London’s Union Chapel will host a special benefit event titled Sumud on April 18 to support Palestine, with Brian Eno, Nadine Shah, and Maxine Peake among the performers. The event, organized by Amos Trust and Palestine Music Expo, has tickets available for purchase, and all proceeds will go to Amos Trust’s emergency appeal for Gaza. Eno and Peake will deliver readings at the event, which will feature performances from Beth Rowley, David Holmes, Foy Vance, Alabaster DePlume, and Palestinian oud player Adnan Joubran.
Palestine has been the site of numerous conflicts over several decades, and at least 31,341 Palestinians have been killed in Israeli attacks on Gaza Strip since the conflict began with the October 7 Hamas attacks in Israel, according to the Palestinian Health Ministry. Consequently, several artists have withdrawn from performing at this year’s South By Southwest Festival in Austin, Texas, after it was revealed that the US Army and defense contractor RTX Corporation, which has supplied weapons to Israel, were “super sponsors” of the event.
Gruff Rhys, Kneecap, Lambrini Girls, Rachel Chinouriri, and every Irish artist on the bill joined the boycott of the festival in solidarity with Gaza. In a statement regarding the withdrawals, SXSW said, “We are an organisation that welcomes diverse viewpoints. Music is the soul of SXSW, and it has long been our legacy. We fully respect the decision these artists made to exercise their right to free speech.” At last week’s Oscars, The Zone of Interest director Jonathan Glazer also addressed the conflict, stating “our film shows where dehumanisation leads at its worst.”
Sumud promises to deliver “a fundraising evening of music, spoken word and film for Palestine” and is a chance to join other artists in making a difference in the lives of Palestinians
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