Tom Morello Clarifies 2024 Voting Stance Amid Star-Studded ‘Power To The People’ Benefit Concert

Tom Morello’s star-studded “Power To The People” benefit concert took place at Merriweather Post Pavilion in Columbia, Maryland, on Saturday, October 3. While the event was billed as non-partisan and aimed to support civic organizations VoteRiders and HeadCount, the festival’s start coincided with a major interview in Rolling Stone where Morello, a prominent progressive voice, revealed he did not vote for Kamala Harris in the 2024 presidential election. Morello attributed his decision to US policy regarding Gaza, his opposition to “corporate Democrat” candidates, and the symbolic nature of his vote in heavily Democratic California.

Over the summer, Morello described the festival’s mission as an “anti-racist, anti-fascist” celebration, promising a lineup full of surprise guests. On Saturday, those promises came true in spectacular fashion, uniting some of the most iconic figures in rock, punk, and hip-hop.

The event kicked off with a surprise reunion of “Jack Black Sabbath,” featuring Jack Black alongside young musicians Tom Morello’s son Roman on guitar, Scott Ian’s son Revel on bass, drummer Yoyoka Soma, and keyboardist Hugo Weiss. The group, who previously performed a pre-recorded tribute for Ozzy Osbourne, delivered energetic covers of Black Sabbath’s “Mr. Crowley,” “The Wizard,” and “War Pigs,” the latter featuring a surprise appearance by original Sabbath bassist Geezer Butler. Soma also had the opportunity to meet Foo Fighters frontman Dave Grohl, who had previously supported her television debut on The Ellen DeGeneres Show.

Morello’s solo set was packed with high-profile collaborations. System of a Down frontman Serj Tankian joined him for “Adjourn It” and a powerful take on Audioslave’s “Like A Stone.” Grandson brought his collaborative energy for “Hold The Line,” while hip-hop legend Darryl McDaniels (DMC) teamed up with Morello for Run-DMC classics “It’s Tricky” and “Walk This Way.” The latter track also featured an all-star lineup including Public Enemy’s Chuck D, Cypress Hill’s B-Real and Sen Dog, and a vibrant Jack Black, recreating the spirit of the supergroup Prophets Of Rage.

A major highlight of the evening was the surprise formation of “Suns Of Soundgarden,” a tribute act featuring Taylor Momsen, Tom Morello, Pearl Jam guitarist Mike McCready, former Soundgarden/Pearl Jam drummer Matt Cameron, and bassist Robbie Mangano. The supergroup delivered a faithful and energetic run through Soundgarden’s iconic catalog, including “Loud Love,” “Outshined,” and “Spoonman.”

The musical crossings continued as Anthrax guitarist Scott Ian joined Public Enemy on their classic collaboration “Bring Tha Noize.” Earlier, Public Enemy’s Flavor Flav hopped on stage with Cypress Hill for a lively rendition of House Of Pain’s “Jump Around.” Meanwhile, the politically charged Dave Matthews opened his set with the poignant “Don’t Drink The Water,” followed by a rare cover of Marvin Gaye’s “Mercy Mercy Me.”

Matthews then welcomed Nathaniel Rateliff and legendary folk singer Joan Baez to the stage for a stirring cover of Woody Guthrie’s “This Land Is Your Land” and the traditional protest anthem “Ain’t Gonna Let Nobody Turn Me ‘Round.” Baez, who went viral earlier this summer for her energetic dancing alongside Matthews and Rateliff at the Newport Folk Festival, brought timeless grace and power to the performance.

Foo Fighters treated the crowd to a rare cover of Mose Allison’s “Young Man Blues,” their first performance of the track since 2021. Frontman Dave Grohl, sporting an Iowa Hawkeyes shirt, humorously dedicated the band’s hit “My Hero” to his “new friend Jack”—referring to former special counsel Jack Smith, who was in attendance wearing a Springsteen shirt. Smith has recently been in the political spotlight following his high-profile Senate testimony.

Closing the festival, Bruce Springsteen took the stage solo before being joined by Morello and his backing band. The Boss delivered a setlist heavy on iconic protest anthems, performing “Fortunate Son” for the first time since 2009 and Neil Young’s “Rockin’ In The Free World” for the first time since 2004. The night culminated in a massive, star-studded ensemble cover of John Lennon’s “Power To The People.”

Pop star Olivia Rodrigo made a low-key appearance at the festival, choosing to attend as a fan of ’90s rock rather than performing, catching sets from the sidelines and enjoying the historic atmosphere.

Following the event, Morello and the festival team released a statement thanking the artists, volunteers, and partners, emphasizing that the work for social justice and civic engagement continues beyond the music. They encouraged attendees to donate to the Power To The People Festival Fund to support organizations advancing human rights and civic participation.

Bruce Springsteen’s setlist for the evening featured a powerful selection of covers and acoustic staples:

• “Streets Of Minneapolis” (solo acoustic)
• “Chimes Of Freedom” (Bob Dylan cover with Joan Baez) (acoustic)
• “Clampdown” (the Clash cover with Tom Morello)
• “The Ghost Of Tom Joad” (with Tom Morello)
• “Fortunate Son” (Creedence Clearwater Revival cover with Dave Matthews and Nathaniel Rateliff)
• “Rockin’ In The Free World” (Neil Young cover with Dave Grohl, Dave Matthews, and Tom Morello)
• “This Land Is Your Land” (Woody Guthrie cover with all)
• “Power To The People” (John Lennon cover with all)

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