Recap and photos: Tom Morello assembles A Concert of Solidarity and Resistance
by Luke Taylor, Reed Fischer and Laura Buhman
January 30, 2026
A stunning array of musicians came together for a noontime benefit show Friday afternoon at First Avenue in Minneapolis. Dubbed A Concert of Solidarity and Resistance to Defend Minnesota, the event raised money for the families of Renée Good and Alex Pretti, two Minnesotans who were killed by federal agents since ICE’s operations expanded in the Twin Cities. (Learn more at MPR News.)
The feeling in the room was electric. Headlining the show was musician Tom Morello (Rage Against the Machine, Audioslave, The Nightwatchman), who is no stranger to lending his talents to rally an audience, and speaking out for his beliefs.
Joining him were two members of Chicago punk rockers Rise Against, flamenco guitar virtuoso Al Di Meola, and longtime Chicago rock artist Ike Reilly. The bill also suggested a “special guest,” which had caused a wave of speculation in the days leading up to the show. Would Rage Against the Machine reunite? Was Billy Bragg flying in? Could it be Eddie Vedder?
Organizer Morello landed a huge name for the slot, and it made sense. “Streets of Minneapolis” was released earlier this week by Bruce Springsteen. In it, he asserts “Citizens stood for justice / Their voices ringin' through the night,” and names Good and Pretti. If ever there were a time for the Boss to emerge and add fuel to Morello’s fire, this was it.
The concert announcement appeared just two days before artists took the stage at First Avenue, and tickets sold out almost instantly. “We are so inspired by the way that the people of Minneapolis have stood up to tyranny and stood up to injustice,” Morello told The Current’s Jill Riley during an interview on Thursday. “And I was like, I’ve just got to do anything I can to try to express my solidarity, to try to raise some money for the victims of state terror, and to enter the fray.”
With temperatures hovering around the -1° F mark late Friday morning, music fans were eager to get inside First Avenue — for warmth, expectant for the special guest, and drawn to a powerful sense of community. “The main motivation was just to stand with our city,” said concertgoer James, who lives just outside Minneapolis, “and to do what we can, and get around some people and try to inject some joy into a pretty horrific situation that we're all sharing right now.”
Karla Christou of Minneapolis appreciated that the concert’s proceeds would be given to the families of Renée Good and Alex Pretti. “When you live in the city and you see everything that's going on, that's your motivation to get up every day at this point,” Christou said. “You want to help those who need it.”
Anne Lehman, a Minneapolis activist who works at The Smitten Kitten and is heavily involved in that establishment’s community outreach, called seeing Tom Morello a “bucket list” item — not just for his music, but also for his role as an activist and advocate. “This is also the first thing that I've done for fun for myself in like, three weeks,” Lehman added. “It feels weird to even be out of the house or not be wearing a bulletproof vest right now.”
Former Minnesota Gov. Jesse Ventura was also in attendance. “I thought that this was an important enough event that I should come down and offer my support,” Ventura said, adding that he’s also a big fan of Morello’s guitar playing.
“It's an exciting time down here at First Avenue, as it always is,” Ventura continued, “and I'm sure Prince is here with us in spirit.”
Ike Reilly
As showtime approached, the energy in the room channelled itself into numerous anti-ICE chants among the crowd, and when the upstage scrim retracted to reveal Chicago rocker Ike Reilly, the audience erupted in cheers. “This is the home of the brave,” Reilly said before launching into his opening song, “At Least Another Day.”
For his second song, Reilly brought out his son, Shane, who has been touring with his father. The duo played Reilly’s song, “Put a Little Love In It (According to John),” which got the crowd singing along to its irresistible chorus.
Reilly shared he is from Libertyville, Illinois, the same suburban Chicago hometown as Morello. “He left,” Reilly said. “I didn’t.
“In any case,” Reilly continued, “there's a lot of people in our town that just can't move forward and be inclusive and understand that — you know, everybody needs a shot and a fair shake. And so I wrote this song for my hometown.”
