{"id":605036,"date":"2026-04-25T05:31:36","date_gmt":"2026-04-25T05:31:36","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/605036\/"},"modified":"2026-04-25T05:31:36","modified_gmt":"2026-04-25T05:31:36","slug":"bruce-springsteens-land-of-hope-and-dreams-tour-in-florida","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/605036\/","title":{"rendered":"Bruce Springsteen’s Land of Hope and Dreams Tour in Florida"},"content":{"rendered":"

In an evening thick with outrage and protest and war and death and rebellion, the most subversive moment in Bruce Springsteen\u2019s concert in Sunrise on Thursday had nothing to do with politics.<\/p>\n

It came during \u201cHungry Heart,\u201d the 1980 love song that was Springsteen\u2019s first single to reach the Top 10 on the Billboard chart. Perhaps relieved from the heavy themes that preceded it, the crowd exploded into a euphoric celebration of singing and dancing.<\/p>\n

In that moment, all the troubles that Springsteen and the audience had commiserated over during the first third of the concert evaporated into a place of uninhibited, joyous nostalgia. It seemed to be a perfectly timed reminder: Remember when we \u2014 and America \u2014 felt like that? Why can\u2019t we get back there again?<\/p>\n

Gary Press, of Pompano Beach, and his 25-year-old daughter, Karli,\u00a0danced in the aisle. Raised on Springsteen\u2019s music, she wept into her father\u2019s embrace.<\/p>\n

\u201cI was listening to Bruce since I was a little girl. It was a song that I haven\u2019t heard since I was 6, 7 years old,\u201d\u00a0she said. \u201cIt felt like I was the little girl version of me, and I just started crying. I was weeping on his chest.\u201d<\/p>\n

Her dad gets it, calling Springsteen \u201can inspiration.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cSpringsteen and I have been traveling down a road together for 52 years. What was affecting him in his life was affecting me in my life, so many times. He gave me hope, and through his music, I found I could do better,\u201d Press said.<\/p>\n

\"ClockwiseBruce Springsteen fans, clockwise from left, Gary Press, of Pompano Beach, wife Randi Press, daughter Karli Press and son Zachary Press at Bruce Springsteen’s concert at Amerant Bank Arena in Sunrise on Thursday. (Ben Crandell\/South Florida Sun Sentinel)<\/p>\n

Springsteen and The E Street Band brought their Land of Hope and Dreams crusade to South Florida on Thursday for a rousing night of iconic American rock \u2019n\u2019 roll and unrestrained political protest in front of a packed house at Amerant Bank Arena in Sunrise.<\/p>\n

In announcing the impromptu 20-date tour \u2014 the Sunrise show was the eighth, and the only one scheduled in Florida \u2014 Springsteen cited the need to speak out against \u201cdark, disturbing and dangerous times\u201d created by a \u201cwannabe king.\u201d<\/p>\n

On Thursday, he acknowledged another motive for hustling the tour together \u2014 to make sure the rest of America felt the same way, to confirm that \u201cthe America that I\u2019ve written about for 50 years\u201d was still there.<\/p>\n

\u201cI needed to hear your voices, I needed to see you,\u201d he told the crowd, the house lights at full illumination.<\/p>\n

The tone was set with the opening salvo of horns in Edwin Starr\u2019s Vietnam-era soul classic \u201cWar,\u201d with Springsteen and his 18-member band roaring off on a three-hour concert that ended with his clothes drenched in sweat. At 76 (just three years younger than his adversary in the White House), Springsteen remains a limber rock \u2019n\u2019 roll force.<\/p>\n

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Bruce Springsteen and The E Street Band onstage at Amerant Bank Arena in Sunrise on Thursday. (Mike Stocker\/South Florida Sun Sentinel)<\/p>\n

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Bruce Springsteen and The E Street Band, including Jake Clemons (nephew of Clarence), left, in concert at Amerant Bank Arena in Sunrise on Thursday. (Mike Stocker\/South Florida Sun Sentinel)<\/p>\n

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Bruce Springsteen and The E Street Band take their Land Of Hope And Dreams American Tour to the Amerant Bank Arena on Thursday April 23, 2026. (Mike Stocker\/South Florida Sun Sentinel)<\/p>\n

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Bruce Springsteen and The E Street Band take their Land Of Hope And Dreams American Tour to the Amerant Bank Arena on Thursday April 23, 2026. (Mike Stocker\/South Florida Sun Sentinel)<\/p>\n

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Bruce Springsteen and The E Street Band take their Land Of Hope And Dreams American Tour to the Amerant Bank Arena on Thursday April 23, 2026. (Mike Stocker\/South Florida Sun Sentinel)<\/p>\n

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Bruce Springsteen and The E Street Band take their Land Of Hope And Dreams American Tour to the Amerant Bank Arena on Thursday April 23, 2026. (Mike Stocker\/South Florida Sun Sentinel)<\/p>\n

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Bruce Springsteen and The E Street Band take their Land Of Hope And Dreams American Tour to the Amerant Bank Arena on Thursday April 23, 2026. (Mike Stocker\/South Florida Sun Sentinel)<\/p>\n

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Bruce Springsteen and The E Street Band take their Land Of Hope And Dreams American Tour to the Amerant Bank Arena on Thursday April 23, 2026. (Mike Stocker\/South Florida Sun Sentinel)<\/p>\n

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Bruce Springsteen and The E Street Band onstage at Amerant Bank Arena in Sunrise on Thursday. (Mike Stocker\/South Florida Sun Sentinel)<\/p>\n

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Bruce Springsteen and The E Street Band take their Land Of Hope And Dreams American Tour to the Amerant Bank Arena on Thursday April 23, 2026. (Mike Stocker\/South Florida Sun Sentinel)<\/p>\n

