Power To The People Festival: Morello, Black, Foo Fighters & Springsteen

Power To The People brought Tom Morello, Jack Black, Foo Fighters, Bruce Springsteen and more together for a day of music, activism and unforgettable jams.

A Festival Built Around Music and Collective Action

Some festival lineups are impressive on paper. Others feel like someone shook a jukebox, a protest rally and a rock ’n’ roll dream into the same afternoon. Tom Morello’s inaugural Power To The People festival landed firmly in the second category.

Held at Merriweather Post Pavilion in Columbia, Maryland, on Saturday, October 3, the event was designed as a “day of peace, love, justice and music.” It brought together musicians, fans, activists, organizations and community leaders for a day centered on the idea that collective action can inspire real change.

Morello, known for turning a guitar solo into something that sounds halfway between a siren and a political speech, assembled a lineup packed with unlikely combinations. Bruce Springsteen, Foo Fighters, Joan Baez, Serj Tankian, Dave Matthews, Brittany Howard, Dropkick Murphys, Jack Black, Cypress Hill, Killer Mike and others were announced for the bill in May.

A second wave of performers later expanded the rock history lesson, adding Geezer Butler of Black Sabbath, Scott Ian of Anthrax and Mike McCready of Pearl Jam. For fans, it was the sort of lineup that made checking the schedule feel almost pointless. The real question wasn’t who was playing, but who might appear beside whom.

Jack Black Turns the Stage Into a Hard-Rock Playground

The first major surprise arrived with Jack Black, who joined Darryl “DMC” McDaniels, Cypress Hill, Tom Morello, Chuck D and Scott Ian for a spirited cover of Aerosmith’s “Walk This Way.”

It was a wonderfully chaotic meeting of comedy, hip-hop and heavy rock. Black brought his larger-than-life stage energy, while DMC, Chuck D and Cypress Hill supplied the track’s rap-rock backbone. Morello and Ian added enough amplified firepower to make the performance feel like a comic-book version of an all-star jam.

In other words, it was exactly the kind of thing you hope happens at a festival built around musical connection.

Jack Sabbath Pays Tribute to Black Sabbath

Black also appeared earlier in the day in another wonderfully unexpected collaboration. He joined Morello’s son Roman, Scott Ian’s son Revel and Black Sabbath bassist Geezer Butler for performances under the playful name Jack Sabbath.

Together, they tackled “War Pigs,” with Butler bringing the unmistakable authority of someone who helped define the language of heavy metal in the first place. The performance connected generations in a way that felt both deliberately fun and genuinely meaningful: legendary musicians, their families and a performer known for turning rock worship into a full-body theatrical experience.

The group also performed “The Wizard,” another Black Sabbath classic. Watching Black share the stage with Butler gave the moment a charmingly surreal quality. It was part tribute, part family affair and part proof that festival magic often happens when the carefully planned schedule takes a detour.

Foo Fighters Deliver a Set Full of Familiar Anthems

Foo Fighters brought a more traditional full-band performance to the festival, but there was nothing ordinary about the song list. Their set included:

• “Times Like These”
• “All My Life”
• “The Pretender”
• “My Hero”
• “Best of You”
• “Everlong”
• “Young Man Blues”

The final song was originally written by Mose Allison and became especially well known through The Who’s version. Placing it alongside Foo Fighters’ biggest anthems gave the set a nice balance of history and stadium-sized momentum.

There’s a particular feeling that comes with hearing “Everlong” or “My Hero” in a large outdoor venue. Even if you’ve heard those songs countless times, the crowd tends to take ownership of them. Suddenly, a personal favorite becomes a shared memory, shouted back by thousands of people at once.

Dave Grohl later joined Morello for a performance of KISS’ “Rock and Roll All Nite,” adding another dose of classic-rock theater to an already overflowing day. Grohl also addressed the crowd, recalling his past campaigning for attorney and former United States Secretary of State John Kerry.

He also offered a shout-out to his “new friend, Jack,” understood to refer to former assistant U.S. attorney and special counsel Jack Smith, who was reportedly in the audience.

Springsteen, Baez and an All-Star Finale

The festival’s biggest gathering arrived at the end of the night. Bruce Springsteen began alone with “Streets of Minneapolis,” a politically charged song that immediately established the tone for the closing sequence.

He then invited Joan Baez to the stage for Bob Dylan’s “Chimes of Freedom.” Baez’s presence gave the performance an added sense of history, connecting the evening’s activism-focused spirit to the long tradition of protest music.

Morello joined them for The Clash’s “Clampdown” and “The Ghost of Tom Joad.” The latter carried an especially clear connection to Springsteen’s own catalog and Morello’s history of performing socially conscious rock. The guitarist has always treated the instrument as more than a sound-making device; in his hands, it can feel like a megaphone with strings.

