On October 28, Temple University’s Liacouras Center became a political stage for former President Barack Obama, who was joined by musicians Bruce Springsteen and John Legend to rally Pennsylvanians ahead of the upcoming presidential election. The “When We Vote, We Win” tour, which began in Atlanta, aimed to make its Philadelphia stop a powerful show, promoting unity and urgency.
Pennsylvania, which is historically known as a key swing state during elections, was a primary focus as Election Day approached. Many big names were brought to encourage voter turnout. John Legend commented on the experience on Facebook and Instagram, saying, “[I’m] so honored to have performed on the same stage as [Bruce Springsteen] in support of our future Madam President.”
At Liacouras Center, which has a seating capacity of 10,000 people, Pennsylvanian Democrats flocked to the event, filling the room to the brim and past the regular limitation. Matthew Hartsein ’25, commented on the event’s attendance number, “I thought it was incredible seeing so many people show up for such an important cause.”
The tour’s plan was to hit every single battleground state before Election Day, which is why Pennsylvania was on their list of stops. The celebrities’ star power fame helps boost attendance at each event and spread their message on the importance of voting.
When the election was approaching, the significance of young adults’ votes has became increasingly prominent. Both candidates put considerable effort into impacting the younger demographic, and many believe that an exciting event like a concert offers an opportunity for young adults to have been involved and to have participated in this historic election. Harris was absent during the Pennsylvania segment, having visited the state the day before. However, she was in Michigan, another key swing state, marking the first stop in a planned series of seven visits over the week leading up to Election Day. As the countdown approaches zero, both presidential candidates fell back on the familiar and tried and true strategy of focusing their attention on seven of the crucial swing states.
John Legend started off the show and, as he jokingly stated in an interview, acted as “a warm-up” for Springsteen and former President Obama. Bruce Springsteen then joined on stage after Senator Bob Casey delivered a rousing address.
He performed a three-song set, each one a solo acoustic rendition of the original, with a powerful and purposeful political message woven into the lyrics. Springsteen started off with “The Promised Land,” followed by “Land of Hopes and Dreams” and “Dancing in the Dark.” His versions of the songs were whispered and hushed, encouraging people to sing along.
“We are fighting…for our right to choose,” said Springsteen, guitar in hand, during an interlude. Matthew Hartsein ’25 described the experience as fun and uplifting, stating that, “The performances by John Legend and Bruce Springsteen definitely made it a night I’ll never forget.”
After the conclusion of Springsteen’s performance, Barack Obama took to the stage, delivering a rousing speech which slammed down hard on both JD Vance and former President Donald Trump. He specifically focused on remarks made
by Trump during his rally at Madison Square Garden in New York on October 27. His pitch and impassioned plea utilized an interesting blend of humor and criticism to rip into the opposing party’s candidate while simultaneously supporting Harris’ qualification and credibility for the position of President.
Maria Vaccaro, a parent of an LM student, commented on the atmosphere of the event, remarking, “We could really feel this sense of unity amongst all the attendants. This common sense of brotherly love, courtesy, and respect to one another.”
Gazing around the room, you could see strangers engaging in group choreographies to familiar tunes, bonded together by a common goal. Over and over again, Obama repeated the rallying cry, “Don’t boo, vote!”
