Caving in to cultural terrorism

June 6, 2010 - 2:28 PM by

Placebo performing in Tel Aviv on Saturday night - no boycott here. (Photo: Orit Pnini)

The fallout from the Gaza flotilla saga is being felt in many spheres – including the realm of entertainment.

You have to feel sorry for Shuki Weiss, the veteran dean of Israeli concert promoters. Things were going great for his two-day Picnic Music festival taking place over two spread-out days this week. The first night featured British rock bands Placebo, Klaxons and Gorillaz Sound System, and the second night, this coming Wednesday was bringing the long-awaited debut of the much beloved American alternative legends the Pixies, along with young British band the Editors.

Just days after the flotilla incident and days before their show, both Klaxons and Gorillaz canceled. No reason was cited, but you can guess what it was. And now just three days before their headlining performance, the Pixies have also bailed.

To their credit, first-night headliners Placebo still arrived, and with a couple last minute substitutions, the show went on to the enjoyment of over 7,000 fans. But the Pixies is something else – so anticipated and now so scorned by a fan base that idolizes them.

In a statement they released through Weiss, the Pixies somewhat ambiguously stated, “Events beyond all our control have conspired against us.” Nothing like coming right out and saying what bothers you.

Weiss, in his own statement, referred to a brand of “cultural terrorism” that was pressuring foreign artists to boycott Israel. Some, like Placebo, and veteran singer/songwriter Joan Armatrading who was performing to a nearly sold out house the same night across town in Tel Aviv, stood up to the pressure. Others like the Pixies, and Elvis Costello and Gil Scott-Heron before them, succumbed.

Now, more than ever, is the time for artists scheduled to appear here, to decide if they’re on the side of artistic freedom or a victim of cultural terrorism. We hope that Elton John, Rod Stewart and the rest who are slated to appear here this summer do the right thing.

Here’s Joan Armatrading doing the right thing at the Shoni Fortress on Friday night.

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Tags: , , , , , • Category: A New Reality, Business, coexistence, General, Israeliness, Music, Politics, Pop Culture 

Comments

One Comment on Caving in to cultural terrorism

  1. David-Joe on Sun, Jun 6th 2010 7:58 PM

    2. Do not weep chabibi, for we are free Jews in our own land.

    I was raised on a border kibbutz which often saw us rushing in the middle of the night into shelters as the Jordanian gunfire crashed into our homes – then came a great Jewish leader who with his brave men destroyed the Jordanian will to attack.

    He is Arik.

    So what if the cowardly world turns its back on Israel? Just look at them. From the cowardly Israel-hating President of the US, to the tyrant of Iran and once great periodicals such as the NYT and The Economist – is this a group we actually want approval from?

    A resounding NO!

    Stand strong and brave my fellow Israelis. We are the answer of the Six Miilion murdered by world appeasement.

    We free Jews in OUR land given to us by the one God, the God of Israel.

    It is our faith, our nationhood that has vanquished all our enemies. From Haman up till today. It has been at a sinful cost – a cost that no people should have had to pay.

    But we are here, in our own country Israel. The concretization of Zionism.

    Those that turm their yellow streaked backs on us either actively ot passively – and yes sadly even include diaspora Jews such as Rahm Immanuel and the liberal Jews of New York City – are not worthy of us.

    We do not want them – and they are the losers.

    Israelis be strong and determined, for any other way is sinful and weak and that is not how the Eternal People have survived.

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