9/11 memorial—Bruce Springsteen's emotional performance, live at Ground Zero

9/11 memorial featured an emotional performance by Bruce Springsteen which leaves the crowd speechless

Bruce Springsteen performs live at 9/11 memorial.
(Image credit: Chip Somodevilla / Staff/Getty Images)

The 9/11 memorial, 20 years after that horrific day, has seen tributes pour in across the globe. Memorial events are taking place at all three locations which were attacked on September 11, 2001. New York City's memorial and Bruce Springsteen's haunting rendition of an old classic has taken peoples' breath away.

The Boss himself performed live as a part of the official event, remembering 9/11, at the site where the Twin Towers once stood. The crowd watching stood in utter silence as he sang I’ll See You In My dreams at the World Trade Center memorial plaza.


Unaccompanied, Bruce cut a somber figure while singing with his trusty guitar and harmonica. The audience was made up of dignitaries and family members of people killed in the 2001 attacks. 

Bruce is one of the most internationally renowned musicians to have come out of the US and the New Jersey native was deeply affected by the attacks of September 11, 2001. So much so that he got back into the studio with his famous E Street band after a 18-year hiatus.

Their album, The Rising, was a direct response to what happened that day, and many credit it with helping 'heal' America. The album took the horrific events surrounding 9/11 and manifested them into songs that told emotional stories from the perspective of the victims, their families, and the first-responders whose lives were changed forever on that terrible day.

The event at the World Trade Center memorial plaza is one of many memorials taking place across the US and there are also observances scheduled at the other two sites which fell victim to the 9/11 attacks—the Pentagon and a field near Shanksville, Pennsylvania.

President Joe Biden, along with former Presidents Barack Obama and Bill Clinton, members of Congress, and other dignitaries joined the crowd of victims’ relatives for the memorial event.

President Biden will pay respects at all three places, and former President George W. Bush, who was president during the attacks, will speak at the Pennsylvania ceremony.

Aoife Hanna
Junior News Editor

Aoife is an Irish journalist and writer with a background in creative writing, comedy, and TV production.

Formerly woman&home's junior news editor and a contributing writer at Bustle, her words can be found in the Metro, Huffpost, Delicious, Imperica and EVOKE.

Her poetry features in the Queer Life, Queer Love anthology.

Outside of work you might bump into her at a garden center, charity shop, yoga studio, lifting heavy weights, or (most likely) supping/eating some sort of delicious drink/meal.