A Bruce Springsteen cover band lost a gig in the Boss’ home state of New Jersey over concerns about a backlash from Springsteen’s vicious attacks on President Donald Trump in concerts overseas. Meanwhile Springsteen continued his attacks on Trump at Saturday night’s show in France, with French subtitles on the jumbotron’s during his anti-Trump speeches.
Springsteen cover band No Surrender was set to play a show May 30th at Rivs Toms River Hub in the southern New Jersey Trump stronghold of Toms River, but the owner got cold feet after Springsteen repeatedly attacked President Trump in concerts in Manchester, England this month.
Excerpt from a report by NJ.com:
Shortly after Springsteen kicked off his European tour with harsh words about the Trump administration on May 14, bandleader Brad Hobicorn started receiving concerned text messages from bar owner Tony Rivoli, Hobicorn told NJ Advance Media Thursday morning.
On Sunday, Rivoli texted Hobicorn to say the gig was canceled, saying it was “too risky at the moment,” citing his restaurant’s conservative customer base.
Hobicorn offered to have his band play only non-Springsteen, classic-rock covers. But Rivoli balked at paying $2,500 for a classic-rock cover band as opposed to a Springsteen-specific group.
“Unfortunately it’s just too much money I wanted to do the Springsteen tribute for that money in my social media team would have promoted it we would have done well but now because Bruce can’t keep his mouth shut we’re screwed,” Rivoli wrote in a text message to Hobicorn obtained by NJ Advance Media.
In a message sent to bassist Guy Fleming, Rivoli wrote, “Whenever the national anthem plays, my bar stands and is in total silence, that’s our clientele. Toms River is red and won’t stand for his bull—-.”
At his show Saturday night at Stade Pierre-Mauroy Villeneuve-d’Ascq in Lille, France, Springsteen continued his war on foreign soil with Trump, giving his three speeches throughout the show in English with French subtitles on the jumbotrons:
The good news is that Bruce Springsteen opened his set in Lille with a heartfelt rant against trump. He remains unbowed under the pink baby’s onslaught. More power to him pic.twitter.com/JPzO7vmtye
— simon read (@simonnread) May 24, 2025
In a world full of Trumps. Be a Bruce Springsteen! pic.twitter.com/g9lAygcoR8
— René Leenders (@LeendersRene) May 24, 2025
Text of Springsteen’s speech trashing President Trump (and his supporters) as originally given in Manchester, England on May 14 and repeated at every successive show:
Introduction to My City of Ruins
There’s some very weird, strange and dangerous shit going on out there right now. In America, they are persecuting people for using their right to free speech and voicing their dissent. This is happening now.
In America, the richest men are taking satisfaction in abandoning the world’s poorest children to sickness and death. This is happening now.
In my country, they’re taking sadistic pleasure in the pain they inflict on loyal American workers.
They’re rolling back historic civil rights legislation that has led to a more just and plural society.
They are abandoning our great allies and siding with dictators against those struggling for their freedom. They are defunding American universities that won’t bow down to their ideological demands.
They are removing residents off American streets and, without due process of law, are deporting them to foreign detention centers and prisons. This is all happening now.
A majority of our elected representatives have failed to protect the American people from the abuses of an unfit president and a rogue government. They have no concern or idea for what it means to be deeply American.
The America l’ve sung to you about for 50 years is real and regardless of its faults is a great country with a great people. So we’ll survive this moment. Now, I have hope, because I believe in the truth of what the great American writer James Baldwin said. He said, “In this world, there isn’t as much humanity as one would like, but there’s enough.” Let’s pray.
Springsteen is scheduled to tour Europe the next month-and-a-half, finishing in Italy on July 3rd. No U.S. dates have been announced so far.
President Trump has fired back at Springsteen several times the past few weeks, most notably with a renewed golf swing meme targeting Springsteen that featured real video of Springsteen falling down on stage during a concert in Amsterdam in May 2023:
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) May 21, 2025
UPDATE: Adding Springsteen’s show opening speech in Lille, France Saturday night:
Ce soir à Lille, dès la première seconde du show, Springsteen s’en prend à nouveau à Trump #nosurrender #landofhopeanddreams @LCI @TF1Info pic.twitter.com/NgGZFc1rvs
— Grégory Philipps (@gregphil) May 24, 2025
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