And in no uncertain terms, Reilly pushed back on white-supremacy-tinged nostalgia with his new song, “F*** the Good Old Days.”
Al Di Meola
A name that may have been new to many in attendance at First Avenue was flamenco guitar virtuoso Al Di Meola. “I have to come up here and support the cause,” Di Meola said before beginning his seated set of instrumentals, which included a rendition of The Beatles’ “In My Life,” drawing whoops of recognition from the audience.
Di Meola’s intricate playing provided a thoughtful moment of reflection during the show, with the music cutting through the tension of troubled times. And in a city of people who know and love music, the First Avenue audience frequently voiced their appreciation for Di Meola’s multiple, rapid-fire forward rolls he dispensed at breathtaking speed without losing a stitch of melodic thread.
“The whole world is watching Minneapolis right now,” Di Meola said at the end of his set. “We’re all with you.”
Rise Against
A condensed lineup of Chicago rock band Rise Against, comprised of frontman Tim McIlrath and guitarist Zach Blair, took the stage next. “You are inspiring people all over the Midwest, all over the country, all over North America and all over the f****** world,” McIlrath told the Minneapolis audience.
Addressing the topic of immigration speficially, McIlrath said, “Seeking a better way of life is not crime. That is not a crime,” drawing cheers from the audience.
Citing a breakdown of the rule of law, Rise Against performed their song “Welcome to the Breakdown,” and then in a nod to the venue and city, the band weaved the “frustrated incorporated” refrain from Soul Asylum’s song “Misery” into the song as a bridge.
They repeated the feat during a stripped-down performance of their song, “Savior,” working in a sing-along bridge using the chorus of the Replacements’ “Bastards of Young.”
Carrying the sing-along idea even further, Rise Against concluded their set with a fiery cover of Neil Young’s “Rockin’ in the Free World,” eliciting massive audience participation.
Tom Morello
When Morello and his backing band the Freedom Fighter Orchestra took the stage, he set immediately to rallying the crowd. “Brothers and sisters, thank you for welcoming us to the Battle of Minneapolis,” he said. Guitarist Carl Restivo, Dave Gibbs on bass, and Eric Gardner on drums helped him build up a wild positive energy in the room.
It wasn’t the first time Morello had been involved in activism in the Twin Cities. Some may recall Rage Against the Machine were set to play at the State Capitol in St. Paul during the 2008 Republican National Convention. Blocked by police from amplified performance, RATM performed an a cappella set with a bullhorn.
“Minneapolis is an inspiration to the entire nation,” Morello told the First Avenue audience on Friday, echoing the sentiments of the day’s earlier performers. “You have heroically stood up against ICE, stood up against Trump, stood up against this terrible rising tide of state terror. You stood up for your neighbors and for yourselves, for democracy and for justice. Ain't nobody coming to save us except us, and brothers and sisters, you are showing the way.”
Morello’s squalling guitar was a dominant presence throughout his headlining set. Rage Against the Machine’s “Killing In the Name” got things started with a boom that tested First Avenue’s sound system. The audience, so filled with emotions, belted out the lyrics with such verve that Morello himself didn’t need to sing at all, except for a small lyrical edit where he asked them to sing “Some of those who hold office / are the same that burn crosses.”
Most of Morello’s set consisted of a muscular collection of “heavy-metal bangers,” which spanned his time with Rage Against the Machine, and his many collaborative efforts. Before a fusing of two Audioslave songs, “Cochise” and “Like a Stone,” Morello paid tribute his former bandmate Chris Cornell, as well as George Floyd, Philando Castile, Jamar Clark, Renée Good, Alex Pretti, and many others.
Morello’s set concluded by inviting Reilly, Di Meola, and Rise Against back to the stage for a sing-along to Woody Guthrie’s complete, uncensored “This Land Is Your Land,” which Morello accompanied on acoustic guitar. The songs final refrains were sung by a First Avenue choir in full voice.
