Bruce Springsteen was a surprise guest at an anti-ICE concert in Minneapolis led by Tom Morello and Rise Against on Friday afternoon. The Boss performed three tunes, including his new protest song “Streets of Minneapolis.”
The show at First Avenue had been advertised as “A Concert of Solidarity & Resistance to Defend Minnesota!” headlined by Morello and Rise Against, with Al Di Meola and Ike Reilly on the bill, as well. The poster teased a “very special guest,” and that guest turned out to be Springsteen.
Springsteen was introduced by Morello roughly two hours into the concert, and received a huge ovation. He started off with the aforementioned “Streets of Minneapolis,” a song he wrote and recorded this past weekend, shortly after the shooting death of ICU nurse Alex Pretti at the hands of ICE agents in Minneapolis.
Related Video
He then played “The Ghost of Tom Joad” with Morello, who was a guest on a recording of the song that appeared on Springsteen’s 2014 album High Hopes. The concert closed out with Springsteen and Morello leading the entire ensemble with a rousing rendition of John Lennon’s “Power to the People.”
One hundred percent of the proceeds from the concert are slated to go to Alex Pretti and Renee Good, who was also slain by an ICE officer earlier this month.
A full stream of the concert can be seen below, as well as select clips of Springsteen’s performance.
@startribune Surprised? 😮 Bruce Springsteen was the special guest at Tom Morello + Rise Against’s Defend Minnesota! benefit concert raising money for the families of Renee Good and Alex Pretti. Here he is performing his new song ‘Streets of Minneapolis’ on stage at First Avenue 🎸🎶 🎥: Chris Riemenschneider/The Minnesota Star Tribune
