Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band, joined by Tom Morello, performed The Clash's 'Clampdown' for the first time since 2014 during their Land of Hope and Dreams Tour stop at the Kia Forum in Los Angeles. The cover came four songs into Tuesday night's show, marking a surprise deviation from recent setlists. Morello traded lead vocals with Springsteen on the 1979 classic.
The performance occurred at L.A.'s Kia Forum as part of the politically charged Land of Hope and Dreams Tour. Springsteen and the E Street Band dusted off 'Clampdown' after a 12-year hiatus, with all prior six renditions happening in April and May 2014. During that earlier run, Morello had filled in for Steve Van Zandt, who was filming the TV show Lilyhammer, and he returned for this tour stint, sharing vocals with Springsteen. The band paused the music briefly when Springsteen sang 'in these days of evil presidents' to emphasize the line from the song's lyrics about working for the clampdown under oppressive leaders. This cover was the sole change from the setlist of their previous concert in Portland, Oregon. The tour's opening night in Minneapolis featured only a 'Purple Rain' tribute to Prince as its variation. Springsteen has previously covered The Clash's 'London Calling,' including at the 2003 Grammys with Dave Grohl, Elvis Costello, Steve Van Zandt, Pete Thomas, and Tony Kanal to honor Joe Strummer, and three times in 2009. The 2014 'Clampdown' appearances coincided with the 'Stump the Band' segment, where audience sign requests led to unexpected covers like Bee Gees' 'Stayin' Alive,' Van Halen's 'Jump,' and Lorde's 'Royals.' Since his 2017 Springsteen on Broadway residency, Springsteen has favored structured sets with thematic narratives. The 2023-24 Letter to You tour focused on mortality and loss, while the current tour responds to events including the deaths of Renée Good and Alex Pretti at the hands of ICE officials. The band plays a second show at the Kia Forum on Thursday and concludes the tour on May 27 at Nationals Park in Washington, D.C., its sole stadium date.
