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The Guardian
4 days ago
- Business
- The Guardian
‘So polarised': Bruce Springsteen's anti-Trump comments divide US fans
As the lead singer of a Bruce Springsteen cover band, Brad Hobicorn had been looking forward to performing at Riv's Toms River Hub in New Jersey on Friday. Then came a text message from the bar's owner, saying the gig was cancelled. Why? Because the real Bruce Springsteen had lambasted Donald Trump. 'He said to me his customer base is redder than red and he wishes Springsteen would just shut his mouth,' Hobicorn recalls by phone. 'It was clear that this guy was getting caught up in that and didn't want to lose business. The reality is we would have brought a huge crowd out there: new customers that are Springsteen fans that want to see a band locally.' The culture wars have arrived in New Jersey, the state of Frank Sinatra, Jon Bon Jovi, Whitney Houston, comedian Jon Stewart and TV hit The Sopranos. Springsteen – revered for songs such as Born In The USA, Glory Days, Dancing In The Dark and Born To Run – has long been a balladeer of the state's blue collar workers. But last year, many of those same workers voted for the president. Now their split loyalties are being put to the test. Opening a recent tour in Manchester in Britain, Springsteen told his audience: 'The America I love, the America I've written about that has been a beacon of hope and liberty for 250 years is currently in the hands of a corrupt, incompetent and treasonous administration.' He repeated the criticisms at later concerts and released them on a surprise EP. Trump responded by calling Springsteen highly overrated. 'Never liked him, never liked his music or his Radical Left Politics and, importantly, he's not a talented guy — just a pushy, obnoxious JERK,' he wrote on social media. 'This dried out prune of a rocker (his skin is all atrophied) ought to KEEP HIS MOUTH SHUT until he gets back in the Country.' Trump, 78, also posted a video edited to make it seem as if he had hit 75-year-old Springsteen with a golf drive. Trump called for a 'major investigation' into Springsteen, Beyoncé and other celebrities, alleging that they had been paid millions of dollars to endorse his Democratic opponent in the 2024 election, Kamala Harris. Harris beat Trump by six percentage points in New Jersey, significantly less than Joe Biden's 16-point winning margin in 2020. In Toms River, a township along the Jersey Shore, Trump received twice as many votes as Harris, helping explain why Riv's Toms River Hub got cold feet about hosting a Springsteen cover band. The bar and restaurant cancelled the 30 May gig by No Surrender, a nine-person band that has played Springsteen songs for more than two decades, despite it being scheduled months in advance. Contacted by the Guardian, owner Tony Rivoli declined to comment. Hobicorn, 59, from Livingston, New Jersey, says the band suggested a compromise of playing classic rock other than Springsteen's but Rivoli rejected the idea. Hobicorn also received some criticism from Springsteen fans for offering the partial climbdown. But he explains: 'That's where I made the point that not everybody in the band is aligned with Bruce Springsteen's politics. Everybody's got a different point of view but that's OK. You can still be in a Springsteen cover band and not 100% agree with everything he says.' He adds: 'My band is split. We're half red, half blue. We have civilised conversations and then we go and play the music and it's never been about politics. This thing got made into a political situation.' Springsteen is not new to the political arena. When former president Ronald Reagan referenced the singer's 'message of hope' at a campaign stop, Springsteen wondered if Reagan had listened to his music and its references to those left behind in the 1980s economy. Later, he was a regular presence on Barack Obama's presidential election campaign. He has also challenged his audience politically beyond presidential endorsements. Born in the USA told of a Vietnam war veteran who lost his brother in the war and came home to no job prospects and a bleak future. My Hometown described the kind of economic decline and discontent that Trump has exploited: 'Now Main Street's whitewashed windows and vacant stores / Seems like there ain't nobody wants to come down here no more.' Springsteen's 1995 album The Ghost of Tom Joad bluntly documented the lives of struggling immigrants, including those from Mexico and Vietnam. His 2001 song American Skin (41 Shots), criticised the shooting by New York City police officers of an unarmed Guinean immigrant named Amadou Diallo, angering some of the blue-collar segments of his fanbase. But taking on Trump is a cause of a different magnitude. His 'Make America great again' (Maga) movement has proved uniquely polarising in US culture, forcing many people to choose whether they are on the blue team or red team. The clothes people wear, the food they eat and the music they listen to have become signifiers of Maga. Even some in New Jersey, where Springsteen grew up and now lives in the town of Colts Neck, are having doubts. Hobicorn reflects: 'As the country has become more and more divided, there's certainly a real disdain for Springsteen and his politics in New Jersey. Most New Jerseyans are supportive of who he is, what he's done for the state, what he's done for our culture, what he's done for music. 