Springsteen fronts pro-Kerry concert

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PHILADELPHIA - Bruce Springsteen has led a band of top musicians in a show to help elect Democrat John Kerry to the White House.

Headlining the first in a month-long set of "Vote for Change" concerts on Friday, the rock star known as "The Boss" told a sold-out arena: "We're here to fight for a government that is open, rational, forward-looking and humane."

"And we're going to rock the joint while doing so," he said.

The concerts mark the first time Springsteen delved into partisan politics, despite decades of writing about working class heroes, American dreams and social injustices.

He and others in the show sponsored by the liberal group MoveOn.org call the November 2 presidential election "the most important election of our lifetime."

Yet the show's stars, who included the band R.E.M and former lead singer of classic rock staple Creedence Clearwater Revival John Fogerty, spent no time bashing Republican President George W. Bush, briefly plugged Kerry as the candidate of choice and played a barrage of crowd-pleasing, sing-along anthems.

Springsteen performed such trademark hits as "Born in the U.S.A" as well as "No Surrender," which the Kerry campaign has adopted as a signature song played at the Massachusetts senator's appearances on the stump.

Springsteen joined R.E.M. for the band's hit "Man on the Moon," R.E.M.'s lead singer Michael Stipe joined Springsteen for a rendition of "Because the Night" and the entire cast closed with a rousing version of Patti Smith's "People Have the Power."

As Springsteen played Philadelphia, five other concerts starring such artists as Bonnie Raitt, the Dave Matthews Band, the Dixie Chicks and Pearl Jam played in other cities across Pennsylvania, one of the nation's so-called battleground states seen as possibly swinging to either Bush or Kerry.

The Vote for Change musicians plan about 40 benefit concerts in other battleground states, including Ohio, Florida and Missouri.

"America is a land of great promise," Springsteen told the crowd of thousands. "But it is time to move America to fulfilment of that promise."

Outside the Philadelphia arena, concert-goers gathered around buckets of beer and tailgate picnics while volunteers set up voter registration tables and handed out leaflets.

Inside, while a few called out "Kerry for President," most fans shouted their traditional "Bruuuuuce" for the rock icon.

"I think music has always been political. I just don't know whether something like this has a big impact on the vote," said Richard Sim, a laid-off steelworker and Kerry supporter.

"I think a lot of people just came out to see the artists," he said, gesturing to his two friends -- one an undecided voter and the other a Bush supporter.

- REUTERS