Bruce Springsteen took Trump to task at Phoenix concert

If having “Trump Derangement Syndrome” — which the President accused Bruce Springsteen of having on his Truth Social forum — causes you to grab your band members and hit the road to preach about the injustices and inequities in this country, as Bruce Springsteen and The E Street Band are currently doing, maybe it’s a welcome diagnosis. 

Springsteen, who’s got half a century in on traveling the world, playing his revved-up rock ‘n’ roll, and with many of the same band members, tore it up with his crew at the unfortunately named Mortgage Matchup Center last night in Downtown Phoenix. The group is playing several cities on the Land of Hope & Dreams American tour, which kicked off in Minneapolis.

The band hit the stage promptly at 7:30 p.m. and busted into a cover of “War” by The Temptations. Their motivation for being there was clear when that opening song was followed by “Born in the USA,” the title track of the ’80s record that brought the band to the radio and the MTV generation.

The song about the plight of Vietnam vets post-war is decades old, but lines in it, like, “End up like a dog that’s been beat too much / ’Til you spend half your life just coverin’ up” still drive home the weariness that comes from anyone having to fight for a slice of humanity in their own country. 

The band is joined on this tour by Rage Against the Machine’s Tom Morello, who came out for the first four songs before jumping in and out throughout the set. He’s played with the band before, and the comfort level was evident as he and The E Street Band’s guitar master, Nils Lofgren, had some interplay. 

Morello, in fact, dropped some wicked guitar magic into the songs he joined the band on — most notably adding some nice noise to “American Skin (41 Shots)” and taking “The Ghost of Tom Joad” and cranking up its intensity with a gut-punching solo.

Speaking of solos, Nils’ guitar work in the sonic saga “Youngstown” gave the song the power to destroy hearts. 

In addition to a setlist full of songs that emphasize his long advocacy for human rights, Springsteen took ample time to talk. Before playing “Streets of Minneapolis,” he talked about Renee Good and Alex Pretti, who were both killed by ICE. During the tune, there were a lot of phone lights waving through the air, along with clapping, and where I was sitting, tears.

He also laid out the costs to the people of this country due to the actions of the current administration. As he listed them, he finished each point by saying, “This is happening now,” an effective way to encourage folks to stay focused and aware.

Spreading love, hope, and support for one another was also a talking point, and the band’s camaraderie definitely helps support that mission. The band, complete with additional drummers, a violinist, a horn section and a choir, exudes a loving family vibe. There’s cheeky choreography, eye contact loaded with emotion and plenty of fun between songs to shake up your heart.

Jake Clemons on sax is also worth mentioning. He’s the nephew of the late E Street Band member Clarence Clemons, who was in the group for over 40 years. The younger Clemons brings the glorious saxophone scuzz that gives a rock song the grit to make you jump outside your skin a little bit.

Springsteen also reflected on his longtime love for Arizona and reminisced about playing early shows at the Celebrity Theatre. He couldn’t recall what it was called, but said it was the place with the revolving stage, and the entire audience shouted back the name. He asked if it was still going, and he got the “yes” answer from a crowd of many thousands. 

A couple more times during the night, he interjected a laugh and a comment like “Wow, that stage is still spinning around.” 

Nils running around like a whirling imp, Little Steven exuding his casual coolness, Max pounding the drums; it felt like a night catching up with longtime friends who want to shoot the shit about the past but don’t want to live in it, staying in the present and gabbing about a future worth rolling into.

Here’s every song Bruce Springsteen and The E Street Band played on April 16 at Mortgage Matchup Center:

• “War”
• “Born in the U.S.A.”
• “Death to My Hometown”
• “Clampdown”
• “No Surrender”
• “Darkness on the Edge of Town”
• “Streets of Minneapolis”
• “The Promised Land”
• “Two Hearts”
• “Hungry Heart”
• “Youngstown”
• “Murder Incorporated”
• “American Skin (41 Shots)”
• “Long Walk Home”
• “House of a Thousand Guitars”
• “My City of Ruins”
• “Because the Night”
• “Wrecking Ball”
• “The Rising”
• “The Ghost of Tom Joad”
• “Badlands”
• “Land of Hope and Dreams”
• “American Land”
• “Born to Run”
• Dancing in the Dark”
• “Tenth Avenue Freeze-Out”
• “Chimes of Freedom”