Bruce Springsteen
The crowd didn’t have to wait long. Morello bounced back onstage. “Democracy will not be decided in the courts, it will be decided in congress, it will not be decided on social media,” he said. “I believe that the future of democracy will be decided right here on the streets of Minneapolis. Please welcome my good friend and fellow freedom fighter, Mr. Bruce Springsteen.”
First Avenue’s audience got mighty loud after that. Springsteen walked up carrying his guitar and embraced Morello, then he put on his harmonica, strapped on a 12-string guitar, and spent the next 20 minutes creating a new chapter in Minnesota music history.
Video: Bruce Springsteen's entire First Avenue performance“Hello Minneapolis,” he said. “So I write this song, and I record it the next day. And I send it to Tom Morello. Now I know that Tom is an excitable man. I say ‘Tom, what do you think? It’s kind of soapboxy.’ And he says, ‘Bruce, nuance is wonderful but sometimes you have to kick them in the teeth.' So this for the people of Minneapolis, the people of Minnesota, and the people of our good country, the United States of America.”
Springsteen then played a solo version of his new song "Streets of Minneapolis,” accompanied only by harmonica and guitar. Strong in voice, he delivered the verses with a rising intensity, “It's our blood and bones / And these whistles and phones / Against Miller and Noem's dirty lies.” All the while, impassioned anti-ICE cries and cheers from the crowd punctuated his lines, with an “ICE out now!” shout they shared in the final verse and after he concluded.
The stage refilled for a full-band version of Springsteen’s "The Ghost of Tom Joad," the Grapes of Wrath-referencing song he and Morello have played together with chilling results in the past. Morello jumped in to sing the second verse, and then the two freedom fighters traded guitar solos. Restraint went out the window as Morello attacked his instrument, at one point playing the strings with his teeth, and revealing an “Arrest the President” sign on its underside.
Not letting the energy die, they closed with fists-raised cover of John Lennon/Plastic Ono Band's "Power to the People," which again resulted in a huge crowd sing-along. “As soon as this concert is over, we are going to spill out of First Avenue and onto the streets of Minneapolis and join today’s protest,” Morello yelled. “This is a celebration of resistance, and right now we’re going to create a little bit of the world we’d like to one day see.”
“When the beat drops, jump the f*** up,” Morello then ordered the audience, and the room responded. As the cathartic cheers exploded from the audience, Prince’s “Let’s Go Crazy” blasted from the speakers, and people headed out into the streets of Minneapolis.
Ike Reilly Setlist:
At Least Another Day
Put a Little Love in It (According to John)
F**k the Good Old Days
Al Di Meola Setlist:
Ava’s Dance in the Moonlight
In My Life (The Beatles)
Medley Esmeralda/Some Time ago (Al Di Meola/Chick Corea)
Rise Against (Tim McIlrath and Zach Blair) Setlist:
Savior (w/ The Replacements’ “Bastards of Young” bridge)
Welcome to the Breakdown (w/Soul Asylum’s “Misery” bridge)
Rockin’ In the Free World (Neil Young)
Tom Morello Setlist:
Killing In The Name (Rage Against the Machine)
Soldier In The Army of Love
Hold The Line
One Man Revolution (The Nightwatchman)
Keep Going (Tom Morello and The Bloody Beetroots)
Rage Against the Machine medley:
Bombtrack
Know Your Enemy
Bulls On Parade
Guerilla Radio
Sleep Now In the Fire
Bullet In The Head
Cochise/Like a Stone (Audioslave)
This Land Is Your Land (Woody Guthrie) with Ike Reilly + Tim McIlrath + Al Di Meola
Bruce Springsteen Setlist:
Streets of Minneapolis (Bruce Springsteen solo)
The Ghost of Tom Joad (Bruce Springsteen) with Tom Morello
Power To The People (John Lennon/Plastic Ono Band) with all
