Bruce Springsteen Brings E Street Energy to Philly in No Kings Tour Finale
The crowd at Broad Street was overflowing with excitement as the Boss returned to Philadelphia
Bruce Springsteen delivered a passionate, exhilarating, and rocking conclusion to the No Kings-themed Land of Hope and Dreams American Tour on Saturday, May 30 at the Xfinity Mobile Center in Philadelphia.
One of the most memorable moments came when roughly two dozen fans in the pit held up identical signs reading “Thank you for OUR lifetime” as the band launched into “Born to Run” near the show’s end.
Springsteen was visibly moved, flashing a shy smile and nodding to Little Steven Van Zandt, who returned the gesture from the stage.
Throughout the tour, Springsteen has closed shows with reflections on each city, consistently ending with the heartfelt phrase “Thank you for a lifetime.”
On Saturday, he expressed gratitude to tour manager George Travis and his crew, the E Street Band, guest Tom Morello, manager Jon Landau, wife Patti Scialfa, and of course, Philadelphia for making the tour possible.
“I first came here, I think it was 1973 at the Main Point in Bryn Mawr. I was 23 years old,” Springsteen recalled. “That was a little while ago. So what I want to say to you Philly is, thanks for a lifetime.”
The audience responded with an enthusiastic and warm “Bruuuce.”
“Stay alive, stay hungry, and stay calm,” Springsteen said as he exited the stage. “We’ll be seeing you.”
The evening mirrored the structure of other tour stops, featuring classic Springsteen rockers, the new protest anthem “Streets of Minneapolis” with chants of “ICE out now,” and the Boss sharing his thoughts on the state of the union.
He also referenced the Delaney Hall situation in Newark during the intro of “My City of Ruins.”
“There are immigrants being held in for-profit detention centers across the country, like Delaney Hall in my home state of New Jersey, where our governor has been denied access to meet with detainees about their conditions. This is happening now,” Springsteen said.
The band delivered an electrifying nearly three-hour set full of precision, energy, and passion.
Max Weinberg ignited the night on “Born in the USA,” arms pumped in the pit during “No Surrender,” Nils Lofgren dazzled with his “Youngstown” solo, Morello earned extra kudos from Springsteen for his pedal mastery on “Ghost of Tom Joad,” and the American flag received applause during “Long Walk Home.”
Springsteen’s haunting vocals on “Darkness on the Edge of Town” elicited gasps and cheers, and he skipped to the rear of the stage for “Hungry Heart.”
Fully immersed, he placed his hand over his heart during the opening verse of “Land of Hope and Dreams.”
“You’re the best!” shouted a fan.
Jon Landau watched most of the show from the front stage left, smiling throughout.
The only boos came during references to President Trump and a line about the Giants in “Wrecking Ball.”
Originally scheduled for May 8, Saturday’s show was postponed to accommodate a Philadelphia 76ers vs. New York Knicks NBA playoff game. The Land of Hope and Dreams American Tour kicked off March 31 at Minneapolis’ Target Center.
A similarly structured European leg of the Land of Hope and Dreams Tour took place last summer.
Springsteen will join Tom Morello, the Foo Fighters, Dave Matthews, Joan Baez, Brittany Howard, Dropkick Murphys, Jack Black, Cypress Hill, Killer Mike, Darryl “DMC” McDaniels, and others at the Power to the People Festival on two stages Saturday, Oct. 3 at Merriweather Post Pavilion in Columbia, Maryland.
Additionally, Springsteen is set to perform June 5 and 6 at the Music America: The Songs that Shaped Us concerts at Monmouth University’s OceanFirst Bank Center in West Long Branch. Presented by the Bruce Springsteen Center for American Music, the events will feature Jon Bon Jovi, Little Steven Van Zandt, Jackson Browne, Public Enemy, Rosanne Cash, Kenny Chesney, Mavis Staples, and more, marking the grand opening of the new Springsteen Center on June 13.
