[UPDATE: June 29, SoundLust e-mailed Sound Strike the day this article was originally published, June 24, asking for any other bands that had joined the boycott, since the site had not been updated since May 25, the day they launched. We did not receive a reply, but today the boycott group announced Nine Inch Nails many others had joined in. See post here.]
You don’t necessarily have to be a Republican or a Democrat to disagree or agree with Arizona’s recent law, SB1070 trying to deal with immigration issues. The law, passed April 30, will go into effect Aug. 1.
Since Gov. Jan Brewer signed on the dotted line, the backlash effort to boycott Arizona has been intense, considerable, and growing. From city government to professional groups to a strong contingent of vocal musicians, as well as others, the cry for boycott rang clear.
The issue and that of boycotts has hit the music world, too. Cypress Hill was one of the first, on May 10, to cancel a gig. They’d planned a 5/21 show in Tucson. Subsequently they and many others such as Sonic Youth, Linda Rondstadt, Will.I.Am, Los Lobos, and Hall & Oates (who were to play at a Diamondbacks baseball game July 2) followed suit. Cypress Hill subsequently joined with an organized protest organization, The Sound Strike, led by Rage Against The Machine’s Zack de la Rocha, which drew a lot of attention to the boycott issue nationally. However, in a possible sign that the effort might be slowing, after launching its website and announcing a roster of participating artists on May 25 with the promise of more to come soon, the site has not been updated with more names.
There are voices that, while deploring the law, call for a different approach of protest. Former Nirvana bassist Krist Novoselic called for more community involvement, in a piece published in the Seattle Weekly.
The Canadian punk group Fucked Up, from Toronto, also opted to play their scheduled show in Arizona. They brought political rights group No More Deaths to the Chasers venue when they played it.
Today, in the Arizona Republic newspaper, Charlie Levy, owner of concert promoters Stateside Presents, wrote an open letter to bands and artists who have opted to boycott Arizona in protest, urging them to reconsider.
An Open Letter to All Artists Boycotting Arizona
As a political activist and 15-year independent concert promoter in Arizona, I feel a deep obligation to speak out about the real world effects of artists boycotting the state in protest of SB 1070, the recent anti-immigration bill passed by the legislature and signed into law by our (unelected) Governor. While I respect the intentions of the artists protesting what they find to be an unjust law, the practical effect of the boycott is resulting in exactly the opposite of their good-willed intentions.
By not performing in Arizona, artists are harming the very people and places that foster free speech and the open exchange of ideas that serve to counter the closed-mindedness recently displayed by the new law. The people who will feel the negative effects of the boycott the deepest are local concert venues, including non-profit art house theatres, independent promoters, motivated fans, and the hundreds of people employed in the local music business. If the boycott continues, it is all but guaranteed that some of these venues will be forced to close their doors.
Think of it this way: What if otherwise outspoken and inspirational activists like Martin Luther King, Jr. had turned their backs on the State of Alabama and its citizens because they didnt agree with the discriminatory practices of its government during the critical years of the civil rights movement? What would have happened if they had chosen to boycott Alabama rather than speak out, organize, and effect change?
We are faced with a similar situation in Arizona today. The legislators currently in office dont care if outspoken artists boycott the state. The people responsible for SB 1070 don’t want you here. They don’t want your voices heard. And as a result of the boycott, they are the only ones who benefit. In effect, the decision to boycott is playing right into their hands.
As Curtis McCrary, the general manager of the non-profit Rialto Theatre in Tucson recently stated, The individuals and organizations behind this bill are…more than likely delighted about the prospect of politically vocal artists canceling shows silencing themselves rather than using the platform their status as artists gives them to speak out against SB 1070.
The truth is, a boycott is an easy gesture that doesnt require much more than a statement and removing a date from your tour schedule. However, if you truly care about the effects of the controversial immigration law that was passed, this is an opportunity to use your unique position as an artist with the ability to reach thousands of people to inspire, educate, and motivate your fans to actively be a part of the change.
I have felt and seen the effects of what artists can do to change peoples’ lives individually and as a whole. In this important midterm election year, it is imperative that the voters are organized and prepared to express their views about the recent law at the voting booths in November. Every concert venue and promoter in the state would be happy to help coordinate voter registration drives and set up information booths in connection with concerts. Many of us are already planning specific events, including rallies and benefit concerts, designed to educate and encourage local music lovers to get involved at this crucial time.
This open letter is a call out to all artists to come take a stand and perform in Arizona. We need you now more than ever.
If you are interested in exploring ways to help us, including voter outreach and organizing with local non-profits, or you just want more information, please feel free to contact me at charlie@statesidepresents.com
Charlie Levy
Stateside Presents
_______
Sources:
• Los Angeles Times, Arizona law spurs backlash among artists
• Alto Arizona, LOS LOBOS JOIN #ARIZONA BOYCOTT, CANCEL GIG (#SB1070)
• Crook’s and Liars, Hall & Oates cancel concert in Arizona over SB 1070: It’s ‘Solidarity,” Brother!
• Latina.com, Latin Artists Join the Sound Strike in Protest of New Arizona Laws
• Facebook group, Musicians Against SB1070
He has a valid point; I can’t help but think, though, that a great number of people who attend the shows don’t want to hear the opinions of the musicians and artists involved, they just want the music/entertainment they’re paying for. (The opening scene of The Simpsons Movie comes to mind.)
Some people only pay attention if they have their OWN “rights” taken away.
I think boycotting the state hurts more people than it helps. And Kitten is correct, most people I know do not attend concerts for political diatribes. They go to concerts to forget all the stress and strife in the world.
As for the issue itself, I plead the Fifth.