Rock Legends Spanning Decades Unite for Massive New Music Festival
If you didn't have plans this fall, now you do, thanks to Tom Morello. The Rage Against the Machine co-founder just announced a massive music festival uniting some of rock's greatest artists for what organizers are calling a "nonpartisan day of pace, love, justice, and music." And just wait until you hear the call sheet.
The Power to the People festival will feature performances by Foo Fighters, Dave Matthews, Bruce Springsteen, Joan Baez, Dropkick Murphys, Cypress Hill, Brittany Howard, The Linda Lindas, and so many more across two stages. Billed as "a celebration of peace, justice, solidarity, music, and community action," the event is set for Saturday, Oct. 3, at Merriweather Post Pavilion in Columbia, Maryland, just a stone's throw from Washington, D.C.
The presale sign-up is open now, alongside a link for voter registration. In addition to performances, the day promises a host of activities, with nonprofits and community partners offering ways to get involved through civic engagement, activism, and mutual aid. According to the festival homepage, a proportion of the proceeds from tickets will be donated to pro-democracy organization VoteRiders. With midterm elections approaching in November, the timing of the festival feels especially notable.
Morello's festival announcement also comes as another politically adjacent music event - the Freedom 250 Concerts, an event also dubbed the Great American State Fair in celebration of the country's 250th anniversary - is facing mounting backlash. Released yesterday, the lineup includes Martina McBride, Vanilla Ice, C+C Music Factory, Flo Rida, and Bret Michaels. However, some acts, including Morris Day and Young MC, have reportedly dropped out, citing no concerns over its political association.
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This story was originally published May 28, 2026 at 7:50 PM.