'I feel like it's not a lot of stuff in the middle like, yeah, he's OK. It's one way or the other. In New Jersey it's mostly in a positive way: people love and respect Bruce for everything. But some are going to paint the picture of him: he's a billionaire and he doesn't give a crap about anybody but himself. That's what they do.' No Surrender has found an alternative venue. After the cancellation of its Toms River gig, Randy Now's Man Cave, a record shop in Hightstown, New Jersey, stepped in and will host the band on 20 June. The shop will producers flyers and T-shirts that say: 'Free speech is live at Randy Now's Man Cave.' Owner Randy Ellis, 68, says: 'The state is proud of Bruce Springsteen. He should become the state bird for all I know.' But he admits: 'In the last election, Harris won the state but there were many more people for Trump than I ever expected in New Jersey. It's so polarised now. We may have people in front of my store saying Springsteen sucks and all that. Who knows?' At a time when many of Trump's critics have kept quiet, Springsteen is arguably his leading cultural foe. In 2020 he said: 'a good portion of our fine country, to my eye, has been thoroughly hypnotised, brainwashed by a conman from Queens' – knowing the outer-borough reference still stung a man who built his own tower in Manhattan. Dan DeLuca, who grew up in Ventnor, New Jersey, and is now a popular music critic at the Philadelphia Inquirer newspaper, says: 'The thing about Bruce that people love is this idea of being a truth teller. You see what you see and you need to speak on it. There's a lot of people who are muttering things or speaking in private about what's going on in America who are not speaking out for whatever reason. Maybe they don't believe that politics and art should mix. Maybe they're worried about their fanbase or something. 'As he said, there's a lot of crazy shit going on and it's happened since he was last on the road. It's good that he's speaking his mind and he's speaking what a lot of people want to hear but maybe are afraid to hear and it's maybe giving some people courage.' But as the case of No Surrender demonstrated, there is a significant minority in New Jersey who see things differently in this hyper-partisan era. DeLuca reflects: 'I grew up in south Jersey, which is less densely populated, less urban, and it's Trump country now. 'Springsteen has been true to what he sings about and the people he sings about and the blue collar concerns but then he's open to target because he's rich or hangs out with Obama. They probably think that Bruce has turned into a knucklehead socialist or something. I'm sure there are plenty of people who probably do have some divided loyalties.'
Fox News
27-05-2025
- Business
- Fox News
Jersey Shore bar cancels Springsteen cover band over The Boss' anti-Trump rants
Print Close Published May 27, 2025 Bruce Springsteen just got canceled — at the Jersey Shore. A tribute band dedicated to The Boss' music pulled the plug on a gig at a bar not far from his Garden State home after a dispute with its owner over the singer-songwriter's anti-Trump comments, according to a report. No Surrender, a 20-year-old, nine-piece Springsteen cover band from New Jersey, was slated to play Riv's Toms River Hub on May 30 — until the "I'm on Fire" singer kicked off his European tour packed with on-stage rants flaming President Trump, NJ Advance Media reported. BRUCE SPRINGSTEEN RELEASES EP FEATURING ANTI-TRUMP RANTS FROM UK CONCERT Band leader Brad Hobicorn started receiving "concerned texts" from bar owner Tony Rivoli shortly after Springsteen's comments went viral, according to the outlet. By Sunday, Rivoli allegedly put the kibosh on the show that was booked nine months in advance. He texted Hobicorn that the gig would be "too risky at the moment," citing the restaurant's conservative customer base, the outlet reported. "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. Hobicorn offered to have his band play only classic-rock covers instead of Springsteen, but Rivoli balked at paying $2,500 for a classic-rock cover band, the outlet said. In a message sent to the band's 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—." After Fleming posted about the situation on Facebook, Rivoli seemed to change his tune a bit — insisting he never canceled the gig and had changed his mind. But the band decided it was too late for the bar owner to backtrack. "This is not political for us at all," Hobicorn told the outlet Thursday. "We're just a cover band that's trying to make some money, and people rely on it financially. We're the ones really getting hurt." BRUCE SPRINGSTEEN IGNORES QUESTION ABOUT TRUMP FEUD WHILE SIGNING AUTOGRAPHS: VIDEO "At that point, there were negative vibes about the whole thing," Hobicorn said. "There was definitely a safety concern," he said. Rivoli, though, insisted the cover band could have played. "As of (Wednesday), they could have played as No Surrender," Rivoli told the outlet. "I think a lot of people of my base would not have came, but I could have been wrong. You know, who knows? You can't predict what people are going to do." Toms River bar and restaurant joints have previously sparked backlash for their conservative slant. Aqua Blu Kitchen & Cocktails in Toms River put a hamburger on its menu dedicated to the right-wing extremist group the Proud Boys in January, leading to a massive online backlash and an apology from the owner. Springsteen — who was born in Long Branch and raised in Freehold — lambasted Trump's administration as "corrupt, incompetent and treasonous" while kicking off the European leg of his "Land of Hope and Dreams" tour in Manchester, England, last week. CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP Last Friday, Trump slammed the musician, calling him "Highly Overrated" and "dumb as a rock" for going "to a Foreign Country to speak badly about the President of the United States." "Never liked him, never liked his music, or his Radical Left Politics and, importantly, he's not a talented guy — Just a pushy, obnoxious JERK, who fervently supported Crooked Joe Biden, a mentally incompetent FOOL, and our WORST EVER President, who came close to destroying our Country," he posted to Truth Social. Instead of playing The Riv's Toms River Hub, No Surrender will play Headliner Oasis in Neptune Township on May 30, according to the outlet. Print Close URL