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Bruce Springsteen and The E Street Band take their Land Of Hope And Dreams American Tour to the Amerant Bank Arena on Thursday April 23, 2026. (Mike Stocker\/South Florida Sun Sentinel)<\/p>\n

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Bruce Springsteen and The E Street Band take their Land Of Hope And Dreams American Tour to the Amerant Bank Arena on Thursday April 23, 2026. (Mike Stocker\/South Florida Sun Sentinel)<\/p>\n

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Bruce Springsteen and The E Street Band take their Land Of Hope And Dreams American Tour to the Amerant Bank Arena on Thursday April 23, 2026. (Mike Stocker\/South Florida Sun Sentinel)<\/p>\n

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Bruce Springsteen and The E Street Band take their Land Of Hope And Dreams American Tour to the Amerant Bank Arena on Thursday April 23, 2026. (Mike Stocker\/South Florida Sun Sentinel)<\/p>\n

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Bruce Springsteen and The E Street Band take their Land Of Hope And Dreams American Tour to the Amerant Bank Arena on Thursday April 23, 2026. (Mike Stocker\/South Florida Sun Sentinel)<\/p>\n

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Bruce Springsteen and The E Street Band take their Land Of Hope And Dreams American Tour to the Amerant Bank Arena on Thursday April 23, 2026. (Mike Stocker\/South Florida Sun Sentinel)<\/p>\n

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Bruce Springsteen and The E Street Band onstage at Amerant Bank Arena in Sunrise on Thursday. (Mike Stocker\/South Florida Sun Sentinel)<\/p>\n

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The set list leaned into protest themes, of course, and several times Springsteen took a moment to sit on a step to explain his anger with the actions of \u201ca corrupt, incompetent, racist, reckless and treasonous administration.\u201d It was a message received by enthusiastic applause.<\/p>\n

The night included spirited versions of \u201cBorn in the U.S.A.,\u201d \u201cMy City of Ruins,\u201d \u201cWrecking Ball,\u201d \u201cThe Rising,\u201d \u201cNo Surrender\u201d and \u201cStreets of Minneapolis,\u201d with Springsteen\u2019s references to Renee Good\u00a0and Alex Pretti greeted by cheers.<\/p>\n

Tom Morello<\/a> added fiery rage to a cover of The Clash\u2019s \u201cClampdown\u201d and offered a reminder, as if one were needed, that he is one of rock\u2019s most nimble and gifted guitarists on \u201cThe Ghost of Tom Joad,\u201d which he concluded with the Steinbeck lines: \u201cWherever there\u2019s a fight so hungry people can eat, I\u2019ll be there. Wherever there\u2019s a cop beatin\u2019 up a guy, I\u2019ll be there.\u201d<\/p>\n

Amid the wrath, lighter songs such as \u201cBorn to Run\u201d and \u201cDancing in the Dark\u201d joined \u201cHungry Heart\u201d in producing some of the most energetic bouncing and fist-pumping.<\/p>\n

Scott Cantor, 43, of Jupiter, grew up with Springsteen and saw him live for the first time on Thursday, joined by his wife, Venus,\u00a0from the Philippines, who \u201ctagged along.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cHe was great. I\u2019ve liked him since I was a kid, and I\u2019ve wanted to see him forever,\u201d said Cantor, who was unaware of the political motivations for the tour when he got the tickets. \u201cI was good with it. I didn\u2019t mind that at all.\u201d<\/p>\n

His sister, Molly Brice, of Palm Beach Gardens, was more enthusiastic: \u201cI loved it. I agreed with all of it. I couldn\u2019t stop standing, laughing, crying. It was great.\u201d<\/p>\n

Fort Lauderdale resident Chaz Smith offered a two-word review: \u201cBruuuuce! Awesome!\u201d But it wasn\u2019t a perfect show for him.<\/p>\n

\u201cI get it, dark days, war, economy. But I didn\u2019t need all the speeches. I\u2019d rather hear \u2018Jungleland\u2019 or \u2018[Incident on] 57th Street\u2019 or \u2018Glory Days,\u2019\u201d Smith said. \u201cBut I get it. He\u2019s on a mission.\u201d<\/p>\n

Randi Press, Gary\u2019s wife, was conflicted for different reasons.<\/p>\n

\u201cI thought it was outstanding. The set list was fabulous. It was a great show. It was poignant. I didn\u2019t agree with everything, but I think his heart is in the right place,\u201d she said. \u201cI wish I heard a few positive things about the things this administration has done. Just a few positives. But I think it was filled with hope.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"BarbaraBarbara and John Appleby, of Jupiter, wore “I Teach Rock” shirts at Bruce Springsteen’s concert at Amerant Bank Arena in Sunrise. (Ben Crandell\/South Florida Sun Sentinel)<\/p>\n

Barbara Appleby, a retired special-education teacher from Jupiter, and husband John\u00a0wore \u201cI Teach Rock\u201d T-shirts, which support a free education program founded by Springsteen\u2019s bandmate, Stevie Van Zandt.<\/p>\n

The Applebys have been fans of Springsteen and his \u201cpowerful message\u201d since the 1980s, even traveling to Europe to see him.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat a bunch of talent. Different message, different eras, but great songs, great talent, a 19-piece band. What more can you ask for?\u201d she said as Springsteen thanked the crowd. \u201cThank you, Bruce!\u201d<\/p>\n

Staff writer Ben Crandell can be reached at\u00a0bcrandell@sunsentinel.com<\/a>. Follow on\u00a0IG: @BenCrandell<\/a>.<\/p>\n

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