Topline
Rage Against The Machine guitarist and activist Tom Morello announced his “Power To The People Festival” on Thursday, slating up performers like Bruce Springsteen, the Foo Fighters and Joan Baez after President Donald Trump’s Freedom 250 organization revealed the music lineup for its Great American State Fair beginning next month.
Tom Morello performs during the 2025 Boston Calling Music Festival at Harvard Athletic Complex.
Photo by Astrida Valigorsky/Getty Images
Key Facts
Morello announced the one-day event is set to take place in Columbia, Maryland, in October.
While not a direct competitor to the Great American State Fair, which announced its lineup Wednesday and takes place over the summer, the Power To The People Festival is described on its website as “a celebration of peace, justice, solidarity, music, and community action.”
The Power To The People Festival will feature two stages and be attended by nonprofits and advocacy groups to discuss their causes.
The event will take place months after The Great American State Fair, which spans nine days and seven performances taking place between June 25 and July 3 for the Trump administration’s Freedom 250 celebrations.
Who Is Performing At The Power To The People Festival?
Alongside Morello, the event has billed the Foo Fighters, Dave Matthews, Bruce Springsteen, Joan Baez, Brittany Howard, Dropkick Murphys, Jack Black (featuring Roman Morello, Revel Ian, Yoyoka Soma and Hugo Weiss), System of a Down lead singer Serj Tankian, Cypress Hill, Killer Mike, Grandson, The Neighborhood Kids, Taylor Momsen, Matt Cameron, The Linda Lindas and Darryl “DMC” McDaniels. Other special guests will be announced in the coming weeks, according to the event’s website.
Who Is Performing At The Great American State Fair?
Artists at the event include Martina McBride, C+C Music Factory, Vanilla Ice, Milli Vanilli, The Commodores, Flo Rida and Bret Michaels. The Great American State Fair initially had nine performers slated for its music lineup, with Young MC and Morris Day and The Time dropping out. Young MC said in a Facebook post “artists were never told about any political involvement with the event” and that he hopes to “perform in D.C. in the near future at an event that is not so politically charged.” Morris Day and The Time said in a post on Instagram, “It’s A No For Me,” alongside an emoji wearing sunglasses.
How Much Do Tickets Cost For Each Event?
Tickets are free for the Great American State Fair, which takes place on the National Mall, but attendees are encouraged to register for them ahead of time. Tickets for the “Power To The People Festival” start at $125 and have additional higher tiers that cost $225, $375 and $1,500, respectively. A portion of all ticket sale proceeds and 100% of the net proceeds from the $375 and $1,500 VIP tickets will be donated to voter advocacy nonprofit VoteRiders.
Key Background
Morello is a longtime critic of President Donald Trump and recently spoke out about his administration’s anti-immigration practices and slammed the war against Iran, pointing out the bombing of an Iranian school that killed around 150, according to the United Nations. Morello told The Washington Post some artists who were on the fence about his music festival changed their minds after federal agents killed protesters Renée Good and Alex Pretti during demonstrations against immigration raids in Minneapolis earlier this year.