Before a musician played a single note at First Avenue, the iconic venue in the heart of Minneapolis, seemingly every voice in the room on Friday afternoon was chanting the words “fuck ICE.” This was a Tom Morello concert, but even more than music, everyone was unified under the show’s banner: “a concert of solidarity & resistance to defend Minnesota.” This was a prelude to a larger protest just blocks away and a benefit for the families of Renee Good and Alex Pretti. Everyone was already plenty fired up, so naturally, they came unglued when Morello revealed that his surprise guest was none other than Bruce Springsteen.

Two days after the release of his protest song “Streets of Minneapolis,” which very specifically references the killings of Good and Pretti by federal immigration agents under the Trump administration, Springsteen stood alone in the venue that Prince made famous. When the screaming fans finally got quiet, he discussed the song’s rapid creation and release before playing it for the first time in public. 

“So I write this song, and I recorded it the next day, and I sent it to Tom Morello,” he said. “Now I know Tom is an excitable man. I say, ‘Tom, what do you think? It’s kind of soapbox-y.’ And he says, ‘Bruce, nuance is wonderful, but sometimes, you have to kick them in the teeth.” He dedicated his performance to ”the people of Minneapolis, the people of Minnesota, and the people of our good country of the United States of America.” 

Springsteen’s solo acoustic performance of the song was understated compared to the production heard on the studio version, but back-up singers or a full band would’ve gotten in the way of the essential truth of the moment. Arguably the biggest rock star on the face of the planet made a surprise appearance in an occupied and embattled city, and here he was singing the names of their murdered neighbors — about the blood on the ice-covered pavement. Amid a vacuum in leadership at the highest level, here was the Boss pointing a finger directly at the responsible parties. This was certainly solidarity, and when he sang the words “Alex Pretti and Renee Good,” the crowd cheered emphatically. As the song wound down, cheers gave way to a chant spurred on by Springsteen himself: “ICE out now!”

It was an unbelievably generous moment that certainly defined the afternoon, but Morello and his band returned to the stage to rev up the power once again after that. Springsteen and his sometime bandmate traded verses and massive guitar solos on 1995’s “The Ghost of Tom Joad,” a song the pair have performed together numerous times. Morello lifted and inverted his guitar mid-solo to reveal the words “arrest the president” while Bruce beamed and laughed next to him. Every single person in the room seemed to be on the same page. 

All the musicians who’d graced the stage earlier returned for a closer of John Lennon’s “Power to the People,” but not before Morello proclaimed that we’d all experienced the greatest brunch-hour concert in history. Springsteen, Morello, and the rest stood smiling onstage as the house speakers blasted “Let’s Go Crazy.” 

It was an afternoon hinged entirely on the topics of protest and resistance. Morello’s own set featured union anthems and Woody Guthrie classics, and more importantly, fiery rhetoric. “Brothers and sisters, thank you for welcoming us to the battle of Minneapolis,” he opened. “Minneapolis is an inspiration to the entire nation. You have heroically stood up against ICE, stood up against Trump, stood up against this terrible rising tide of state terror. You have stood up for your neighbors and for yourselves and for democracy and for justice. Ain’t nobody comin’ to save us except us, and brothers and sisters, you are showing the way.” 

With a mention of the capital-R Revolution who made the room famous, Morello turned the mic stand around and urged the crowd to scream along to “Killing in the Name.” Prior to the special guest reveal at the end, this was the most ecstatic moment — a room of people screaming “fuck you, I won’t do what you tell me.” With all respect to the group performance of “This Land Is Your Land,” Al Di Meola’s solo acoustic shredding, and Rise Against’s cover of Neil Young’s “Rockin’ in the Free World,” Morello’s greatest gift to this crowd was an outlet for their deeply understandable rage. 

“I heard the Trump administration has claimed that outside agitators have come to Minneapolis to stir up trouble,” Morello said between songs, eliciting boos from the audience. “I would like to confirm that we are those outside agitators, and we’re gonna stir up a shit-ton of trouble.” The show wrapped up just after 2 p.m., and later, Morello walked out into the streets to join the protest. Well before any of the musicians grabbed their coats and made it out of the building, though, one audience member called out to the crowd that was freezing outside First Avenue to follow him and protest. A horde of people followed that dude’s lead — concrete evidence that the tenets of resistance didn’t fall on deaf ears.

