Solidarity Park Gig Experiment
Mike Doherty | 08.07.2006 15:33 | Anti-militarism | Repression | London | South Coast
We are a Wiltshire based anti-war band who worked with Maya Evans,we are playing a gig in London to see if a band with a specific anti-war agenda can generate an audience as established artists in the UK seem very quiet on the War in Iraq and the linked erosion of civil liberties in the Uk
1. PRESS RELEASE FOR NEW UK BAND SOLIDARITY PARK (Wiltshire)
BACKGROUND: Many established artists within the UK have been remarkably silent about the War in Iraq and the erosion of rights to protest and free speech that have followed from Government attempts to conceal the awful consequences.
The first person to be arrested under these new laws was Maya Evans,her crime? Reading out the names of Soldiers and Civilians who had died in the Iraq war. The place she chose was the Cenotaph in London, a memorial to the dead, close to Parliament the supposed home of democracy.
The band was moved to react in the absence of any reaction from more established artists. Having visited the wonderful city of Perth, Western Australia the band were aware of Solidarity Park and how it had come about and that is was now a protected protest/meeting place. A unanimous decision was made to change the bands name to Solidarity Park. The band contacted Maya Evans and agreed to record a track that included her recreating her "crime". They then set up a myspace site to make the song freely available to raise awareness of what had taken place.
Messages of support and disbelief at these events have come in from around the World. The band have also recorded a song in support of Brian Haw long term anti-war protester who the British Goverment are fighting through the courts in order to get his protest removed.
A letter to Ken Livingstone Leader of London Council asking for Parliament Square to be renamed Solidarity Park with the same protection as the Park in Perth has so far gone unanswered. You can see a picture of the band with Maya Evans at
http://www.myspace.com/solidaritypark.
JULY 2006
2. Email to Head of West Australian Union and his reply
Subject: Solidarity Park Attn Dave Robinson
Hi Dave,
We have meet on various occasion normally when Gary Carson of the CEPU can not make it to various ALP functions.
I thought you would be interested to Know that my brother in England has changed the name of his band to Solidarity Park inspired by the story of how the Park opposite the WA parliament came into existence
Subject: RE: Solidarity Park Attn Dave Robinson
Thanks for this Peter
What a great tribute! I’m about to go over east for a week or so but when I return I will try to get some coverage of this and of course let all our affiliates know. Thanks again…
Dave Robinson
Secretary
UnionsWA
BACKGROUND: Many established artists within the UK have been remarkably silent about the War in Iraq and the erosion of rights to protest and free speech that have followed from Government attempts to conceal the awful consequences.
The first person to be arrested under these new laws was Maya Evans,her crime? Reading out the names of Soldiers and Civilians who had died in the Iraq war. The place she chose was the Cenotaph in London, a memorial to the dead, close to Parliament the supposed home of democracy.
The band was moved to react in the absence of any reaction from more established artists. Having visited the wonderful city of Perth, Western Australia the band were aware of Solidarity Park and how it had come about and that is was now a protected protest/meeting place. A unanimous decision was made to change the bands name to Solidarity Park. The band contacted Maya Evans and agreed to record a track that included her recreating her "crime". They then set up a myspace site to make the song freely available to raise awareness of what had taken place.
Messages of support and disbelief at these events have come in from around the World. The band have also recorded a song in support of Brian Haw long term anti-war protester who the British Goverment are fighting through the courts in order to get his protest removed.
A letter to Ken Livingstone Leader of London Council asking for Parliament Square to be renamed Solidarity Park with the same protection as the Park in Perth has so far gone unanswered. You can see a picture of the band with Maya Evans at
http://www.myspace.com/solidaritypark. JULY 2006
2. Email to Head of West Australian Union and his reply
Subject: Solidarity Park Attn Dave Robinson
Hi Dave,
We have meet on various occasion normally when Gary Carson of the CEPU can not make it to various ALP functions.
I thought you would be interested to Know that my brother in England has changed the name of his band to Solidarity Park inspired by the story of how the Park opposite the WA parliament came into existence
Subject: RE: Solidarity Park Attn Dave Robinson
Thanks for this Peter
What a great tribute! I’m about to go over east for a week or so but when I return I will try to get some coverage of this and of course let all our affiliates know. Thanks again…
Dave Robinson
Secretary
UnionsWA
Mike Doherty
e-mail:
solidaritypark@hotmail.com
Homepage:
http://www.solidaritypark@hotmail.com
