolve in the face of injustice.
During the encore, Springsteen introduced a song he said was “for the maestro,” then performed a majestic version of Prince’s “Purple Rain.” He ended the night with a song from yet another Minnesotan, Bob Dylan’s cry for awareness, “Chimes of Freedom.”
Late in the show, Springsteen had told the audience this was “an unplanned tour.” He hadn’t intended to go on the road right now but felt he needed to. This was clearly a personal mission with him, and he hoped his music could encourage positive passions of the moment. Based on the tour’s first night, he is surpassing all goals.
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