Metal, Hardcore, Indie, Rock
This October, Tom Morello, guitarist for Rage Against the Machine, will host a brand-new festival called “Power To The People”, as per theprp. That event, which appears to be called after the John Lennon song of the same name from 1971 that Morello has already covered, is scheduled for October 3rd at the Merriweather Post Pavilion in Columbia, Maryland. The festival is defined as “a non-partisan celebration of peace, justice, solidarity, music, and community action” in a press release. Rock icon Bruce Springsteen and Morello himself will be among the many outspoken opponents of the current U.S. administration that night, despite the event being touted as nonpartisan. These lifelong friends have participated in rallies and publicly denounced a number of policies implemented by the current Trump administration.
The Power To The People festival is about freedom, justice, equality and rock and roll. It’s about the power everyday human beings have when they come together through music, art, community, and action. We’re honored to bring this incredible lineup to the DC area for a day that celebrates the spirit of activism, creativity, and hope. – Tom Morello
In addition to musical acts, the festival will feature a “Freedom Village” that will provide a stage for a number of advocacy groups, nonprofits, and other organisations. Additionally, a portion of the sales of all VIP tickets will go to VoteRiders and Headcount, two groups that support voter registration and help Americans navigate the voting process. Springsteen is mentioned as a special guest for the evening, and more special guests will be revealed in the upcoming weeks. The group below, which included actor/musician Jack Black, Tom Morello‘s son Roman Morello, Anthrax guitarist Scott Ian’s son Revel (who is also a member of XCOMM), Yoyoka Soma, and Hugo Weiss, had already collaborated last year.
Lineup:
They performed together against Ozzy Osbourne‘s “Mr. Crowley” at the “Back To The Beginning” festival in 2025, which was Ozzy and Black Sabbath‘s last live performance. For that historic occasion, Tom was also the curator. If the festival’s artwork below seems familiar, it was created by renowned artist and activist Shepard Fairey. This week, tickets for “Power To The People” will go on sale. A presale is set to begin this Friday, May 29 at 10:00 a.m. EST. You can register for that at powertothepeoplefest.com. This Friday, May 30, at 10:00 a.m. local time, the general onsale will begin.
