Tom Morello is steering a star-studded, activism-minded music festival into the D.C. orbit this fall, turning Columbia, Md., into a one-day hub for riffs and civic action. Power To The People is slated for Oct. 3 at Merriweather Post Pavilion, with organizers promising performances from Bruce Springsteen, the Foo Fighters and a wide roster of artists across generations. Alongside the music, the event will fold in civic programming, including a "Freedom Village" and partnerships with voter-access groups, so the experience is part concert day, part on-the-ground engagement.
Tom Morello Curates An Activist All-Star Lineup
As announced by Power To The People, the one-day festival curated by Tom Morello will take place Oct. 3 at Merriweather Post Pavilion and features Bruce Springsteen, Foo Fighters, Dave Matthews, Joan Baez, Brittany Howard, Dropkick Murphys, Jack Black, Serj Tankian, Cypress Hill, Killer Mike, grandson, The Linda Lindas and more. The festival site describes the event as a nonpartisan celebration of "peace, justice, solidarity, music and community action," and says attendees can expect intimate and collaborative performances across two stages. "The Power To The People festival is about freedom, justice, equality and rock and roll," Morello said in the announcement.
Springsteen Hints At Pre-Election Ruckus In D.C.
Bruce Springsteen first teased the festival at his May 27 show at Nationals Park, calling for "another night of music and resistance" and noting the Oct. 3 date falls roughly a month before the November midterm elections, according to The Washington Post. The Post reports Springsteen gave limited details from the stage and said the full announcement would follow the next day.
Tickets, Partners And On-Site Civic Action
The festival's website says pre-sale registration opens May 29 and general tickets go on sale May 30 at 10 a.m. ET, with lawn access starting around $125 and VIP packages available, per Power To The People. Organizers say a portion of ticket sales plus 100% of net VIP proceeds will be donated to VoteRiders, and HeadCount will be on site to register fans and provide information about participating in upcoming elections.
Merriweather Gets The Call
Merriweather Post Pavilion is the wooded outdoor amphitheater in Symphony Woods between Washington and Baltimore, and it will host the festival; the venue lists its address as 10475 Little Patuxent Pkwy, Columbia, MD 21044 on its official site. Merriweather has a long history as a regional festival venue, and that footprint will shape transit, parking and shuttle plans for what is likely to be a high-demand day.
Organizers are expected to announce additional performers, artists and community partners in the weeks ahead. With ticket sales opening this weekend, the festival is set up as the first major music-and-civic event of the fall in the D.C. orbit. We will monitor lineup updates and local logistics as they are released.
