Bruce Springsteen and The E Street Band are officially back on the road. They just launched the Land of Hope and Dreams American Tour, and opening night in Minneapolis, Minnesota, delivered a massive 27-song set. The location and timing of this kickoff felt incredibly intentional. This show came just months after Springsteen debuted his track “Streets of Minneapolis,” a powerful song written in response to the tragic murders of Alex Pretti and Renee Good.
The night began with a genuine shock to the system. For the first time in 23 years, Springsteen opened a show with a performance of “War.” Before the music fully took over, he took a moment to address the crowd with a heavy and impassioned speech. He started with a prayer for the safe return of men and women serving overseas. He then declared that the mighty E Street Band was there to call upon the righteous power of art, music, and rock and roll during dangerous times.
He emphasized that the gathering was both a celebration and a defense of American ideals, specifically naming democracy, the constitution, and the sacred American promise. He did not hold back his frustrations, stating to the audience that the America he loves and has written about for 50 years, a nation that has long been a beacon of hope and liberty, is currently controlled by a corrupt, incompetent, racist, reckless, and treasonous administration. He closed his introduction by asking everyone in the building to join the band in choosing hope over fear, democracy over authoritarianism, the rule of law over lawlessness, ethics over unbridled corruption, resistance over complacency, unity over division, and peace over war.
Anyone familiar with Springsteen knows his setlists are living things. He is famous for changing up the song order and selections from night to night, so fans catching later dates will likely experience a completely different show.
If you are hoping to catch a show and need tickets for sold out dates, you can look for resale options on Stubhub or Vivid Seats. It is always a smart idea to check Ticketmaster first for official options.
Below is the complete setlist from opening night. Keep in mind that this represents the very first show of the tour and might not be completely accurate for the show you attend.
- “War”
- “Born In The U.S.A.”
- “Death To My Hometown”
- “No Surrender”
- “Darkness On The Edge Of Town”
- “Streets Of Minneapolis”
- “The Promised Land”
- “Out In The Street”
- “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”
- “Born To Run”
- “Bobby Jean”
- “Dancing In The Dark”
- “Tenth Avenue Freeze-Out”
- “Purple Rain”
- “Chimes Of Freedom”
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