Tom Morello has announced a new Power To The People festival, which will see performances from Bruce Springsteen, Foo Fighters, Joan Baez, System of a Down’s Serj Tankian and more.
- READ MORE: Tom Morello: “In the past, I’ve wanted to use music as a battering ram for social justice”
The guitarist, best known for his work in Rage Against The Machine and Audioslave, is currently on tour with Bruce Springsteen across the US, and announced plans for the inaugural festival on stage at Nationals Park last night (Wednesday May 27).
Named Power To The People Festival, the event will be taking place on Saturday October 3 at Merriweather Post Pavilion in Columbia, MD, and is described as a non-partisan celebration of peace, justice, solidarity, music, and community action.
Huge names already lined-up to perform include Springsteen, Foo Fighters, Joan Baez, and System of a Down’s Serj Tankian.
Others on the line-up include Dave Matthews, Brittany Howard, Dropkick Murphys, Jack Black, Cypress Hill, Killer Mike, grandson, The Neighborhood Kids, Taylor Momsen, Matt Cameron (Pearl Jam, Soundgarden), The Linda Lindas, Darryl “DMC” McDaniels, and Morello himself.
Artist Shepard Fairey is contributing artwork and playing a DJ set, and the event looks to “bring together artists, fans, activists, organisations and community leaders for an unforgettable day celebrating the power of music and collective action to inspire change.”
As well as live performances, visitors can also engage with nonprofit organisations, advocacy groups, artists, and community partners in the festival’s Freedom Village, and a portion of the proceeds from all ticket sales, plus 100 per cent of the net proceeds from VIP tickets, will be donated to good causes.
These causes are VoteRiders – a pro-democracy, pro-voter organisation working to restore and strengthen democracy by eliminating confusing and restrictive ID-related barriers to the ballot box – and HeadCount, who will also be on site to help fans register to vote and learn more about how to participate in upcoming elections.
“The Power To The People festival is about freedom, justice, equality and rock and roll,” said Morello. “It’s about the power everyday human beings have when they come together through music, art, community, and action. We’re honoured to bring this incredible lineup to the DC area for a day that celebrates the spirit of activism, creativity, and hope.”
More artists and organisations involved in the one-day festival will be announced in the coming weeks. Tickets go on sale on Saturday May 30 at 10am ET. Visit here for more information.
This isn’t the first time that Morello has channeled his activism into a live event, as he has a history of helping organise activism-oriented concerts, rallies, and events. These include 2011’s L.A. Rising at the historic Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum, which featured performances from Rage Against the Machine, Muse, Rise Against and Ms. Lauryn Hill.
Last summer, the guitarist – a longtime critic of the US President – shared a “Fuck ICE” playlist, and he was one of the many figures from the entertainment world who attended the anti-ICE protests.
In 2024, he spoke to NME backstage at Download Festival about the power of music to spark political change, and listed his all time favourite protest songs.
“Off the top of my head, some of my favourites would be ‘Imagine’ by John Lennon, ‘Biko’ by Peter Gabriel, ‘Fight The Power’ by Public Enemy. There are also probably a few Rage Against The Machine Songs that make the list too…” he said.
“The first thing that makes a great protest song is that it’s a great song. Nobody wants to hear a college lecture with a beat to it, there has to be an artistry there and an authenticity and a power and a chemistry behind it. All of those songs have that.”