Bruce Springsteen, a man of the people. Provided those people can pay exorbitant prices for concerts, of course.
Springsteen is launching the 20-date “Land of Hope and Dreams Tour” with his E Street Band starting next month and ending in May. The tour is going to be pushing a “No Kings” theme, according to the New York Post, which is somewhat ironic when you look at the ticket prices.
According to Variety, the tickets for the tour start at $84.55, although you would be insanely lucky to get those nosebleed seats. The most expensive tickets are over $3,000 a pop.
And the 76-year-old Springsteen means this tour as a sort of statement on where liberalism is in 2026, which is … well, apt.
“We are living through dark, disturbing and dangerous times, but do not despair — the cavalry is coming!” Springsteen said in a statement.
“We will be rocking your town in celebration and in defense of America — American democracy, American freedom, our American Constitution and our sacred American dream — all of which are under attack by our wannabe king and his rogue government in Washington, D.C. Everyone, regardless of where you stand or what you believe in, is welcome …”
Provided, of course, you can pay the piper.
The cheapest available ticket at the Prudential Center in Newark, New Jersey, on April 20 is going for $279.63. The May 5 show at the UBS Arena in Belmont Park, New York, is slightly cheaper at $177.31, while the Barclays Center in Brooklyn had tickets for $244.35. Madison Square Garden tickets will be at least $326.60.
Variety, a showbiz publication, naturally thought that these high prices were much ado about nothing:
Springsteen tours have tended to attract more attention for their cost than most in recent years, partly because some fans believe that he has a “man of the people” image that should mandate keeping costs for fans low, while others think it’s just fine if he charges something closer to a going rate, given how scalpers will make the lion’s share off outrageous prices if he leaves money on the table for the sake of optics. And, of course, many in Springsteen’s core demographic rarely buy tickets anymore and still complain about anything above 1985 prices… although no one can be blamed for having their eyes widen upon first exposure to the higher tiers here. (It’s not just boomers who balk, anyway; the onsale for Harry Styles’ upcoming residencies had some millennials at least as much in shock as any Bruce fan.)
Some people (read: Variety writers) don’t get that the shock is less people upset that concerts cost more than they did 40 years ago and more those pesky “optics,” particularly as it relates to a “No Kings”-themed tour aimed at whinging about Donald Trump.
If that’s what you want to do, fine — but don’t price it for kings only.
The Post, fittingly, captured some of the reactions, which were particularly brutal.
“You have become a friggin woke joke,” one commenter said.
“Just remember, Bruce, Republicans buy concert tickets, too. At least they did until now,” another wrote.
“Many of us are living paycheck to paycheck and can’t afford tickets for hundreds or thousands of dollars. I thought Bruce was better than that,” another wrote.
No, he’s not, even if he is a billionaire. But cheer up: He’s only going places where he gets his butt taxed off for it!
“Ha, ha only blue cities. No one else would buy the Obama bootlicker’s tickets,” one fan wrote about the itinerary.
Springsteen’s attitude and staggering ticket prices were always bound to rub some the wrong way, but the Boss doesn’t seem to have accounted for how badly this would go. Not that he would know, given how unaffected by reality he seems to be these days.
However, I have good news, Springsteen fans with budgets: At least you can be sure that $3,000 is being fleeced from all the right sort of people.
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