Daily Mail
26-05-2025
- Politics
- Daily Mail
Small-town war erupts as church land is seized for pickleball: Bishop levels heinous claim against mayor
A legal war has broken out between a local church and pickleball enthusiasts over land development in New Jersey. The drama erupted on April 30 after the Toms River Township Council placed an ordinance to condemn 10 acres of land that is currently home to Christ Episcopal Church to build a new recreational area fit with pickleball court, soccer fields, and playground - among other attractions. Prior to the ordinance, the church congregation sought permission in July 2023 to use the land to build a 17 - bed homeless shelter to help the growing issue in the coastal town. Although governmental agencies have 'the right to condemn property for governmental purposes,' the township 'has never thought of this as a recreational site,' according to Harvey York, the attorney representing the church. 'For them to say they need recreational land flies in the face of the facts and their master plan,' York told Fox News. York and his legal team believe the town chose to make this move in response to the church's attempt to try and build a homeless shelter. 'It is clear that this is being done in retaliation for the church making an application for a homeless shelter,' he said, noting that there are constitutional protections for freedom and religion, along with the federal Religious Land Use and Institutionalized Persons Act. 'I don't know that you'll find a lawyer who will say, "Oh, yeah, they have every right to do this; they're going to win',' he told the outlet. Daniel Rodrick, the mayor of Toms River, has openly said that the timing of the town's request on the land is just a 'coincidence,' The New York Times previously reported. The ongoing legal battle has taken a toll on the community as locals are divided on who should get the land. Although York believes many are 'thrilled that the mayor is going to condemn the property,' a 'majority of the community is shocked and dismayed.' Bishop Sally J. French, who leads the diocese Christ Episcopal is under, is one of those who is furious about the conflict. According to French, the whole idea of the homeless shelter was 'actually a way to diminish the community concerns' of the growing population. From January 2023 to January 2024 the number of unhoused people has risen 28 percent in Ocean County, according to Monarch Housing Associates, a group that works to address homelessness across the Garden State. 'You've provided them with opportunities and the capacity to do what they need to do to get employment, to begin to contribute to the community in ways they haven't been able to do because of their difficult, painful circumstances,' she told the NYT. Other local religious leaders have all stood up for the church, including Rabbi William Gershon of Congregation B'nai Israel. 'I am outraged,' Gershon told the outlet. 'If you can do it to them, you can do it to any of us.' A petition has also been going around, urging concerned church goers and community members to stand up for the land. 'This action is unjust. It comes while the congregation is seeking municipal permission to build a homeless shelter on their property as an extension of the church's many ministries and programs that serve and support those in need in the Toms River community,' the page read. 'If the eminent domain ordinance goes forward, Toms River will lose a vital source of support for vulnerable residents. 'The church is not for sale. People matter more than Pickleball. We stand with Christ Episcopal Church, Toms River, New Jersey.' As of Monday afternoon, the petition accumulated more than 7,200 signatures. Others took to social media to voice their concerns and anger with the town trying to take over the land. One wrote: 'This is ridiculous! Pickleball comes before a place to help those in need?' 'Not kosher. This isn't kosher at all,' said another. Someone else commented: 'What an embarrassment....' In response to the backlash, Rodrick, a Republican, said his intention to build a recreational area on the land is all about managing priorities in his town. 'When you balance the hardships — you have a whole community without a park, and 65 or 70 people who could probably drive to a different location on a Sunday,' he said in reference to attending church. But, according to Bishop French, weekly attendance at Sunday services - offered in both English and Spanish - are more than twice the figure Rodrick claimed. 'As the guy who is supposed to look out for the welfare of all of the residents of Toms River, when you balance out those two things it's pretty clear which side I should be on.' Rodrick, a former teacher, said he is no stranger to political battles, adding: 'They fill the room and make a jerk out of me in the meeting and, like President Trump, my numbers just keep going up. The people are with me.' Litigation will continue to proceed, York said, adding: 'The plan will be decided by the diocese. But they certainly will litigate the issue, and I believe it will be successful.' He also said the local government should 'mind their own business and stay out of the religious affairs of the community.'
