The Vote for Change tour was a political American popular music concert tour that took place in October 2004. The tour was presented by MoveOn.org to benefit America Coming Together. The tour was held in swing states and was designed to encourage people to register and vote. Though the tour and the organization were officially non-partisan, many of the performers urged people to vote against then-President George W. Bush and for John Kerry in the 2004 presidential election campaign.Gardner, Elysa. "Springsteen, R.E.M., Other Big Acts Embark on Tour". USA Today. August 4, 2004.Springsteen, Bruce. "Chords for Change". The New York Times. August 5, 2004.Kay, Jennifer. "Springsteen, R.E.M. Kick off "Vote for Change" Concerts Across Swing States" . Common Dreams NewsCenter. October 2, 2004. Bush would defeat Kerry in November 2004.
Itinerary Every region had a specific night during which the concerts would be held in that region.Evans, Rob. "Bruce Springsteen takes Vote for Change Tour home" . LiveDaily. October 4, 2004. When concerts were held in the same city, they were at different venues.
Results The tour was generally successful in attracting audiences, generating media attention and raising approximately $10 million for America Coming Together.Fricke, David. "Taking It to the Streets". Rolling Stone. August 11, 2004.
In terms of the tour's effect on the 2004 election, none of the visited states went differently from what had been predicted in pre-election polls. Four of the eight ended up voting in favor of Kerry (Pennsylvania, Michigan, Minnesota, and Wisconsin) while the other four went to Bush (Missouri, Iowa, Florida, and Ohio). The states that had the heaviest tour presence (five or six shows) also split evenly. The result in Ohio was the most critical, as it decided the election in Bush's favor (despite six shows there).
The shows The Springsteen and E Street Band performances were compressed to two hours in length due to the multi-act nature of the concerts. Especially at the beginning of his sets, Springsteen accomplished this by stripping down the songs, removing elongated outros and false endings from the likes of "Born in the U.S.A." and "Badlands". In doing so, the style of the Vote for Change shows foreshadowed the next E Street outing, the 2007 Magic Tour, when Springsteen adopted a similar approach.
Tour dates
DateCityCountryVenueAttendanceRevenueNorth AmericaSeptember 27, 2004SeattleUnited StatesMcCaw HallSeptember 29, 2004PhoenixCricket PavilionOctober 1, 2004ReadingSovereign CenterPhiladelphiaWachovia Center19,353 / 19,353$1,552,750University ParkBryce Jordan Center14,596 / 14,596$716,562PittsburghHeinz Hall for the Performing ArtsWilkes-BarreF.M. Kirby Center for the Performing ArtsOctober 2, 2004CincinnatiTaft TheatreToledoToledo Sports ArenaClevelandGund ArenaState TheatreFairbornNutter CenterColumbusPromowest PavilionOctober 3, 2004East LansingWharton Center for Performing ArtsWalkerDeltaPlex ArenaDetroitCobo ArenaFox TheatreAuburn HillsThe Palace of Auburn Hills13,181 / 13,181$607,118KalamazooWings StadiumOctober 5, 2004Kansas CityMidland TheatreSaint PaulXcel Energy CenterMadisonKohl CenterIowa CityHancher AuditoriumMilwaukeeRiverside TheaterSt.LouisFox TheatreOctober 6, 2004Des MoinesCivic Center of Greater Des MoinesAshevilleAsheville Civic CenterAmesHilton ColiseumOctober 8, 2004JacksonvilleMoran TheaterKissimmeeSilver Spurs ArenaOrlandoTD Waterhouse CentreGainesvilleO'Connell CenterClearwaterRuth Eckerd HallMiami BeachJackie Gleason TheaterOctober 11, 2004Washington, D.C.MCI Center16,769 / 16,769$1,714,865October 13, 2004East RutherfordContinental Airlines Arena19,800 / 19,800$1,687,750
Performers PerformerSeattlePhoenixReadingPhiladelphiaUniversity ParkPittsburghWilkes-BarreCincinnatiToledoClevelandBabyfaceBen HarperBonnie RaittBright EyesBruce SpringsteenCrosby, Stills, Nash & YoungDave Matthews BandDeath Cab for CutieDixie ChicksGob RobertsJack JohnsonJackson BrowneJames TaylorJohn FogertyJohn MellencampJurassic 5Keb' Mo'My Morning JacketNeil YoungPearl JamPeter FramptonR.E.M. PerformerFairbornCleveland (Theater)ColumbusEast LansingWalkerDetroit (Cobo)Detroit (Fox)Auburn HillsKalamazooKansas CityBabyfaceBen HarperBonnie RaittBright EyesBruce SpringsteenDave Matthews BandDeath Cab for CutieDixie ChicksGob RobertsJackson BrowneJames TaylorJohn FogertyJohn MellencampJurassic 5Keb' Mo'My Morning JacketNeil YoungPearl JamR.E.M. PerformerSt. Louis (October 5)St. Louis (October 6)Saint PaulMadisonIowa CityMilwaukeeDes MoinesAshevilleAmesJacksonvilleBabyfaceBen HarperBonnie RaittBright EyesBruce SpringsteenDave Matthews BandDeath Cab for CutieDixie ChicksGob RobertsJames TaylorJohn FogertyJohn MellencampJohn PrineJurassic 5Keb' Mo'My Morning JacketNeil YoungPearl JamR.E.M.Sheryl Crow PerformerKissimmeeOrlandoGainesvilleClearwaterMiami BeachWashington, D.C.East RutherfordBabyfaceBen HarperBonnie RaittBruce SpringsteenDave Matthews BandDeath Cab for CutieDixie ChicksEddie VedderGob RobertsJackson BrowneJames TaylorJohn FogertyJohn MellencampJurassic 5Keb' Mo'Neil YoungPatti ScialfaPearl JamPeter FramptonR.E.M.Tracy Chapman
References
External links Backstreets.com set lists and descriptions for the shows that Springsteen was involved in