Springsteen and E Street Band Wrap Land of Hope and Dreams Tour in Philadelphia

The Story

Bruce Springsteen and The E Street Band concluded their 20-date Land of Hope and Dreams American Tour on Saturday night in Philadelphia at the Xfinity Center, performing a nearly three-hour show that began just after 7:30 p.m. The tour, originally scheduled to end in Washington, D.C., was adjusted after the Philadelphia 76ers’ playoff schedule forced a reschedule of the Philly date from May 8 to the tour’s final night. The concert featured the same setlist for the eleventh consecutive show, a rarity for the band known for dynamic performances. Springsteen opened with a monologue acknowledging Philadelphia as the “home of our Declaration of Independence and the birthplace of American democracy,” and urged the audience to choose “hope over fear” and “the rule of law over lawlessness” before launching into a cover of Edwin Starr’s “War.” The set included songs such as “Born in the USA,” “Death to My Hometown,” “No Surrender,” “Darkness on the Edge of Town,” and “Streets of Minneapolis,” the latter featuring video monitors showing headshots of Alex Pretti and Rene Good, both killed by ICE officers earlier this year. Guest guitarist Tom Morello performed, and it was noted that the D.C. show three days prior had included political guests including former President Barack Obama. The final song of the night was a cover of Bob Dylan’s “Chimes of Freedom.”

Key Facts

• The tour was 20 dates, running from Minneapolis to Washington, D.C., but was altered due to the Philadelphia 76ers’ playoff schedule, making Philadelphia the final date.
• The Philadelphia show was the eleventh consecutive performance with the same setlist.
• Springsteen’s opening monologue included referencing Philadelphia as the birthplace of American democracy and urging the audience to choose “hope over fear,” “the rule of law over lawlessness,” and “peace over…” before breaking into “War.”
• The nearly three-hour show started just after 7:30 p.m.
• The set included “War,” “Born in the USA,” “Death to My Hometown,” “No Surrender,” “Darkness on the Edge of Town,” “Streets of Minneapolis,” “The Promised Land,” “Hungry Heart,” “Tenth Avenue Freeze Out,” “Long Walk Home,” “American Skin (41 Shots),” and “Chimes of Freedom.”
• Video monitors during “Streets of Minneapolis” showed headshots of Alex Pretti and Rene Good, both killed by ICE officers earlier in 2026.
• Guest guitarist Tom Morello performed; the finale was his 62nd birthday.
• The D.C. show three days prior was the only outdoor stadium show and included political guests including President Barack Obama.
• During “American Skin (41 Shots),” saxophonist Jake Clemons stood at the rear of the stage with both hands above his head in a “don’t shoot” pose.
• Springsteen thanked tour director George Travis, manager Jon Landau, and his wife Patti Scialfa (who was not on the tour), and recalled his first Philadelphia show in 1973 at the Main Point in Bryn Mawr.

Conflicting Reports

No conflicting reports identified in the source article.

Still Unclear

No open questions identified in the source article.

Misconceptions

No widespread misconceptions addressed in the source article.

Key Figures

• Bruce Springsteen
• The E Street Band
• Tom Morello (guest guitarist)
• Max Weinberg (drummer)
• Jake Clemons (saxophonist)
• Clarence Clemons (late E Street Band co-founder, Jake’s uncle)
• Alex Pretti (individual killed by ICE officers, mentioned in video)
• Rene Good (individual killed by ICE officers, mentioned in video)
• George Travis (tour director)
• Jon Landau (manager)
• Patti Scialfa (Springsteen’s wife and E Street Band member, not on tour)
• President Barack Obama (political guest at D.C. show)

Sources: The Hollywood Reporter