Bruce Springsteen Joins Tom Morello at Anti-ICE Show in Minneapolis: ‘Sometimes You Have to Kick Them in the Teeth’
Solidarity
The singer performed at a benefit concert organized by Rage Against the Machine guitarist.
Despite the White House's attempts to dismiss Bruce Springsteen's anti-ICE song, 'Streets of Minneapolis', as irrelevant, the people of Minneapolis and U.S. citizens across the nation strongly disagree. On Friday, a benefit concert organized by Tom Morello of Rage Against the Machine, titled 'A Concert of Solidarity & Resistance to Defend Minnesota!', took place at the iconic First Avenue club in Minneapolis.
The event aimed to raise funds for the families of Renée Good and Alex Pretti, who were tragically shot by ICE agents. As a surprise guest, Springsteen took the stage and delivered the first live performance of his protest song, eliciting cheers from the crowd.
Morello joined him, and they performed a rendition of Morello's 'Grapes of Wrath'-inspired song, 'The Ghost of Tom Joad'. Before playing 'Streets of Minneapolis', Springsteen shared a story about the song's creation. He recalled writing and recording it the following day and sending it to Morello, who advised, 'Bruce, nuance is wonderful, but sometimes you have to kick them in the teeth.'
Springsteen continued, 'So this is for the people of Minneapolis, Minnesota, and the people of our good country, the United States of America.' As he sang, 'In our chants of 'ICE out now', our city's heart and soul persists...', the audience raised their fists and shouted, 'ICE Out Now!'
In a statement earlier this week, Morello emphasized the urgency of the situation, stating, 'If it looks like fascism, sounds like fascism, acts like fascism, dresses like fascism, talks like fascism, kills like fascism, and lies like fascism, then 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.'
The concert was a powerful display of solidarity and resistance, with Springsteen and Morello joining forces to amplify the voices of those affected by ICE's actions and the broader issues of state terror and tyranny.
