Movies of War

Just under a year ago, Bruce Springsteen launched the “Land of Hope and Dreams Tour,” a run that saw him focus on his most politically charged material and call out the many, many, many injustices of Donald Trump’s second administration. It caught The President’s eye, leading to a public feud complete with Truth Social tantrums and several musicians coming to The Boss’ defense. Despite threats of denying Springsteen re-entry into the US and calls for MAGA to boycott the shows, here we are some 50 weeks later, and, for better and for much worse, we’re in damn near the same spot: The White House is still doing horrific shit, and Bruce is still calling it out one packed arena at a time. Last night was the latest stop, as Springsteen and his trusty E Street Band (boasting Tom Morello for the time being) performed a lengthy set at Chicago’s United Center. As the band made their way through a varied setlist that spanned over 10 albums and 40 years of music, Springsteen struck a balance between respectfully mourning the tragedies of recent history and inspiring an infectious, joyous hope. All the while, the 76-year-old proved he’s still got it, hopping around, hollering, and playing to the crowd in the way only The Boss can. Get Bruce Springsteen Tickets Here Advertisement Springsteen set the tone for the night as soon as he stepped onto the stage. Under a spotlight, the artist made his greetings before laying out his mission statement: “The E Street Band is here in Chicago tonight in celebration and peaceful defense of the American ideals and values that have sustained our country for over 250 years. Our democracy, our constitution, our rule of law are being challenged right now as never before by a reckless, incompetent, radical, and racist administration.” Related Video “We ask all of you to join with us in choosing hope over fear,” he continued as he led the band into their opening number, a cover of The Temptations’ “War.” As the ’60s group, E Street Band, and millions of Americans in the past month have asked, what is it good for? From there, the crew shuffled through a mix of topical protest songs (many of which from his latter era records, like “Death to My Hometown,” “American Skin (41 Shots),” and “Long Walk Home”) and the obligatory, though still rousing, hits (“Hungry Heart,” “Born to Run,” “Dancing in the Dark”). Along the way, they also sprinkled in covers from other politically minded artists, like The Clash, Patti Smith Group, and Bob Dylan. All told, the setlist felt intentional, resulting in an effective thematic payoff and a pace that made the marathon show fly by. Advertisement One impactful moment came toward the end of the set’s first half, when Springsteen pulled out his newest song, “Streets of Minneapolis.” Written in direct response to the murders of Renée Good and Alex Pretti at the hands of ICE, the cut’s relevance hit particularly hard. In a sea of older songs that are sadly still relevant, here’s one that reflects something intensely, horrifically contemporary. Is it the greatest tune Springsteen ever penned? No, but while chanting “ICE OUT” with an arena full of motivated fans, it was hard not to feel something. In fact, that was one of the most poignant, if unintentional, aspects of the night. As someone who frequents punk clubs and basement shows more often than arenas, I’m used to hearing such rallying cries. In those spaces, though, while no less important, it’s a message received by people who fit much more neatly into my demographic — both age-wise and views-wise. Here, though, I was sat next to a group of friendly older women who spent the time prior to the show trading stories of their grandchildren. And yet, those women and the rest of the crowd — mainly made up of boomers, Gen Xers, and their families — rose a righteous fist or a middle finger against injustice just the same. It was a touching reminder of unity, that America’s internal conflict is not as much of a generational split as it can sometimes feel as a young person living in this country. As the band wrapped up their encore and transitioned from “Tenth Avenue Freeze-Out” into Bob Dylan’s “Chimes of Freedom,” Springsteen left the crowd with one last call to action, one of peaceful but steadfast resistance and hope. Here’s The Boss reminding us that we’ve got work to do, but also that there’s more light and love in this world than it might seem. Advertisement Editor’s Note: Get tickets to the remaining 2026 Bruce Springsteen tour dates here. Bruce Springsteen at Chicago’s United Center 04/29/26 Bruce Springsteen and The E Street Band, photo via United Center/Bill Smith Bruce Springsteen and The E Street Band, photo via United Center/Bill Smith Bruce Springsteen and The E Street Band, photo via United Center/Bill Smith Bruce Springsteen and The E Street Band, photo via United Center/Bill Smith Bruce Springsteen and The E Street Band, photo via United Center/Bill Smith Bruce Springsteen and The E Street Band, photo via United Center/Bill Smith Bruce Springsteen and The E Street Band, photo via United Center/Bill Smith Bruce Springsteen and The E Street Band, photo via United Center/Bill Smith Bruce Springsteen and The E Street Band, photo via United Center/Bill Smith Bruce Springsteen and The E Street Band, photo via United Center/Bill Smith Bruce Springsteen and The E Street Band, photo via United Center/Bill Smith Bruce Springsteen and The E Street Band, photo via United Center/Bill Smith Bruce Springsteen and The E Street Band, photo via United Center/Bill Smith Bruce Springsteen and The E Street Band, photo via United Center/Bill Smith Bruce Springsteen and The E Street Band, photo via United Center/Bill Smith Setlist: War (The Temptations cover) [with Tom Morello] Born in the U.S.A. (with Tom Morello) Death to My Hometown (with Tom Morello) Clampdown (The Clash cover) [with Tom Morello] No Surrender Darkness on the Edge of Town Streets of Minneapolis The Promised Land Two Hearts Hungry Heart Youngstown Murder Incorporated American Skin (41 Shots) [with Tom Morello] Long Walk Home(with Tom Morello) House of a Thousand Guitars My City of Ruins Because the Night (Patti Smith Group cover) Wrecking Ball The Rising The Ghost of Tom Joad (with Tom Morello) Badlands (with Tom Morello) Land of Hope and Dreams (with Tom Morello) Encore American Land (with Tom Morello) Born to Run Dancing in the Dark Tenth Avenue Freeze-Out [with Tom Morello] Chimes of Freedom (Bob Dylan cover) [with Tom Morello] Load More