Recap & Photos: I.C.E OUT! benefit show aligns local stars to raise mutual aid at First Avenue
by Joel Swenson and Sara Fish
February 16, 2026
“We’re gonna have a bunch of our friends sing some songs with us if that’s OK with y’all.”
That was how Hippo Campus frontman Jake Luppen kicked off the band’s whirlwind set at Sunday’s sold-out I.C.E. OUT! mutual aid benefit show at First Avenue. A bunch was an understatement. The bill for Sunday was originally just four acts before it ballooned to include just about every big name in the Twin Cities music scene. The show was hosted by Twin Cities United Performers (TCUP) and featured a robust silent auction in addition to the stacked lineup.
Local trip-hoppers 26 Bats! kicked things off with a set of songs that perfectly capture this moment in history. Their first song, “Helicopter,” was written in the wake of George Floyd’s murder, when the sound of helicopters circling overhead was a constant reminder of the turmoil on the ground. The song is unfortunately just as relevant today as it was in 2020. Vocalist and keytarist Bailey “26” Cogan performed songs about grief, quitting a job you hate, and numbing yourself from the horrors of daily life with TV. The band’s final song hit hardest. Featured on the newly released thaw anti-ICE compilation, “Hey Neighbor” is about showing up to protect and support neighbors. After a quick tutorial, the crowd joined Cogan with a chorus of “Hey neighbor, I got your back.”
Up next, Minneapolis-based Senegalese artist Papa Mbye was joined by an ensemble cast of musicians including guitarists Zakariya Khan and Isaac Levy as well as Bon Iver’s Justin Vernon and Minneapolis-based rapper Haroon Rasheed for one song each. Rounding out his backline was an electronic drum pad, synths, samples, and keys, all of which accentuated Mbye’s rich, soulful vocals. On the song “Common Sense," Papa Mbye and crew crescendoed into a massive, densely layered wall of sound that left the crowd momentarily silent at the end.
Brother-and-sister pop-punk/indie band Durry followed with an energetic set packed with sing-alongs. Frontman Austin Durry’s catchy hooks and clever lyrics endear them to crowds. Before “Starting a Band,” Austin coached the crowd to shout “I’m starting a band” in unison at the chorus. By the time they got to their viral hit, “Who’s Laughing Now?,” the crowd was fully theirs. Durry wrapped with a new song called “I Told You So” based upon a fiery conversation with a MAGA relative about a future featuring mass deportations and militarized occupations in our cities.
In between sets, emcee Dante Leyva of Space Monkey Mafia led the crowd in protest chants, shared his own experience of being a first-generation son of immigrants, and introduced TCUP’s upcoming initiative Fanbase, set up to connect local music fans with organizing efforts. Leyva also brought out Jen Arnold, the executive director of Inquilinxs Unidxs and leader with Minneapolis Families for Public Schools, to share that many families still need mutual aid, especially as national attention shifts away from Minneapolis.
From the second Hippo Campus took the stage, they didn’t let up. The band started things off with a cover of The Beatles’ “Get Back” with some colorful choice words for Kristi Noem and Pam Bondi scattered throughout. This was the only song they performed in their usual six-piece configuration. The rest of their high-energy set was packed with guest talent. It was a who’s who of Minnesota music, and it often felt like watching the best live band karaoke you could ever imagine.
The entire Hippo Campus and Friends set was incredible and was the epitome of joy as an act of resistance, but several moments really stood out.
Before belting out an incredible rendition of the Cranberries’ “Zombie” Bad Bad Hats singer and guitarist Kerry Alexander spoke about the massive support the band received each night after saying they’re from Minneapolis on their recent three-week tour. “People see how strong, how resilient, how compassionate the Twin Cities is and you’re inspiring them to do the same in their communities,” she said.
The Nick Lowe song that Elvis Costello and the Attractions made huge, “(What’s So Funny ‘Bout) Peace, Love, and Understanding” received the full Craig Finn treatment. But not before the Hold Steady frontman reminded everyone who these streets belong to, particularly the intersection where Alex Pretti was killed. “26th and Nicollet is such an important corner in the history of music in this city,” he said. “I bought half my record collection at Garage D’or Records on 26th and Nicollet. Twin Tone Records was headquartered there. Nicollet Studios, where Hüsker Dü and the Replacements recorded albums, was at 26th and Nicollet. That is our corner!”
Minnesota State Representative Maria Isa, or the “rep who raps” as she’s become known, debuted her new song “Que Se Vaya El Hielo (ICE Leave MN)” live for the first time, complete with bongos, horns, and a resounding sold-out First Avenue chorus. “These issues aren’t new to our communities on this Indigenous land,” she said. “These issues aren’t new, but they’re new to folks who recognize their privilege who are fighting for us, and I want to say ‘thank you.’ I want to say ‘Thank you for wearing these vests and blowing these whistles. Thank you for the mutual aid,’ and we gotta keep going because this ain’t over yet.”
