Jonny Greenwood and Dudu Tassa have canceled their upcoming performances in Bristol and London.
The two are collaborating together, bringing together the Radiohead musician and acclaimed soundtrack composer with the innovative Israeli artist Dudu Tassa.
They performed in Tel Aviv last year, which garnered significant criticism from the BDS movement advocating for a cultural boycott of Israel.
In response to accusations of “artwashing genocide,” Jonny Greenwood stated at the time: “silencing Israeli artists for being born Jewish in Israel doesn’t seem like a way to foster understanding between the two sides in this seemingly endless conflict.”
The artists were scheduled to perform in Bristol and London this summer, but those concerts were canceled over the weekend.
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In a joint statement, Jonny Greenwood and Dudu Tassa expressed that there was a “credible threat” to the safety of the venue staff.
The statement notes:
With regret, our shows in Bristol and London, set for June 23rd and 25th, have been canceled. The venues and their innocent staff have received sufficient credible threats to determine that it is unsafe to continue; promoters cannot be expected to finance our protection or that of our audience.
The campaign that successfully halted the concerts asserts that “this is not censorship” and “this isn’t about silencing music or targeting individual artists.” However, their stance seems contradictory. Preventing musicians from performing and denying audiences the chance to hear them is clearly a method of censorship and silencing. Pressuring venues to cancel our shows will not contribute to achieving the peace and justice that everyone in the Middle East deserves. Although those behind the campaign will view this cancellation as a victory, we see nothing to celebrate and find that nothing positive has resulted from it.
The record we are promoting features singers from Syria, Lebanon, Kuwait, and Iraq. The group’s ancestral and musical heritage spans centuries: from Iraq, Yemen, Syria, and Turkey, and throughout the Middle East—united by a shared passion for Arabic music, regardless of their birthplace. The silencing campaign has called for venues to “reaffirm (their) commitment to ethical, inclusive cultural programming,” though not with this specific blend of cultures, it seems.
We believe that art transcends politics; that art aimed at fostering a common identity among musicians across Middle Eastern borders should be embraced, not condemned; and artists should have the freedom to express themselves, irrespective of their citizenship or religion—or the decisions made by their governments.
This project has always faced a challenging and narrow path. We find ourselves in the unusual situation of being criticized from both ends of the political spectrum. For some on the right, we play music that is ‘too inclusive’ and too attuned to the rich diversity of Middle Eastern culture. For some on the left, we’re only performing to absolve our collective guilt. We are concerned about the misuse of this cancellation by reactionary figures as much as we regret its celebration by some progressives.
Yet, passively accepting silence without a response feels wrong. As the artist’s statement supporting Kneecap articulates: “As artists, we feel the need to register our opposition to any political repression of artistic freedom … In a democracy, no political figures or parties should have the authority to dictate who performs at music festivals or events enjoyed by thousands.” Nor should anyone have that power. We do not pass judgment on Kneecap but note how unfortunate it is that those advocating for their freedom of expression are among the most determined to limit ours.
We fully understand the sentiments of those who question: ‘how can this be more significant than what’s occurring in Gaza and Israel?’ They are correct—it isn’t. How could it be? What aspect of anyone’s upcoming cultural experience could possibly be?
We hold immense admiration, love, and respect for all the performers in this band, especially the Arab musicians and singers who have demonstrated remarkable courage and conviction in contributing to our first album and touring with us. Their artistic contributions are of utmost importance, and we hope that one day you will be able to hear us perform these songs—mostly love songs—together, somewhere, somehow. If that occurs, it won’t signify a victory for any nation, religion, or political agenda. It will be a victory for our mutual love and respect for the music—and for each other.
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The BDS movement in the UK shared a response on Instagram:
Jonny Greenwood and Dudu Tassa’s concert at Hackney Church has also been canceled. Palestinians welcome the cancellation of both of their UK shows.
We reiterate our call for all venues to refuse to host this complicity event that can only artwash genocide.
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Jonny Greenwood and Dudu Tassa have called off their scheduled performances in Bristol and London. The duo has been working together on a collaboration that brings together the Radiohead