Skip to Content

Roger Waters and Tom Morello to perform in an online benefit concert for Palestinian musicians in Gaza

Roger Waters, Tom Morello and Brian Eno will join a host of Palestinian musicians on Saturday for an online benefit concert dubbed, “Live for Gaza.”

The event, which starts at 2 p.m. ET, will raise funds for Delia Arts Center, a haven for Palestinian musicians in Gaza.

Joining the lineup will be acclaimed Palestinian musicians Mohammed Assaf, Adnan Joubran of Le Trio Joubran, Rola Azar and Lina Sleibi. Performing from Gaza will be Wafaa Alnjeili, Badeel Band and Osprey V.

Waters, a co-founder of legendary progressive rock band Pink Floyd, will premiere a new video for “The Bravery of Being Out of Range” from his 1992 solo album, “Amused to Death.” The anti-war song will feature “a specially written new verse,” according to the concert announcement on Eventbrite.

During the concert, producer Brian Eno and his brother Roger Eno will also present “Celeste,” an audiovisual project comprised of videos and soundscapes captured in Gaza City.

The Western musicians participating in the event have long called for a just and peaceful resolution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, and have even supported cultural boycotts of Israel over its treatment of Palestinians — especially in Gaza, where they are in dire need of relief.

Since 2007, Israel has maintained a blockade of Gaza’s land, air and sea. Combined with regular military operations and limited utilities and services, the territory has been left economically devastated.

Israeli officials say the measures are necessary to prevent Hamas, the militant group that governs the territory and is designated by the US as a terrorist organization, from smuggling weapons or carrying out attacks on Israel. Palestinians say the measures are violent and oppressive.

The United Nations has described the blockade of Gaza as “collective punishment.” In 2012, it predicted that the territory would be “unlivable” by 2020 if conditions continued to decline.

Delia Arts Foundation, which aids musicians in conflict zones, organized Saturday’s concert to raise awareness about the suffering in Gaza, as well as to support Palestinian musicians there.

“Palestinian musicians, from classical to rappers, struggle to have their voices heard when they lack space to make their music due to a lack of investment in music industry infrastructure,” the foundation said on its website.

Morello said he hopes “Live for Gaza” will help those musicians find an audience and finally be heard.

“For decades now, in my bands Rage Against the Machine and Audioslave and in my solo work and as a radio broadcaster, I’ve been promoting freedom and justice through music,” he said in a YouTube video. “A way to connect people across the globe, a way to have a shared, common experience of enjoying music and playing music together like we’re gonna do.”

Article Topic Follows: Entertainment

Jump to comments ↓

CNN Newsource

BE PART OF THE CONVERSATION

KYMA KECY is committed to providing a forum for civil and constructive conversation.

Please keep your comments respectful and relevant. You can review our Community Guidelines by clicking here

If you would like to share a story idea, please submit it here.

Skip to content