Movies

Bruce Springsteen’s European stadium concerts harness rock’s ‘righteous power’ in ‘dangerous times’

BBG News

I’ve found myself amidst over 170,000 people in Germany’s largest soccer stadiums for Bruce Springsteen’s recent rock concerts. Coming from a nation where democracy faded away in 1933, we’ve been strikingly attentive to his message and his ominous warnings about the precarious political climate in the United States. It’s a situation that has stirred echoes of Adolf Hitler’s rise to power in the ’30s for some of us.

At the grand outdoor concerts held in Berlin, Frankfurt, and Gelsenkirchen (which are part of Bruce Springsteen’s extensive, 16-show Land of Hope & Dreams tour through Europe), the 75-year-old musician from New Jersey has integrated brief, impactful political comments into his intense, sweat-soaked performances. During these concerts, he expressed concerns about the potential risks he perceives in the U.S. under the Trump administration.

At each concert, Springsteen declares, “The legendary E Street Band is here tonight to summon the virtuous strength of art, music, and rock ‘n’ roll in challenging times.” He continues, “In my nation – the America I cherish, the America I’ve penned songs about – the America that has been a symbol of hope and freedom for 250 years is now under the control of a corrupt, inept, and traitorous administration. Tonight, we appeal to everyone who values democracy and the finest aspects of our American heritage to join us, let your voices be heard against authoritarianism, and let liberty echo.

Springsteen’s words carry a profound impact in Germany, where the echoes of the Nazi era remain palpable and the collapse of the Weimar Republic – an event leading directly to Hitler’s rise – is thoroughly explored in educational institutions. Given this historical context, it’s likely that German concerns about President Trump’s strategies are particularly high compared to other places.

Michael Pilz, a music critic for the Welt newspaper, commented that Germans generally harbor concerns about many issues and have significant apprehension towards Trump. He believes that the demise of German democracy in 1933 is one reason behind the widespread appeal of Springsteen’s anti-Trump concerts this summer. According to Pilz, many Germans view Trump as a buffoon, not just because of his policies but also due to his larger-than-life persona. Germans seem to enjoy seeing Trump face adversity and appreciate Springsteen for his courage in confronting him.

In Germany, the crowds attending Bruce Springsteen’s concerts this spring have been both numerous and eager. For instance, over 75,000 people gathered at Berlin’s Olympic Stadium on June 11, followed by approximately 44,500 in Frankfurt on June 18, and an additional 51,000 in the industrial town of Gelsenkirchen by the Ruhr River on June 27. In total, ticket sales for the 16 concerts in his tour have exceeded 700,000, with the final performance taking place in Milan, Italy on July 3.

In my perspective, the German disdain for Trump has intensified during his second term, a fact that leaves me baffled as to how the American people could have chosen such an individual. As a political science professor at the Free University in Berlin and a drummer in an amateur Berlin rock band, I am particularly intrigued by Jochen Staadt’s viewpoint. Staadt posits that Bruce Springsteen’s 1988 concert might have played a significant role in setting the stage for the Berlin Wall’s collapse just over a year later in 1989. In our collective memory, Germans associate Springsteen with his crucial part in our history when Germany was still divided and his potential contribution to healing that division through rock music.

Bruce Springsteen has been packing stadiums throughout Europe during the balmy summer evenings with his energetic performances that not just amuse massive crowds but also address Trump’s policies regarding civil liberties, free speech, immigration, and universities in a thoughtful manner through well-crafted messages. To make sure nothing gets lost in translation, Springsteen’s brief political comments (lasting about 2 to 3 minutes each) are translated for local audiences by displaying subtitles in German, French, Spanish, Basque, and Italian on the large video screens on stage.

To make sure the message resonates with a larger audience, Springsteen additionally shared a 30-minute recording from the initial tour stop in Manchester, England. This recording includes three of his songs and three of his onstage speeches.

Springsteen expressed, “I’ve consistently aimed to represent America well,” while introducing “My City of Ruins.” Written after the 9/11 attacks, this song now carries a fresh significance this summer. Throughout his career, he has sung about instances where we have excelled and fallen short in embodying our democratic ideals and dreams. He felt that was simply part of his role. However, recent events unfolding in my homeland are reshaping the essence of American democracy, and these issues are too significant to overlook.

During the Manchester show on May 17th, my first speech as Springsteen on tour drew a strong response from Donald Trump on his Truth Social platform. He labeled me as “dumb” and suggested I should keep quiet until I return to the country. According to him, it’s just typical behavior, and we’ll see how things unfold for me afterward.

