Eddie Vedder Cover Of “My City of Ruins” Is An Incredible Gem

Pearl Jam’s Eddie Vedder surprised fans during the encore of the band’s Friday night concert in Pittsburgh by performing a heartfelt acoustic version of Bruce Springsteen’s “My City of Ruins.” While Vedder didn’t directly mention the news making headlines that day, the timing of the cover spoke volumes. Just hours earlier, former President Donald Trump slammed Springsteen on Truth Social, calling him “highly overrated,” “dumb as a rock,” and “a dried out prune of a rocker.”

Vedder’s performance ended with the crowd erupting in supportive chants of “Bruuuuuuce!”, making the moment feel like a quiet but clear show of solidarity with the Boss.

Trump’s Threat and Springsteen’s Response (Sort Of)

Trump’s post hinted that Springsteen might face trouble re-entering the United States if he doesn’t “keep his mouth shut,” following the singer’s recent onstage political statements. But Springsteen, who’s currently touring across Europe, didn’t bother mentioning Trump directly when he hit the stage in Manchester, England, on Saturday night.

Instead, he doubled down on the messages he’s been sharing since the tour began, telling the crowd. He said:

“In America, they are persecuting people for using their right to free speech and voicing their dissent.
“In my country, they are taking sadistic pleasure in the pain that they inflict on loyal American workers, they are rolling back historic civil rights legislation that led to a more just and moral society. They are abandoning our great allies and siding with dictators against those struggling for their freedom.They are defunding American universities that won’t bow down to their ideological demands. They are removing residents off American streets and without due process of law, are deporting them to foreign detention centers and prisons. This is all happening now.”

Rock and Resistance on Tour

Both Vedder and Springsteen have never shied away from using their platforms to speak out. Whether it’s through lyrics or live performances, they’ve always championed free speech, social justice, and standing up for what they believe in. And this weekend, both did just that—one with a cover, the other with a fiery speech.

Watch Vedder’s live performance in the video below: