According to the Guardian, Barclays have a 5-year sponsorship deal that was signed last year with Live nation and it is understood that this does not affect the whole duration of the contract.

a spokesperson from Live nation, who are the company which run these festivals, has told the Guardian that “Following discussion with artists, we have agreed with Barclays that they will step back from sponsorship of our festivals.”

A spokesperson for Barclays told the Guardian that “Barclays was asked and has agreed to suspend participation in the remaining Live Nation festivals in 2024. Barclays customers who hold tickets to these festivals are not affected and their tickets remain valid. The protesters’ agenda is to have Barclays debank defence companies which is a sector we remain committed to as an essential part of keeping this country and our allies safe.”

This all follows a huge boycott of Brighton festival, The Great Escape, last month where over 120 artists pulled out of the festival because of their sponsorship from Barclaycard and the move has since snowballed having an effect on Latitude, Download and Isle of Wight festivals, with 17 acts pulling out of Latitude alone so far which is set to take place at the end of July. Bands such as Scowl, Pest Control and Ithaca have all withdrawn for Download’s line-up taking place this weekend.

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A post shared by Bands Boycott Barclays (@bandsboycottbarclays)

A spokesperson for Bands Boycott Barclays has said that “This is a victory for the Palestinian-led global BDS movement. As musicians, we were horrified that our music festivals were partnered with Barclays, who are complicit in the genocide in Gaza through investment, loans and underwriting of arms companies supplying the Israeli military. Hundreds of artists have taken action this summer to make it clear that this is morally reprehensible, and we are glad we have been heard.”

They further highlighted their message to Barclays “Our demand to Barclays is simple: divest from the genocide or face further boycotts. Boycotting Barclays, also Europe’s primary funder of fossil fuels, is the minimum we can do to call for change.”

Enter Shikari, who played at Download earlier today, came out via Instagram in response to Barclays withdrawing their sponsorship from this year’s festival: “There has been mounting pressure for bands to drop out of Download festival due to the involvement of Barclays Bank.”

“We have been in talks with Download themselves, expressing our serious objection at Barclays involvement. We have considered all options, and along with other artists have been working tirelessly on this.”

“We don’t believe in rushed reactions and always want the best outcome for all involved. Thanks to this collective pressure we now believe we have achieved that – Barclays have pulled out of Download Festival.”

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A post shared by enter: shikari (@entershikari)

The Palestine Solidarity Campaign (PSC) states on their website that the company ‘is bankrolling Israel’s genocidal assault on Palestinians.’ According to their research, ‘Barclays bank now holds over £2 billion in shares, and provides £6.1 billion in loans and underwriting, to 9 companies whose weapons, components, and military technology are being used by Israel in its attacks on Palestinians.’ This, along with the mass walkout by over 100 bands and artists over a similar issue with May’s Great Escape festival has encouraged acts due to play at this weekends Download to boycott the event.

It began with the band Pest Control who wrote in a post on their Instagram that they ‘will not take part in an event whose sponsor profits from facilitating a genocide.’ as well as that they refuse to ‘sacrifice the principles held by this band and by the scene we come from and represent, just for personal gain.’

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A post shared by PEST CONTROL (@pestcontrolthrash)

The Leeds band then created a ripple effect causing punk bands Speed, Scowl and Zulu to pull themselves from the event too and instead have organised a benefit show which will take place at the Centrala in Birmingham on the evening of Friday the 14th. Unfortunately, all tickets for this impromptu show sold out in just 6 minutes but if fans are still wanting to donate you can check out the @birminghamhardcoreshows Instagram page for information on how to do so. 

This Friday! A benefit for Palestine Thank you to everyone who put this together last minute and all the bands playing. pic.twitter.com/qpMAlv04LB — SCOWL (@Scowl40831) June 11, 2024

London hardcore metal band Ithaca have also decided to snub Download too and this isn’t the only festival getting the cold-shoulder this summer. Latitude is experiencing a similar situation with a number of comedians refusing to perform at the July event including Sophie Duker, Grace Campbell and Alexandra Haddow, along with many other musicians. To keep up to date with the ever-changing situation, you can follow @bandsboycottbarclays who are leading the movement.

These boycotts have come at a time when Barclays Bank has been attracting increasing outrage from pro-palestine protesters as over 20 Barclays Branches have been defaced and covered in red paint in the last two weeks according to the Guardian. The article also notes that ‘in Edinburgh, rocks inscribed with the names of dead Palestinians were thrown at a bank branch.’

Pro-Palestine activists smash windows at Barclays bank branches across UK over Israel arms links https://t.co/H8B8eCARI1

— gerard larose (@gerardlaro5723) June 12, 2024

The Leicestershire festival Download and Barclays are yet to comment on the exodus or the protests but fans are hopeful that the continuing growth in the number of acts boycotting the event will push the festival to remove Barclays as a sponsor.

Latitude Festival: Location, Henham Park in Suffolk
Date: 25-28 July
Headliners: Duran Duran, Kasabian, Keane, and London Grammar.
Alongside the music, the festival also offers comedy and theater performances, making it a diverse and vibrant experience. With a mix of stadium-quality shows and a variety of genres, including disco, dance music, and 80s vibes, there’s something for everyone at Latitude Festival.

The news coincides with the release of the four-piece’s new gothic-themed album, Danse Macabre, which made its debut at number four in the UK charts and which contains three new tracks, as well as reimagined versions of older material and covers of songs by artists such as Billie Eilish and The Rolling Stones.

Listen to title track “Danse Macabre” below:

On being revealed as Latitude Festival headliners, Bassist Taylor said: 

“We are excited to be making Latitude our sole UK performance next summer. It’s a great festival, and it’s been a long time since Duran have been in that part of the country. In fact, it’s our first time ever in Suffolk.” 

“We are riding high on the reception our new Danse Macabre album has received, and looking forward to bringing music from that record, all the way back to our 1981 debut album. See you there!”

Meanwhile, Latitude Festival director Melvin Benn commented: 

“Duran Duran’s fusion of artistry and innovation seamlessly resonates with Latitude’s commitment to curate a multifaceted cultural experience. Celebrated for their iconic style, ground-breaking music, and a consistent string of chart-topping hits, the band have unquestionably left their mark on both the music and fashion realms.”

He added: “With their ongoing evolution and the ability to transcend musical boundaries, the band’s mesmerising live performances make them an ideal fit for the Latitude festival.”

Renowned for its eclectic mix of culture, art and music, Latitude Festival is an annual event set within the grounds of Henham Park near Suffolk. Next year’s edition – for which a full line-up is scheduled to be announced within the coming months – will run from 25 to 28 July.

Check out the highlights from last summer’s event:

Formed in 1978, Duran Duran were one of the biggest pop acts of the 1980s, with hits including “Save A Prayer”, “Rio”, and “Hungry Like The Wolf”. Since then, they have sold more than 100 million albums worldwide, garnering countless awards on the way, including two Grammys.

Watch the official video for “Hungry Like The Wolf” below:

In 2022, Duran Duran’s induction into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame rounded off a remarkable year, during which the band graced the stage at the Queen’s Jubilee Concert, brought the Commonwealth Games to a close in their hometown of Birmingham, and performed sold-out shows at both New York’s Madison Square Garden and the iconic Hollywood Bowl.

Get tickets for Latitude Festival 2024 here.