Tom Morello set list:

“Killing in the Name”
“Soldier in the Army of Love”
“Hold the Line”
“One Man Revolution”
“Keep Going”
Instrumental medley
“Like a Stone”
“This Land is Your Land” (with Rise Against, Al Di Meola, and Ike Reilly)

Bruce Springsteen set list:

“Streets of Minneapolis””The Ghost of Tom Joad” (with Tom Morello)
“Power to the People” (with Tom Morello, Rise Against, Al Di Meola, and Ike Reilly)

The FBI is now leading the investigation into the fatal shooting of Alex Pretti in Minneapolis, with Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations branch supporting the investigation, Department of Homeland Security spokesperson Tricia McLaughlin said.

The Minnesota Timberwolves released a statement from its players regarding the rising anti-Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) tensions in Minneapolis.

There have been two fatal incidents in Minneapolis in recent weeks involving federal immigration agents amid heightened tensions over the operations as well as clashes with anti-ICE demonstrators.

Like everyone in the Twin Cities, the Timberwolves have been impacted by the events, and they released a statement expressing their “sincere sympathies and love to everyone.”

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“We, the Minnesota Timberwolves players, extend our sincere sympathies and love to everyone across the Twin Cities and throughout Minnesota who has been affected by the recent tragic events impacting our communities,” the statement read. “Minnesota is strongest when we uplift and support one another, and there is no room for hatred or division across our great state or among all who live here.

“We mourn the lives lost and send strength, peace and compassion to all who are hurting. We believe in the resilience, unity and care that define Minnesotans, and bring our communities together in times of hardship and need.”

The Timberwolves postponed their game on Saturday against the Golden State Warriors in the aftermath of the fatal shooting of Alex Pretti, a 37-year-old Department of Veteran Affairs ICU nurse, involving a Border Patrol agent.

ANTI-ICE PROTESTS TAKE PLACE AS T’WOLVES-WARRIORS NBA GAME TAKES PLACE

“The decision was made to prioritize the safety and security of the Minneapolis community,” the NBA said, adding that the game would be played Sunday.

The following day, NBA fans delivered anti-ICE messages at Target Center, with signs inside the arena reading, “ICE out now.” A moment of silence was held for Pretti — the same protocol for the Timberwolves following the earlier death of Renee Good.

The team held a moment of silence for Good, 37, who was killed while operating a vehicle that agents ordered her to exit, according to Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem. Good, according to Noem, refused and “attempted to run them over and ram them with her vehicle.”

“Our thoughts are with her family and everyone affected, and our hearts are with our community as we hope for healing and unity during this challenging time,” the Target Center’s public address announcer said. 

Timberwolves head coach Chris Finch also spoke before his squad defeated the Cleveland Cavaliers.

“As we all know, our community has suffered yet another unspeakable tragedy,” he said. “We want to just convey our condolences and heartfelt wishes and prayers and thoughts to the families and loved ones and all of those that are greatly affected by what happened.”

The National Basketball Players Association released a statement this past Sunday as well.

“Following the news of yet another fatal shooting in Minneapolis, a city that has been on the forefront of the fight against injustices, NBA players can no longer remain silent,” the union said. “Now more than ever, we must defend the right to freedom of speech and stand in solidarity with the people in Minnesota protesting and risking their lives to demand justice.

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“The fraternity of NBA players, like the United States itself, is a community enriched by its global citizens, and we refuse to let the flames of division threaten the civil liberties that are meant to protect us all. The NBPA and its members extend our deepest condolences to the families of Alex Pretti and Renee Good, just as our thoughts remain focused on the safety and well-being of all members of our community.”

The shooting fueled further protests in the Twin Cities amid a recent surge of ICE activity in the area as part of the Trump administration’s crackdown on illegal immigration.

Fox News’ Ryan Gaydos and Ryan Morik contributed to this report.

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