Bruce Springsteen Honored, Discusses Activism and Apologizes to Bono at Tribeca Festival
Bruce Springsteen received the Harry Belafonte Voices for Social Justice Award on June 13, the final day of the Tribeca Festival. During a conversation with Bono, Springsteen dedicated the award to those who resisted "federal invasion" in several U.S. cities and discussed political engagement. He also publicly apologized to Bono for previously declining to license his song "Girls In Their Summer Clothes" for a 2007 Gap/(PRODUCT) RED campaign benefiting HIV/AIDS efforts in Africa.
Bruce Springsteen was honored with the Harry Belafonte Voices for Social Justice Award during the closing day of the Tribeca Festival on June 13. The event, held in lower Manhattan, featured appearances by Bono, Patti Smith, and Tribeca co-founders Robert De Niro and Jane Rosenthal.
Upon accepting the award, Springsteen expressed a degree of embarrassment and dedicated the honor to the people of Minneapolis, Portland, and Los Angeles, acknowledging their stance "against the federal invasion of their cities this year." He characterized himself as "a concerned citizen." A central theme of the Tribeca Storytellers event, mirroring Springsteen's recent Land of Hopes & Dreams Tour, was the perceived erosion of democracy in America and President Trump's federal overreach.
Robert De Niro introduced Springsteen, highlighting his ability to use his voice for the powerless and to lead resistance. De Niro stated that Springsteen "knows what the problem is and he names it: Donald Trump" and his "feckless enablers," emphasizing that the issue was the "corruption and megalomania of one person."
During a discussion, Bono questioned Springsteen about a rock star's connection to the working class and the validity of accusations of elitism. Springsteen responded by saying that individuals must take a stand, follow their beliefs, and have faith that those beliefs will be understood by fellow citizens. He added that America should be seen as a "sacred argument and a compromise."
Springsteen also addressed his recent, politically explicit tour, stating that he "warned everybody what the tour was gonna be like so they didn’t waste their money before they came." He concluded, "I figured I did my job and it was every man for himself after that."
In a notable exchange, Springsteen issued an apology to Bono. Bono recalled asking Springsteen in 2007 to license his song "Girls In Their Summer Clothes" for a Gap commercial supporting the (PRODUCT) RED campaign, which aimed to raise funds to combat HIV/AIDS in Africa. Springsteen had initially declined, but during their conversation, he admitted, "That was a big mistake, too. I should have said yes." He further added, "I should have f---ing done it. I have to apologize."
(Source: Billboard)