Dave Matthews and Nathaniel Rateliff then joined the group for Creedence Clearwater Revival’s “Fortunate Son.” Dave Grohl followed for Neil Young’s “Rockin’ in the Free World,” turning the stage into a gathering of musicians whose songs have long been tied to resistance, frustration and hope.

The finale brought everyone together for a medley of Woody Guthrie’s “This Land Is Your Land” and John Lennon’s “Power to the People.” It was a fitting ending: familiar songs, a crowded stage and a message that landed with the directness of a chant.

“The ‘Power To The People’ festival is about freedom, justice, equality and rock and roll,” said Tom Morello. “It’s about the power everyday human beings have when they come together through music, art, community, and action.”

A fan-shared clip also captured Springsteen, Grohl and Morello performing “Rockin’ in the Free World” together at the Columbia, Maryland festival on October 3, 2026.

Bruce Springsteen, Dave Grohl and Tom Morello reunited for “Rockin’ in the Free World” at the Power To The People Festival in Columbia, Maryland.

— Cap’tain Bob

The Festival’s Charitable Mission

The event’s message extended beyond the stage. A portion of ticket-sale proceeds, along with 100 percent of the net proceeds from VIP tickets, was donated to VoteRiders and HeadCount.

VoteRiders is a pro-democracy, pro-voter organization focused on reducing confusing and restrictive identification barriers that can prevent people from reaching the ballot box. HeadCount helps fans register to vote and learn more about participating in upcoming elections.

That detail mattered because Power To The People wasn’t presented simply as a concert with political language painted around the edges. The organizers connected the performances to practical civic work, using the festival’s audience and energy to support organizations active in voter participation.

Morello’s Busy Creative and Political Year

The festival arrived shortly after Morello released his solo album Everyone Gets Everything They Want. The record includes a collaboration with Kneecap on “Unconquered,” adding another chapter to his long-running interest in music that carries an outspoken social message.

Morello has also remained publicly active in political causes. The previous summer, he shared a “Fuck ICE” playlist featuring artists including The White Stripes, Springsteen and Public Enemy, and he attended protests opposing the agency’s policies.

In 2024, he discussed music’s ability to spark political change while also naming some of his favorite protest songs. Earlier in 2026, he used his set at Download to send a message to British far-right activist Tommy Robinson.

He later teamed up with Serj Tankian and his son Roman for the single “Adjourn It.” The song continued the theme that has run through much of Morello’s recent work: art can entertain, but it can also challenge, organize and push back.

His collaboration with Kneecap was rooted in admiration for the group’s music and its willingness to align itself with oppressed communities. Morello described himself as a fan from the group’s early days and said his Irish family background made that connection feel especially personal.

“They’re not just a great group – they stand up for the oppressed and they’ve got my vote,” Morello said.

The Power To The People appearance with Springsteen also followed Morello’s time touring alongside The Boss on the “Land of Hope and Dreams” U.S. arena tour earlier in the year. Their shared stage therefore felt less like a random cameo and more like the latest chapter in an ongoing musical partnership.

Conclusion

Tom Morello’s first Power To The People festival brought together classic rock, hip-hop, metal, comedy, activism and family in one gloriously unpredictable day. From Jack Black’s multi-generation Sabbath performances to Foo Fighters’ anthem-heavy set and the final Springsteen-led singalong, the event made a persuasive case for music as both celebration and collective action.

Which collaboration would you have most wanted to see from the festival?

FAQ

• What was the Power To The People festival?
  It was a one-day music and activism festival organized by Tom Morello at Merriweather Post Pavilion in Columbia, Maryland.
• Who performed at the festival?
  The lineup included Tom Morello, Bruce Springsteen, Foo Fighters, Joan Baez, Dave Matthews, Jack Black, Geezer Butler, Serj Tankian, Cypress Hill, Killer Mike and many others.
• What songs did Jack Black perform?
  Black performed “Walk This Way” with DMC, Cypress Hill, Morello, Chuck D and Scott Ian. He also performed “War Pigs” and “The Wizard” with Jack Sabbath.
• Which Foo Fighters songs were played?
  Foo Fighters performed “Times Like These,” “All My Life,” “The Pretender,” “My Hero,” “Best of You,” “Everlong” and “Young Man Blues.”
• Where did the festival proceeds go?
  A portion of ticket proceeds and all net proceeds from VIP tickets were donated to VoteRiders and HeadCount, organizations supporting voter access and participation.

If this celebration of music, protest and community struck a chord, bring that feeling home with a favorite album cover poster from Architeg Prints. It’s a warm, timeless way to keep the spirit of live music on your wall.