Bruce Springsteen appeared to be thoroughly enjoying himself at a recent concert, where he was filmed singing into the mic and sipping beer from a plastic cup while shaking hands with fans. The 75-year-old rocker’s energy and connection with the crowd were evident in the video shared on Reddit, which quickly went viral.
Fans praised the moment, with one writing, “Aging like fine, fine wine. Unlike someone who hates him right now.” Another commented, “Funny to see a bunch of middle-aged white men claim they never liked him lmfao. They know they idolized this man until like a week ago.”
The video surfaced just days after Springsteen drew headlines for speaking out against former President Donald Trump during his May 14 show in Manchester, England. From the stage, Springsteen declared, “The mighty E Street Band is here tonight to call upon the righteous power of art, of music, of rock and roll in dangerous times. In my home, the America I love, the America I’ve written about, that has been a beacon of hope and liberty for 250 years, is currently in the hands of a corrupt, incompetent and treasonous administration.” He went on to urge, “All who believe in democracy and the best of our American experiment to rise with us, raise your voices against authoritarianism and let freedom ring!”
Trump responded on Truth Social with a scathing rant, calling Springsteen “Highly Overrated” and “not a talented guy.” He wrote, “Never liked him, never liked his music, or his Radical Left Politics and, importantly, he’s not a talented guy – Just a pushy, obnoxious JERK, who fervently supported Crooked Joe Biden.”
Trump continued by mocking Springsteen’s appearance and intellect, calling him a “dried out ‘prune’ of a rocker” and “dumb as a rock,” before concluding, “This dried out ‘prune’ of a rocker ought to KEEP HIS MOUTH SHUT until he gets back into the Country.”
Unfazed by the backlash, Springsteen continued to address his concerns at subsequent shows. He told audiences, “Things are happening right now that are altering the very nature of our country’s democracy, and they’re too important to ignore.” He emphasized the ongoing persecution of dissenters, the neglect of the world’s poorest by the wealthy, and what he described as a sadistic attitude toward American workers.
Despite the heated rhetoric, Springsteen closed on a hopeful note, saying, “The America I’ve sung to you about for 50 years is real, and regardless of its many faults, it’s a great country with a great people. We will survive this moment.”
