Recommendations of the Editorial team
Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band will perform “select songs” at each stop of their upcoming “Land of Hope and Dreams” US arena tour accompanied by Rage Against the Machine guitarist Tom Morello. The news comes just weeks after Springsteen made a surprise appearance at Morello’s “Defend Minnesota: A Concert of Solidarity and Resistance” at First Avenue, where they performed “The Ghost of Tom Joad” together.
Common sign on stage
“I was reminded of the importance of our platform and the critical work of resistance our music can do together in this dangerous historical moment,” Morello said in a statement. “Together, Bruce, the E Street Band and I will shine a spotlight on the current threats to democracy and human rights happening all around us on the ‘Land of Hope & Dreams American Tour.’ In the spirit of freedom, justice and rock ‘n’ roll.”
Rage Against the Machine began playing “The Ghost of Tom Joad” live in 1997. They recorded the song three years later for their covers album Renegades. In 2008, Morello joined Springsteen and the E Street Band to perform the song at a show in Anaheim, California. It was the beginning of a musical connection between Springsteen and Morello that culminated in an E Street Band tour in 2013, during which Morello filled in for Steve Van Zandt, who was busy filming a new season of his series Lilyhammer.
Long-standing musical connection
During the tour, Morello made several contributions to songs on Springsteen’s 2014 album High Hopes. “The E Street Band is a pretty big house,” Springsteen told Rolling Stone in 2014. “But [Morello] builds another room. He creates a space that didn’t exist before. He became a filter through which I ran all this music. And he sent it back to me with a very current focus. I’m not sure the record would exist the same without his influence.”
Morello had to postpone some solo shows to make the E Street tour possible. “I have deep love and respect for all my friends, fans & collaborators. I’m sorry to have to postpone some of my solo shows in May,” Morello added in his statement. “I promise we will find a way to come together at these shows in these cities very soon.”
