Bruce Springsteen Preaches Politics and Plays the Hits in Cleveland

A familiar, thundering sound filled Rocket Arena: “Bruuuuuuuce.”

Bruce Springsteen brought his high-energy “Land of Hopes and Dreams” tour of decade-spanning hits to Cleveland on Friday night, marking at least his 40th appearance in Northeast Ohio. Cleveland holds a special place in his heart. Once a star of WMMS radio, the heartland rocker’s local airplay led to his iconic 1978 concert at the Agora. Four decades later, and he’s enshrined in the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame. 

Springsteen referenced the area's impact on his music, both indirectly in his performance of “Youngstown,” and directly, speaking to the crowd near the end of the night.

“Thank you for supporting our band all these years,” he said. “I think back to the old Agora. I was in my 20s. What I want to say is: Cleveland, thanks for a lifetime.”

In the 17th concert on the 20-leg tour, the setlist threaded together songs addressing Springsteen’s political thesis, such as his hastily written “Streets of Minneapolis,” inspired by clashes between protestors and Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents over the winter; and, of course, his signature protest hit, “Born in the U.S.A.” But Springsteen’s set also featured plenty of fan service numbers, like “Dancing in the Dark" and “Hungry Heart.” 

Rage Against The Machine guitarist Tom Morello joined the group onstage for some of the show’s most politically charged moments, including in a fiery performance of the folky “The Ghost of Tom Joad.” Like his tour appearances in 2016, the presence of Morello, who spent his time finger tapping and fist pumping when he was not shredding a guitar, brought extra intensity to the evening.

The Boss always brings it, and with great support by Morello, guitarist Nils Lofgren and saxophone player Jake Clemons (nephew of longtime sax player Clarence Clemons), the E Street Band proved that it’s still a force. But Springsteen has always been at his best when he’s fighting for a cause.

This tour, centered around Springsteen’s passionate rebuke of the president, seems to have given the longtime protest rocker an extra gear. 

Bruce Springsteen’s Land of Hope & Dreams American Tour

Cleveland, May 22, 2026 Setlist: 

1. “War” (The Temptations cover) 

2. “Born in the U.S.A.”

3. “Death to My Hometown”

4. “Clampdown” (The Clash cover) 

5. “No Surrender”

6. “Darkness on the Edge of Town”

7. “Streets of Minneapolis”

8. “The Promised Land”

9. “Two Hearts”

10. “Hungry Heart”

11. “Youngstown”

12. “Murder Incorporated”

13. “American Skin (41 Shots)”

14. “Long Walk Home”

15. “House of a Thousand Guitars”

16. “My City of Ruins”

17. “Because the Night” (Patti Smith Group cover) 

18. “Wrecking Ball” 

19. “The Rising”

20. “The Ghost of Tom Joad”

21. “Badlands”

22. “Land of Hope and Dreams”

Encore: 

23. “American Land”

24. “Born to Run”

25. “Dancing in the Dark”

26. “Tenth Avenue Freeze-Out”

27. “Chimes of Freedom” (Bob Dylan Cover)

Senior editor Annie Nickoloff contributed to this review.

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