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A music venue in Bristol has acknowledged that canceling a show by a Jewish band was an error, after facing pressure from activist groups who opposed the booking. In May, Strange Brew announced it would no longer host a concert by the London-based band Oi Va Voi, known for their modern folk klezmer style. The venue later admitted that the scrutiny and complaints directed at the band were likely due to the fact that they are Jewish and feature an Israeli singer.
Oi Va Voi responded to the cancellation by condemning the intimidation tactics used by these activist groups, stating, “The intimidation of the activist groups who wanted Strange Brew to cancel our gig would never be tolerated against any other minority.” The band highlighted the significant personal and emotional toll the ordeal had on them, along with financial losses and damage to their reputation. They also pointed out that the activists’ allegations about their music and the artwork of guest performer Zohara were unfounded and motivated by prejudice linked to their heritage and nationality.
In a statement, Strange Brew explained that they had made a last-minute decision to cancel the event after receiving complaints, particularly regarding Zohara’s solo album artwork. Reflecting on the situation, the venue admitted their choice was a mistake, recognizing the band faced disproportionate criticism because of their Jewish identity and the presence of an Israeli artist. The venue emphasized that Oi Va Voi are musicians without political affiliations and that excluding them based on suppositions about their views does not align with its values.
To address the issue, Strange Brew has introduced mandatory antisemitism training for its senior management team and donated to the Community Security Trust, an organization dedicated to protecting British Jews from antisemitism. Oi Va Voi, who rose to prominence in the early 2000s, have been credited with bringing Jewish music, particularly the klezmer tradition of Ashkenazi Jews from eastern Europe, to an international audience
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