Springsteen, other stars share stage with hardcore leftist groups at music fest
Bruce Springsteen, Dave Matthews and other artists are headlining the “Power To The People” festival in Maryland, where performances are combined with voter registration, activist organising and fundraising ahead of the US midterms. The event’s lineup and participating groups show how celebrity performances can give political organisations greater visibility and help turn audience interest into civic and electoral engagement.
The festival’s grounds include a “Freedom Village” featuring groups such as Indivisible, Third Act and the ACLU, while its website describes a goal of shaping events on and beyond Election Day. Organiser Tom Morello has voiced support for socialism; Springsteen endorsed Kamala Harris and Tim Walz in 2024, and Matthews has backed Democrats and Bernie Sanders. The article says the fundraising project is fiscally sponsored by Catalyst Philanthropy Fund, a nonprofit that reported $6.5 million in annual revenue in its latest tax filing.
- Springsteen and Matthews headline a politically focused music festival.
- Nonprofits combine performances with voter registration and fundraising.
- Organisers aim to channel fan interest into political engagement.
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The US midterms are elections held halfway through a president’s four-year term, when voters choose members of Congress and many state and local officials. Campaigns and civic groups often use this period to encourage people to register, learn about candidates and vote.
The festival brings musicians together with organisations such as Indivisible, Third Act and the American Civil Liberties Union, which work on political participation and public issues. Organiser Tom Morello and performers Bruce Springsteen and Dave Matthews have expressed support for Democratic candidates or causes, placing the event within a broader tradition of artists taking part in political activity.
Such events can introduce organisations to large audiences and provide ways to register voters or raise funds. The project’s fiscal sponsor, Catalyst Philanthropy Fund, is a nonprofit that handles financial administration for charitable initiatives.
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The case for
Supporters can argue that popular musicians and established civic groups help people learn about voter registration and take part in public life, especially when an election is approaching. Combining performances with organising and fundraising can give citizens practical ways to act on issues they care about, while artists and groups remain free to express their political commitments.
The case against
Critics can argue that a festival framed around electoral engagement, featuring artists with known Democratic associations and groups they regard as strongly ideological, may lend celebrity influence to one side of a partisan contest. They may also question whether fundraising and organising at an entertainment event give audiences enough clarity about how donations are used and where civic participation ends and electoral campaigning begins.