Bruce Springsteen Launches Tour March 31st at Target Center Following Minneapolis’ Winter of Protest

When Bruce Springsteen takes the stage at Target Center on March 31, the show will double as both the kickoff of his 2026 tour and a return to a city that has unexpectedly shaped his latest music.

The Minneapolis stop arrives after a turbulent winter in the Twin Cities, where protests and the “Ice Out” movement have drawn national attention following the January killing of 37-year-old ICU nurse Alex Pretti during a confrontation with federal immigration agents. Pretti was fatally shot on Jan. 24 in south Minneapolis during protests surrounding intensified federal immigration enforcement, an incident that quickly sparked vigils, demonstrations and investigations.

Within days, Springsteen responded the way he often has during moments of American upheaval: by writing a song.

Released four days after the shooting, “Streets of Minneapolis” is a stark folk-rock protest track that directly references the city’s streets and the wave of demonstrations that followed the killing.

Springsteen’s connection to the city deepened earlier this year with a surprise appearance at First Avenue. The noon show in January a stripped-down set with guitarist and activist Tom Morello felt more like a rally than a traditional gig.

Morello, who will open the March 31 concert, has long blended politics with music through his work with Rage Against the Machine and as a collaborator with Springsteen. Together, the pair have leaned into songs that bridge rock performance and protest tradition, often reworking material from Springsteen’s catalog alongside newer politically charged tracks.

The First Avenue appearance hinted that Minneapolis might play a larger role in Springsteen’s plans this year. Now, with the tour launching here, that connection appears deliberate.

Opening nights of Springsteen tours are famously unpredictable. The set list often stretches past three hours and can pull from a catalog spanning five decades, from classics like “Born to Run” and “Thunder Road” to newer material and unexpected covers.

Minneapolis, however, may hear something unique.

Given the city’s role in the creation of “Streets of Minneapolis,” many fans expect the song to appear early in the tour and possibly take on a centerpiece role during the Target Center show.

If that happens, the March 31 concert could feel less like a routine arena stop and more like a moment of dialogue between artist and city.

For Springsteen, whose career has long traced the tensions and hopes of American life, that conversation has always been the point.

If you want tickets to the show, you can find them here!