Love Music Hate Racism

Northern Ireland is changing, never before has there been such an energy and vibrancy about us. There’s less fear in our walk and more optimism in our talk, and everyday more and more of us decide to make a life for ourselves, right here at home, where we want to be. Many of our parents and grandparents rarely felt like that, if they weren’t burnt out in the troubles, they were unemployed, living in extreme poverty or simply depressed because their home, the place they loved, was suffering, oppressed and economically crushed. Some left and never returned, others flitted back and forth between jobs, sending home what they could, but no one ever really wanted to leave.

Our major fundraising event for the year will be taking place at London's top club, Fabric, on Thursday 30th November 2006, from 8pm-3am. Babyshambles' Drew McConnell has teamed up with LMHR to 'curate' a fantastic line-up of indie/rock, grime, hip-hop and drum'n'bass. Confirmed 100% to play are: BABYSHAMBLES, AKALA, THE VIEW, MYSTERY JETS, JAMMER, METRO RIOTS, N.A.S.T.Y., FIONN REGAN, HEARTLESS CREW, NU-MCs and many more. Click the title above for full details and to book tickets.

Advance tickets for the Fabric fundraiser on Thursday 30th November have now SOLD OUT. For those of you who’ve been unable to get advance tickets, a substantial number will be able to pay on the door from 8pm - but our advice is to get there as early as possible to avoid disappointment.

By David Kersey Coventry Love Music Hate Racism was launched in fine style last week, when none other than Mr Jerry Dammers provided a special selection of entertainment to celebrate the award of an Honorary Degree from Coventry University. The launch, at Dogma, on November 20th, was part of a growing momentum behind the Coventry [...]

Saturday 25 November Assemble at 12.00noon Meet in the square at the top of Victoria Street, Blackpool (near side entrance to Winter Gardens). The British National Party (BNP) has announced they are to hold a conference on 25th and 26th November in Blackpool. The BNP has not announced the venue, and local people including the leader of the council, hotels, trade unions, student unions, residents, students and anti-fascist groups have condemned the BNP for attempting to hold their conference in Blackpool. Following the recent acquittal of two BNP members at Leeds Crown Court, we must show our opposition to the BNP and their politics of race hate and division. We must show that there is united opposition to the BNP and ensure that Blackpool is a fascist-free zone.

Thurs 23rd November 2006 University of Sussex Student Union, Falmer, Brighton.

Myspace has joined Love Music Hate Racism to help us promote our major London Fundraiser at Fabric. Check details of the night HERE. Visit our myspace profile HERE.

Despite rain that Noah would be proud of and Pudsey Bear on TV, over 150 music fans, trade unionists and anti-racist campaigners came out to rock against racism organised with Malifiwho Promotions and Subways. The British National Party have been spreading their vile racist propoganda in the Maldon recently but a week after rememberance day, [...]

JERRY DAMMERS CELEBRATES HONORARY DEGREE WITH LAUNCH OF COVENTRY ANTI RACIST MUSIC CAMPAIGN DJ SET AND ROCK AGAINST RACISM FILM A new initiative to support musicians opposing racism will be launched at an event headlined by Jerry Dammers, founder and keyboard player of Coventry Two Tone legends The Specials. Jerry will be celebrating receiving on that day his honorary degree from Coventry University. Jerry will be dejaying a selection of Jamaican influenced music from the 60’s to the jungle and dubsters of today (with a little Two Tone thrown in). The evening will begin with a screening of the film “Who Shot the Sheriff”, a history of Rock Against Racism made by fire-fighter and self-taught film maker Alan Miles. The launch at DOGMA, Fairfax Street, Coventry on Monday 20th November (8PM) will be part of a growing momentum behind the national Love Music Hate Racism campaign. The launch will be followed by a major live event at Warwick University on Tuesday 28th November (featuring amongst others, Akala, the MOBO awards best hip hop act).

Friday 17th November, 7.30pm The Bewick Suite, rear of The Swan pub, Maldon High Street THE MORNING AFTER + support

By Weyman Bennett. Paul Robeson (1898-1976) An extraordinary man, from an extraordinary background "The artist must elect to fight for freedom or slavery. I have made my choice. I had no alternative." Paul Robeson's epitaph.

Saturday 25 November, Assemble at 12.00noon Meet in the square at the top of Victoria Street, Blackpool (near side entrance to Winter Gardens). The British National Party (BNP) has announced they are to hold a conference on 25th and 26th November in Blackpool. The BNP has not announced the venue, and local people including the leader of the council, hotels, trade unions, student unions, residents, students and anti-fascist groups have condemned the BNP for attempting to hold their conference in Blackpool. Following the recent acquittal of two BNP members at Leeds Crown Court, we must show our opposition to the BNP and their politics of race hate and division. We must show that there is united opposition to the BNP and ensure that Blackpool is a fascist-free zone.

Want to go to the best gig of the year while supporting the fight against racism and fascism? All roads lead to Fabric London on November 30th. With tickets selling like the proverbial hotcakes you're advised to book NOW to avoid disappointment - click here to buy yours. Details of that amazing line-up are here..

LOVE MUSIC HATE RACISM GIG - NEWCASTLE COLLEGE ARTISTS CONFIRMED AT THE MOMENT INCLUDE… - GARY DUNCAN - BHANGRA BOYS Tuesday 14th November, 8pm till late, in the Space Bar, Newcastle College

UAF and LMHR are deeply disappointed by the decision of Leeds crown court to acquit Nick Griffin and Mark Collett on charges of incitement to racial hatred. We believe that the British National Party (BNP) is a racist and fascist party which stands in the tradition of Hitler's Nazi Party. The aims of Griffin and Collett can only have been to incite hatred and further tension in the area of Keighley by continuing to spread racist lies. That the law has failed to stop these Nazis only underlines the need for us all to organise anti-fascist gigs and initiatives wherever we are to stop the Nazis lies and attacks.

Muslims in Britain are at the sharp end of racism right now. Since 11 September 2001 Islamophobia has become the most visible – and “respectable” – form of racism in the Western world. The fascist BNP declared May's local elections to be "a referendum on Islam". As anti-racists in the UK have done many times in response to anti-Semitism or racism against British black and Asian people, we must reject the racist myths about Islam and stand shoulder-to-shoulder Muslim and non-Muslim to defeat racism and Islamophobia. We are proud to announce the first Love Music Hate Islamophobia event, Muslim and non-Muslim musicians performing together, as well as a debate on the issue of Islamophobia and how we can fight it. Performers and panellists include Mecca 2 Medina, UK Apache and Sadiq Khan MP.

Leicester & Leicestershire Racial Equality Council in association with Love Music Hate Racism (LMHR) present, as part of Black History Month, a special screening of ... "Who Shot the Sheriff?" - the Rock Against Racism documentary film 6.30pm, Thursday 9th November, African Caribbean Centre, Highfields, Leicester Guest speakers include Iris Lightfoote (LREC Director), Donna Guthrie (Unite Against Fascism - 'UAF'), plus local campaigners and LMHR musicians. Introduced by Lee Billingham from LMHR.

BILLY BRAGG AND THREE MAJOR UNIONS TAKE ANTI-BNP MESSAGE ON THE ROAD Billy Bragg, the great English performer and songwriter, embarks on the HOPE NOT HATE TOUR PART II in December, a special series of concerts in support of five of the UK’s leading anti-Fascist organisations. Three major trades unions - UNISON, the GMB and Amicus [...]