On Wednesday, November 19th, Tom Morello played his second sold out New York City-area show of this run, bringing friends along for a powerful and politically charged performance to Irving Plaza. The set featured a mix of Rage Against the Machine hits, some solo material and a series of special guest appearances and covers throughout the night.
Midway through the set, while tuning his guitar, Morello urged the audience to “make more noise than Irving Plaza has ever heard,” before asking for quiet as he introduced “Garden of Gethsemane,” promising that it would be “all heavy metal for the rest of the set.” He congratulated Soundgarden on their recent induction into the Rock ‘n Roll Hall of Fame—which was met with a wave of cheers—and shared a story about visiting Chris Cornell with producer Rick Rubin, who worked with Rage Against the Machine early in their career and remained a longtime friend. Calling Cornell “one of the most beautiful and ferocious voices in all of rock music,” Morello reflected on how it was “a blessing and an honor” to make three Audioslave records with him. He recalled receiving a text from Cornell that read, “If you swallow the coin from the wishing well, your dreams will come true, in heaven or hell”—a line that inspired the song. Later in the set, he also performed Audioslave’s “Like A Stone” as a tribute to Cornell, with his image on the screen behind the stage.
Morello’s childhood friend and collaborator Ike Reilly joined the band for “This Land Is Your Land.” Morello reminded the crowd that Woody Guthrie wrote the song “not for the billionaires and oligarchs but for the people” and announced that members of the Guthrie family were in the audience. Joined halfway through by Verde and Amon the MC from The Neighborhood Kids, a revolutionary hip hop group who opened for Morello, they sang the original lyrics by Guthrie, which touch on poverty, social inequality and the displacement of Indigenous peoples, rather than the modern-day, patriotic version. He requested the house lights be raised so he could “see the people of New York City.”
Several local legends also made appearances: Eugene Hütz of Gogol Bordello for “We Mean It, Man!”; Corey Glover and Vernon Reid of Living Colour with “Cult of Personality”; Jesse Malin on MC5’s “Kick Out the Jams”; and DMC (Darryl McDaniels of Run-DMC) for electrifying performances of “King of Rock” and “It’s Tricky.”
Between songs, Morello addressed the political themes that have long shaped his music, criticizing President Trump and speaking against ICE’s separation of families—an issue at the heart of “Pretend You Remember Me.” His guitars were decorated with messages including “Soul Power,” “Whatever It Takes,” “Black Spartacus,” “F— ICE,” and “Arm the Homeless.” He also recalled a show in New York in the 1990s where the venue’s janitor told him, “Your music makes me want to fight!,” a memory he shared with a laugh.
Before launching into “Killing in the Name,” Morello joked that he was about to play “a nice Frank Sinatra song,” drawing a quick laugh before the room shifted into full participation, singing along to every word.
For the finale, Morello brought all of the night’s guests back out for John Lennon’s “Power to the People” and KISS’ “Rock and Roll All Nite.”
With its blend of political urgency, personal reflection and an array of guest musicians, the show was fun but also weighty. This was more than a rock show—it was also a protest rally, a call to action, a tribute concert and a playful jam. Even with its range—from folk to rap, hip-hop, and heavy metal—it flowed seamlessly, anchored by themes of anti-racism, economic and social justice, and resistance to abusive power. To those who complain that musicians should “just play music,” Morello reminds us of the long-standing connection between rock ‘n roll and political activism, which is as important today as ever.
Tom Morello & Friends continue their US tour with shows in Atlantic City on November 21 and Ledyard, Connecticut on November 22, followed by an international tour.
Setlist: Solder in the Army of Love, One Last Dance, Testify / Take the Power Back / Freedom / Snakecharmer (all, Rage Against the Machine), Let’s Get the Party Started, Hold the Line, One Man Revolution, Secretariat, Cato Stedman & Neptune Frost, We Mean It Man! (Gogol Bordello), Keep Going, The Last Rung on the Ladder, Garden of Gethsemane, This Land Is Your Land (Woody Guthrie), Pretend You Remember Me, Bombtrack / Know Your Enemy / Bulls on Parade / Guerilla Radio / Sleep Now in the Fire / Bullet in the Head (all, Rage Against the Machine) / Cochise (Audioslave), Like A Stone (Audioslave), The Ghost of Tom Joad (Bruce Springsteen), Cult of Personality (Living Colour), Kick Out the Jams (MC5), King of Rock (Run-DMC), It’s Tricky (Run-DMC), Killing in the Name (Rage Against the Machine), Power to the People (John Lennon), Rock and Roll All Nite (KISS).
