There are always artists a-plenty these days ready to jump on the activism bandwagon in support of one worthy cause or another, which makes one wonder at times whether it’s really the call of their social/green/environmental/political et al conscience, or more the grinding of the PR machinery wheels.
So it was refreshing to see that those who turned out at Brixton Academy for the 30th anniversary of the Rock Against Racism march had their credentials in the right order. Long-time anti-racist campaigners Alabama 3, RAR stalwarts Misty in Roots were joined by veteran campaigners Tony Benn and Tom Robinson – both of whom had nailed their colours to the mast at the original Victoria Park carnival all those years ago. The Levellers, too, have always been to the fore in their political and social leanings; their music providing just the right balance of good-time folk revelry alongside a dig in the ribs with social commentary of the time.
Following on from the Anti-Facist Fortnight around the country and to demonstrate that hope can triumph over hate, not only was this night timed for the anniversary but also coincided with the eve of local by-elections, in which many constituencies were fielding a BNP member.
In times where young people are increasingly disillusioned with the promises and assurances meted out by politicians, music has long been a staple resource for motivation and generating awareness. So what, if anything, did the Hope Not Hate show achieve? Certainly it brought together all ages and races. The twenty-somethings who hadn’t even been around in the 70s mixed with those who’d lived through all the activism of 30 years ago and were back to make sure the same message wasn’t forgotten.
Did it work? Yes and No. Yes, if you were looking for a good night out. The Thirst, a young band of indie rockers from Brixton who are starting to make a name for themselves, appealed to the young and hip. Misty in Roots provided the right ethnic blend of reggae dub. The Levellers – playing to a smaller audience than their headlining date here two months ago – looked relaxed and happy to be belting out crowd pleasers like One Way and What A Beautiful Day. Alabama 3 – more like 13 with the number of people they seemed to have crammed up on stage – with an electric set supplied an impressive performance to end the night, with Larry Love setting afire the already hyped-up audience.
But No if the idea of this evening was to change anything. This was a relatively low-key affair with little publicity. As one person who had been at the first march and Victoria Park carnival commented: “I would like to have seen artists playing tonight who are influencing youth culture right now. Are Alabama 3 doing that? The Levellers? I don’t think so. But the times have changed since 1978. Back then we had clashes with the National Front going on, there was a huge division in society between cultures. Now, it’s different. So, yeah, tonight was a good gig. But that’s about it for me. It’s not going to change anything that hasn’t already been changed.”
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