Several people flew in just for the show. Besides Finn, who came from New York, Semisonic’s Dan Wilson and Sylvan Esso’s Amelia Meath both arrived on Sunday from Los Angeles and North Carolina, respectively. Wilson debuted a song he wrote specifically for I.C.E. OUT! called “Don’t Give Up Yet,” while Meath and Hippo Campus vocalist Jake Luppen treated the crowd to their best Freddie Mercury and David Bowie impersonation during “Under Pressure.”
A few songs were so massive that they tested the limits on First Avenue’s sound system and the building’s structural integrity. In particular, Henry Breen of Why Not and Grant Whiteoak of Heart to Gold’s cover of the Beastie Boys’ "Sabotage" and Alan Sparhawk’s spot-on Ozzy during his cover of Black Sabbath’s “War Pigs.” And who could forget the final song of the “And Friends” set, Reiki, L.A. Buckner, and Cory Wong’s punishing cover of Rage Against the Machine’s “Killing in the Name.” Buckner was an absolute beast on drums while Reiki knew exactly how to rile up the crowd. This cover was so good that it had Justin Vernon asking the right questions before his short solo performance.
“I don’t know why they made me go up after “Killing in the Name” but,” he said.
Vernon was joined by guitarist Isaac Levy for his first song: a cover of John Prine’s “That’s How Every Empire Falls.” It was well on theme and still kept the momentum going. After playing a couple of his own songs (“00000 Million” and “Naeem”), Vernon was joined by Hippo Campus for a slow and heavy version of Neil Young and Crazy Horse’s “Hey Hey, My My (Into the Black)” featuring Vernon’s signature falsetto. The falsetto stood in pretty stark contrast to the heaviness of the song, but it was still better than the Neil Young and Devo version from Young’s 1982 movie, Human Highway.
For the final song of the night, Soul Asylum’s Dave Pirner joined Vernon and Hippo Campus for a great cover of Crosby, Stills, Nash, and Young’s “Ohio.” But before releasing us into the unseasonably warm February night, Gully Boys’ Nadi McGill joined Leyva onstage to give some closing thank yous, lead the crowd in a final “ICE OUT/F**K ICE” chant, and to announce that through ticket sales and the TCUP silent auction, nearly $70,000 was raised for Minneapolis Families for Public Schools.
That $70,000 will go directly towards helping families impacted by the ongoing federal ICE occupation with rent assistance, groceries, and other necessary expenses. Because, as Maria Isa said, “this ain’t over yet.” As the national spotlight moves on from Minnesota, the concert was a reminder that in this moment, it’s more important than ever that we continue supporting our communities and neighbors. We still have a lot of work to do, so let’s get to it!
Photo gallery by Sara Fish to come
Setlist
Hippo Campus and Friends
Get Back (The Beatles)
Talkin’ bout a Revolution ft. Nadi McGill of Gully Boys (Tracy Chapman)
Zombie ft. Kerry Alexander of Bad Bad Hats (The Cranberries)
I Wanna Destroy You ft. Adam Levy, Ava Levy, Esther Levy, and Noah Levy (The Soft Boys)
(What’s So Funny ‘Bout) Peace, Love, and Understanding ft. Craig Finn of the Hold Steady (Elvis Costello and the Attractions)
Saints ft. Boyish (The Breeders)
Deceptacon ft. Raffaella (Le Tigre)
Sabotage ft. Henry Breen of Why Not and Grant Whiteoak of Heart to Gold (Beastie Boys)
Que Se Vaya El Hielo (ICE Leave MN) ft. Maria Isa
Redemption Song ft. Bobby Kabeya of Miloe and his parents (Bob Marley)
Sunday Bloody Sunday ft. Lars Pruitt of Yam Haus and Landon Conrath (U2)
Under Pressure ft. Amelia Meath of Sylvan Esso and Cory Wong (Queen and David Bowie)
Blackbird ft. Mike Kota (The Beatles)
Gimme Some Truth ft. Erik Paulson of Remo Drive (John Lennon)
Have You Ever Seen the Rain? ft. Your Smith (Creedence Clearwater Revival)
Down to the River to Pray ft. KC Rae of Now, Now (American Traditional)
Don’t Give Up Yet ft. Dan Wilson of Semisonic (New song)
War Pigs ft. Alan Sparhawk of Low (Black Sabbath)
Killing in the Name ft. Reiki, L.A. Buckner, and Cory Wong (Rage Against the Machine)
Justin Vernon Solo Set
That’s How Every Empire Falls (John Prine)
00000 Million (Bon Iver)
Naeem (Bon Iver)
Hippo Campus w/ Justin Vernon
Hey Hey, My My (Into the Black) (Neil Young and Crazy Horse)
Ohio ft. Dave Pirner of Soul Asylum (Crosby, Stills, Nash, and Young)
Big thanks to ultimate Twin Cities music fan Kyle Matteson for the assistance with the set list.
