Bruce Springsteen delivers rousing performance at Celebrating America concert

Bruce Springsteen performed Land of Hope and Dreams to kick off Wednesday’s Celebrating America concert following the inauguration of President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris.

The 71-year-old singer of classics such as Born in the U.S.A., Born to Run and Dancing In The Dark performed the song in front of the Lincoln Memorial, saying he wanted to say a ‘small prayer for our country’ amid troubled times of the COVID-19 pandemic, and years of political division.

‘I’m proud to be here in cold Washington, D.C. tonight … this is Land of Hope and Dreams,’ said Springsteen. 

The Long Branch, New Jersey native donned a dark pea coat with blue jeans and a classic guitar for the stoic outing in the nation’s Capitol.

He sang facing the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool, which was adorned with 400 lights in memory of the 400,000-plus Americans who have perished from the deadly coronavirus. 

The heavily-secured event came two weeks to the day rioters breached the U.S. Capitol building to protest Donald Trump’s election loss.

The song – from The Boss’s 2012 album Wrecking Ball – was the same former President Barack Obama played following his farewell address in January 10, 2017. 

After Springsteen played, host Tom Hanks said, ‘Tonight, we ponder the United States of America, the practice of a democracy, the foundations of a republic, the integrity of our Constitution, the hopes and dreams we all share for a more perfect union.’

The blue-collar icon was followed by another New Jersey rock staple in Jon Bon Jovi, who covered the Beatles’ Here Comes the Sun at the political celebration.

The special included an A-list slate of performers, including John Legend, the Foo Fighters Katy Perry, Justin Timberlake and Demi Lovato, among others.