Fox News
26-05-2025
- Politics
- Fox News
Religious freedom battle erupts as New Jersey town attempts to turn church property into pickleball courts
A New Jersey town has moved to seize a 10-acre church property and turn it into recreational space, outfitted with pickleball courts and soccer fields. Christ Episcopal Church in Toms River, New Jersey, found itself at the center of a highly charged legal battle after its leaders moved to expand outreach to the area's homeless population and proposed a 17-bed overnight shelter. "It didn't take long for neighbors to become concerned," Harvey York, the church's attorney, told Fox News Digital. On April 30, the Toms River Township Council placed an ordinance on its agenda to condemn the church's 10-acre site, which includes the parish house, auditorium, school, sanctuary and deacon's residence, under its eminent domain power. The town's plan is to turn the congregation's property into a recreational area. "Any governmental agency has the right to condemn property for governmental purposes. That's clear. However, the township has never thought of this as a recreational site," York said. "For them to say they need recreational land flies in the face of the facts and their master plan." York and his legal team argue that the move to seize the property is the township's direct response to the church's shelter initiative. "It is clear that this is being done in retaliation for the church making an application for a homeless shelter," he said, pointing to both the constitutional protections for freedom of religion and the federal Religious Land Use and Institutionalized Persons Act. "I don't know that you'll find a lawyer who will say, 'Oh, yeah, they have every right to do this; they're going to win.'" Despite rising community support, from local congregants to offers of amicus assistance nationwide, reactions remain mixed within the New Jersey town. "There are people that are thrilled that the mayor is going to condemn the property," York said, but he believes "the majority of the community is shocked and dismayed." As for the church's next steps, litigation is certain. "The plan will be decided by the diocese," York said. "But they certainly will litigate the issue, and I believe it will be successful." The church's attorney said the government should "mind their own business and stay out of the religious affairs of the community." Five or six hearings have taken place, and the next zoning board meeting is scheduled for May 22. Fox News Digital has reached out to the Township of Toms River for comment on the pending litigation and the hearings. The church originally applied in July 2023 to operate an outreach center for the homeless, an effort that was approved. According to York, their application for the shelter fully complies with local and state regulations.
Yahoo
25-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
NJ cover band canceled after Springsteen's anti-Trump comments
NEW YORK — After Bruce Springsteen kicked off his European tour last week with comments calling President Donald Trump corrupt and incompetent, he was warned by the commander in chief that there could be consequences for the 'Born in the USA' singer back home. However, it's a New Jersey tribute band that makes money covering Springsteen songs that appears to be bearing the brunt of the Boss' actions. Riv's Toms River Hub planned to host the cover band No Surrender on May 30, but the show was reportedly eighty-sixed after management expressed concerns that Springsteen's comments have made his music radioactive to their clientele. On Thursday, bandleader Brad Hobicorn told NJ Advance Media that he started getting messages from bar owner Tony Rivoli indicating he was getting cold feet about the upcoming gig. He said the nine-piece band was told on Sunday the show was 'too risky at the moment,' and that their $2,500 payday would be nixed. 'Because Bruce can't keep his mouth shut we're screwed,' Rivoli texted Hobicorn. The skittish bar owner also texted the band's bass player his regrets that the Springsteen-themed show wasn't happening. 'Toms River is red and won't stand for [Springsteen's] bulls–,' Rivoli wrote. According to texts obtained by NJ Advance Media, Rivoli said he'd change his mind if No Surrender could convince him that they could draw at least 75 fans to the show. The band ultimately decided not to move forward. Hobicorn conceded 'there was definitely a safety concern' and said it's best the concert isn't happening due to their negative feelings on the situation. The band will instead perform at Headliner Oasis in Neptune Township on May 30. As the Boss began the last leg of his Land of Hope and Dreams tour, he told fans in Manchester, England, that Trump is leading the U.S. to a dark place. 'The America I love, the America I've written about, that has been a beacon of hope and liberty for 250 years, is currently in the hands of a corrupt, incompetent and treasonous administration,' he said on May 14. The president responded on Truth Social by calling Springsteen a 'prune' and warning him that insulting a U.S. leader abroad could mean trouble for the 75-year-old rocker when he gets home. 'We'll all see how it goes for him!' Trump wrote.
