Patti Smith, Bruce Springsteen, Michael Stipe & More Perform At Democracy Now! 30th Anniversary Event
Hurray For The Riff Raff and Aaron Dessner were also part of the event at Riverside Church in New York City.
By Andy Kahn Mar 24, 2026 • 7:23 am PDT
Non-profit media outlet Democracy Now! celebrated its 30th anniversary with a special event held Monday night in New York City. Musical performers included appearances by Patti Smith, Bruce Springsteen, Michael Stipe and others who shared the stage together at Riverside Church.
Musical performances were interspersed with appearances by Democracy Now! contributors Amy Goodman, Juan González, Nermeen Shaikh and others, including influential activist Angela Davis. Hurray For The Riff Raff (Alynda Segarra) was first to appear on stage to perform their song “Pa’lante.”
R.E.M’s Michael Stipe was the next performer and was accompanied by The National guitarist Aaron Dessner. The pair offered a take on their Big Red Machine collaboration “No Time for Love Like Now.”
Patti Smith took the stage and read an excerpt from her memoir Bread of Angels. Joined by guitarist Tony Shanahan and her daughter Jessie Smith on piano, Smith then performed “Peaceable Kingdom,” which was tagged with a few lines from “People Have The Power.”
Bruce Springsteen came to the stage with an acoustic guitar and a harmonica around his neck. Springsteen started his performance with his recently shared protest song “Streets Of Minneapolis.” Springsteen is reportedly expected to appear in St. Paul, Minnesota on Saturday at the No Kings protest march alongside Joan Baez, Maggie Rogers and others.
Stipe, Segarra, Dessner and the other participating musicians joined Springsteen in backing Smith’s anthem “People Have The Power,” bringing an end to the celebratory event.
The full Democracy Now! 30th Anniversary event in New York City can be streamed below:
