The line-up for Brian Eno’s benefit show at Wembley Arena has been announced, with the likes of Damon Albarn and Bastille set to perform at the gig aimed at sending “a message of love and solidarity to the people of Palestine”.
‘Together For Palestine’ will take place at Wembley Arena on September 17 with Albarn and Bastille being joined by Greentea Peng, Hot Chip, James Blake, Jamie xx, King Krule, Paloma Faith and many more.
They will also be joined by Palestinian artists Adnan Joubran, Faraj Suleiman and Nai Barghouti, with more names due to be announced at a later date.
Legendary producer Brian Eno has organised the benefit gig, with “every penny donated” going to Palestinian partners through UK charity Choose Love.
Speaking during the announcement of the event in July, Eno said: “I’ve had the good fortune to work with some of the world’s most remarkable artists for over 50 years. But one of my biggest regrets is that during that time so many of us have remained silent about Palestine.
“Often that silence has come from fear, real fear – that speaking out could provoke a backlash, close doors or end a career. But that’s now changing – partly because some artists and activists have lit the path, but mostly because the truth of what’s going on has become impossible to ignore.”
Former Blur frontman Damon Albarn recently spoke with Channel 4 News ahead of the show in support of the Palestinian people. This comes after Albarn was called out by Bob Vylan as an “out of touch 90s musician” after the ‘Parklife’ singer criticised the punk duo’s controversial Glastonbury set.
Albarn said in the interview: “I, like everyone with a heart, have felt despair and helplessness at the reports coming out of Gaza and the West Bank over these last days, months, years.
“A genocide unfolding in real time on our screens. I come from a family of pacifists. I have been taught, and I believe, that pacifism is an action. Peace is an action. To live peacefully requires vision and commitment. To act with humanity towards one another, that too is a decision. Music has taken me around the world, it is the sum of everything I know and trust and believe in – respect, collaboration, shared experience.”
As mentioned earlier, Eno has confirmed that “every penny donated” will go to Palestinian partners through Choose Love, which is a UK charity focused on supporting local humanitarians in conflict zones. However, the gig is about far more than just financial support, according to Eno, as it is all about “sending a message of love and solidarity to the people of Palestine – that they haven’t been forgotten.”
Tickets for the gig at Wembley Arena on September 17 are available now from here for £59.75. As mentioned earlier, 100% of sales will be used to support Palestinian humanitarian organisations.