At every European concert, Springsteen didn’t directly address questions but instead emphasized his messages repeatedly. During one of these performances, he introduced his song “House of a Thousand Guitars” with this statement: “When all other safeguards in government have failed, it is the people – you and me – who hold the final check on power. We are the union that stands between democracy and autocracy. In the end, all we truly possess is one another.” In the song, Springsteen sings about a criminal jester who has taken the throne, grabbing what he can never truly own.

During his performances, “Rainmaker” – a track from his 2020 “Letter to You” album, which tells the story of a swindler, was first played live. At the European shows, Springsteen dedicates this song to “our leader,” singing lyrics that include: “Rainmaker claims white is black and black is white / Says night is day and day is night.

In a different version of the lyrics, he modified a line from “they don’t care or understand what it really takes for the sky to open up the land,” to “they don’t care or understand how effortlessly one can lose their freedom.

As a dedicated fan, I’ve always marveled at Bruce Springsteen’s extraordinary appeal in Europe compared to the U.S., and it seems this disparity might widen further down the line. In a recent chat with Germany’s Playboy, Steve Van Zandt, our bandmate and lead guitarist, pointed out that we may have forfeited roughly half of our fanbase at home due to our outspoken resistance against Trump. Our concerts back in the States are usually held in more intimate indoor arenas instead of the grand stadiums we fill overseas.

In Europe, Bruce Springsteen and his band have consistently packed massive stadiums during extended summer nights for years, with audiences that passionately belt out his songs and spend most of the shows on their feet, dancing and applauding. There are numerous dedicated Springsteen fans from various nations who schedule their annual leave to catch him performing concert after concert across the continent. This year, Springsteen’s message has resonated even stronger, stirring intense emotions in audiences primarily comprised of baby boomers and generating significant media coverage throughout Europe.

Katrin Schlemmer, a 56-year-old IT analyst from Zwickau, expressed that Bruce Springsteen’s music resonated profoundly in Europe, particularly Germany, even before Trump became president. However, since Trump took office, she believes that Springsteen’s voice has become significantly impactful for her and others. In June alone, Schlemmer attended five Springsteen concerts, spanning from Berlin to Prague, Frankfurt, and twice in San Sebastián, Spain. Over the years, she’s witnessed a total of 60 Springsteen concerts across 11 countries worldwide, with her first being in East Berlin in 1988. This record-breaking concert, attended by over 300,000 people, some historians suggest, may have played a role in the fall of the Berlin Wall, just 16 months later.

Schlemmer expressed his bewilderment, stating that many Germans struggle to understand why the Americans chose someone akin to Trump. Having once met Springsteen after a 2014 concert in Cape Town, South Africa, Schlemmer witnessed firsthand the rapid deterioration of democracy under an authoritarian regime. The growing concern among people about the potential threats posed by Trump is reflected in their admiration for Springsteen, who speaks truthfully and stands against him. Springsteen is well-loved here because he tells things as they are and takes a stance against Trump.

Stephan Cyrus, a 56-year-old manager residing in Hamburg, stated that the Germans consider Bruce Springsteen to be an honest and reliable American voice during times of doubt or confusion.

In Cyrus’ words, when Germans listen to Springsteen expressing his concerns about the U.S., they pay close attention because many of us share deep admiration and yearning for the U.S., and we too are concerned about its future path. Following the June 11 concert in Berlin, it’s clear that he resonated with us through his spoken words.

In one of his concert speeches, Springsteen goes after Trump without mentioning his name.

Some bizarre, unusual, and risky events are unfolding at present. Currently, in America, individuals who exercise their right to free speech and express dissent are being targeted. Simultaneously, the wealthiest men in America appear to be deriving pleasure from neglecting the health and lives of children living in poverty across the world.

As a passionate moviegoer, I’d put it like this: “In my nation, they seem to derive twisted satisfaction from causing distress to dedicated American workers. They’re reversing groundbreaking civil rights laws that fostered a fairer, more diverse society. They’re abandoning our steadfast allies and aligning with autocrats against those yearning for freedom. They’re slashing funding for universities that refuse to bend to their ideological whims. They’re evicting residents from American streets and deporting them without due legal process to foreign detention facilities. This is happening today. The majority of our elected officials have fallen short in shielding the American people from the abuses of an unfit president and a lawless administration.

He expresses to the crowds that individuals within the administration “lack understanding or appreciation for what it truly means to be profoundly patriotic.

But Springsteen ends on a hopeful note, promising his audiences: “We’ll survive this moment.”

Read More

2025-07-02 13:32

Previous post Elden Ring Nightreign Patch 1.01.4 Out Now, but Don’t Expect Much From It
Next post How The Spice Girls have been plagued by infighting and scandal – as its revealed two of Mel B’s bandmates will NOT attend her wedding on Saturday