Classic Rock Legend Makes Surprise Appearance at ‘Best Brunchtime Show in the History’

Only days after he released his scathing anti-ICE protest song “Streets of Minneapolis,” Bruce Springsteen made a surprise appearance at a Minneapolis concert to benefit the families of ICE shooting victims Renée Good and Alex Pretti.

The daytime show, headlined by Rage Against the Machine guitarist Tom Morello, was billed as “A Concert of Solidarity & Resistance to Defend Minnesota!” and promised that “100% of the proceeds [will] go to the families of ICE victims Renee Good and Alex Pretti.”

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Also on the bill were Rise Against, Al DiMeola & Ike Reilly and a “very special guest,” who true to rumors, turned out to be Springsteen. The show was held at the fabled Minneapolis nightspot First Avenue, featured in Prince’s movie Purple Rain and home to legendary performances by such hometown alternative rock heroes as the Replacements, Hüsker Dü and Sou Asylum.

Springsteen opened his set with the live debut of “Streets of Minneapolis,” performed solo acoustic. “This is for the people of Minneapolis, the people of Minnesota,” he told the audience of 1,500 fans, per The Minnesota Star Tribune.

He was later joined by Morello’s band to perform his 1995 song “The Ghost of Tom Joad,” a song that he’s played with Morello and the E Street Band in the past and that has been covered by Rage Against the Machine.  He also took part in an all-star version of John Lennon’s “Power to the People” with several other performers on the bill, according to setlist.fm. Morello called the concert “the best brunchtime show in the history” of First Avenue, per The Minnesota Star Tribune.

During part of his performance, Springsteen played a guitar with the words “Arrest the President” plastered on it, according to The New York Times.

Morello announced the concert with a post on his official Instagram account on Jan 28 with a poster for the gig along with a lengthy caption.

“See you THIS FRIDAY JAN 30 for a concert of solidarity & resistance to DEFEND MINNESOTA! Tickets are $25 each and are on sale now at the link in bio. EARLY SHOW! DOORS 10:30 AM!” he wrote.

“If it looks like fascism, sounds like fascism, acts like fascism, dresses like fascism, talks like fascism, kills like fascism and lies like fascism, boys & girls it’s f*cking fascism. It’s here, it’s now, it’s in my city, it’s in your city and it must be resisted, protested, defended against, stood up to, exposed, ousted, overthrown and driven out. By you and by me. We are coming to Minneapolis where the people have heroically stood up against ICE, stood up against Trump, stood up against this terrible rising tide of state terror. Where the people have stood up for their neighbors and themselves, for democracy and justice. Ain’t nobody coming to save us except us and it’s now or never,” he added.

The benefit raised more than $35,000, according to The Minnesota Star Tribune.