Music and Mourning: Dropkick Murphys to Headline Free Minneapolis Memorial Concert

MINNEAPOLIS, MN – February 23, 2026 – Iconic Celtic punk band Dropkick Murphys will perform a free acoustic concert in Minneapolis on March 6, a powerful gesture of solidarity intended to honor the lives of Alex Pretti and Renée Good, whose recent deaths have shaken the Twin Cities. The memorial event, set to begin at 1 p.m., will take place near the site on Eat Street where Pretti was killed, a location that has transformed into a public space for grief and remembrance.

Ahead of their sold-out show at the Palace Theatre in St. Paul later that evening, the band will join a host of local Minneapolis artists and activists for an afternoon dedicated to community healing and fundraising. The event aims to provide a space for collective mourning while raising critical support for local families and businesses impacted by a turbulent start to the year.

A City Grapples with Tragedy

The concert is a direct response to the events of January 2026, which saw the separate, fatal shootings of two Minneapolis residents by federal agents. The deaths of Renée Good on January 7 and Alex Pretti on January 24 have ignited widespread community outrage and activism. Both were 37 years old.

Renée Good, a writer and mother who had recently moved to the Powderhorn neighborhood, was killed by a U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agent. She was reportedly participating in an “ICE watch,” a community-led effort to monitor and document federal immigration enforcement activities. Her death galvanized local resistance to these operations.

Just weeks later, Alex Pretti, a dedicated VA ICU nurse and Minneapolis resident, was shot and killed by U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officers near the city’s vibrant Eat Street. Accounts indicate Pretti was observing and possibly intervening in an immigration-related action when the fatal encounter occurred. A legal gun owner with a permit to carry, Pretti was described by colleagues as a compassionate caregiver devoted to his veteran patients. The circumstances surrounding his death have been heavily disputed, fueling demands for transparency and accountability.

These tragedies have left a deep scar on the community, making the upcoming concert both a memorial and a peaceful demonstration of resilience.

Solidarity Through Song

Dropkick Murphys, a band long known for its fierce pro-union, anti-authoritarian ethos and working-class anthems, is channeling its public platform to support the grieving city. The band's connection to the cause is deeply personal and political. In the wake of the January events, they re-tooled their 2005 song “Citizen C.I.A.” into “Citizen I.C.E.,” creating a protest anthem that directly confronts the agency involved in Good's death.

Ken Casey, the band’s frontman, expressed his support for the community’s response and his sorrow for the families' losses. "We are so proud of how Minnesota stood up and met this moment and we are so sad for the community and for the Pretti and Good families for what they've gone through," Casey stated. "It is an honor to come down and be able to play some music for the people and let them know we stand in solidarity with them."

This act of solidarity is consistent with the band’s history. Their official charity, The Claddagh Fund, has raised millions for non-profits focused on children, addiction recovery, and veterans—a cause that resonates deeply given Alex Pretti’s career caring for veterans at the Minneapolis VA hospital.

From Grief to Action: Supporting the Twin Cities

While the concert is free to attend, its core mission is to catalyze support for the community. The event will serve as a major fundraiser for four local organizations providing direct relief to those affected.

Beneficiaries include:

• Neighbors Helping Neighbors: A rent fund that assists hundreds of families across the metro area, many of whom are immigrants fearful of leaving their homes amidst heightened enforcement.
• Show Up for Eat Street: An initiative providing direct financial support to the small businesses along the Nicollet Avenue corridor recovering from disruptions.
• Immigrant Law Center: A non-profit offering critical free legal services and advocacy for immigrant families navigating a complex and often hostile system.
• South Minneapolis Families Fund: A fund providing broad support to families in need throughout the South Minneapolis area.

Local organizers emphasize the need for this collective moment of healing and support. "We're looking forward to having a time for the community to come together to honor Alex's life and show the strength, resilience, and beauty of this neighborhood," said Anna Schmitz, Executive Director of Whittier Alliance.

Jacob Thomas, a U.S. Air Force Veteran, Minneapolis resident, and Communications Director for Common Defense, echoed this sentiment. "Minnesota has endured so much tragedy over these past few months and yet through it all Minneapolis stood strong, protected our neighbors, and cared for each other," Thomas said. "This concert provides a space for the community to come together to honor Alex and Renee and to raise needed funds to help."

A Local Memorial on a Global Stage

The concert's message is set to reach far beyond Minneapolis. The Save America Movement and veteran-led Valor Media are producing a free global livestream of the event, ensuring its message of unity and protest is accessible worldwide. In a move that leaves no doubt about the event's political undertones, the livestream will be hosted at AbolishICE.live.

The choice of this URL directly aligns the memorial with the national “Abolish ICE” movement, which advocates for dismantling the agency and creating a more humane immigration system. This strategic decision transforms the concert from a simple memorial into a powerful piece of advocacy, amplified further by a parallel stream from the progressive media outlet Meidas Touch.

"This memorial concert is a moment for reflection, unity, and action," said Mary Corcoran, Co-Founder of the Save America Movement. "We are honored to help bring people together in celebration of their lives and to raise meaningful support for families and neighbors who need it most."

The afternoon will feature a diverse lineup of local talent performing alongside the Dropkick Murphys, including Wild Colonial Bhoys, Kiss the Tiger, DJ Jacques, Sophie Hiroko, Chutes, Laamar, Obi Original, and The Shackletons, showcasing the deep well of community strength and artistic expression in the face of adversity.