Refused clarify choice to not boycott festivals backed by KKR funding agency
Refused have defined their choice to not boycott festivals backed by the controversial US funding agency KKR.
In June 2024, KKR (Kohlberg Kravis Roberts) acquired Superstruct Leisure, which owns and operates festivals together with Discipline Day, Mighty Hoopla, Sónar and Tramlines, for about $1.3billion.
Since then, some artists have determined to not play festivals related to KKR, because of the firm’s alleged funding in Israeli weapons manufacturing and its connections to Israeli settlements within the West Financial institution amid the nation’s ongoing battle with Palestine.
One such group of fifty artists, which included Huge Assault and Brian Eno, signed an open letter urging Discipline Day to distance itself from KKR, whereas one other 11 artists introduced earlier this month that they had been boycotting the pageant in solidarity with Palestine.
Now, Swedish hardcore band Refused have spoken out on their very own choice to play festivals which are run by Superstruct this summer season in a prolonged Instagram publish.
“So per week in the past we discovered that a number of the festivals we’re enjoying this summer season are backed by an leisure conglomerate known as Superstruct during which a nasty unhealthy actor named KKR is a component proprietor,” their publish started. “KKR invests in Israeli cyber safety amongst different fucked up issues.”
“Our first intuition was to right away leap ship, to boycott. We communicated this to the festivals and the organizers wrote again saying they shared our values and felt like we did, that they cherished what they did and had been happy with the festivals they’d created, that almost all of their viewers can be sympathetic to our place and that they had been gutted that bastards like KKR had purchased into Superstruct after they began working with them, staining their life’s work by extension.”
Refused added that it had been identified to them that Reside Nation, who oversee a number of the band’s different upcoming reveals, are owned by Blackrock, who they are saying are “closely invested in weapons manufacturing”. Additionally they mentioned Spotify, which streams the band’s music, “donated cash to Donald Trump’s inauguration and in addition invests in navy AI”.
“The scum of the earth principally,” the band added, earlier than explaining that one pageant had provided the band “a big sum of money” to donate to pro-Palestinian causes.
“So, the conundrum turned: boycotting these festivals would make us be ok with ourselves, the band’s legacy wouldn’t be tarnished by affiliation with these disgusting firms. It might really feel good.”
“We’ve mulled this over and though there’s a powerful argument for taking a stand in opposition to KKR and this growth of amoral personal fairness and hedge funds shopping for into the humanities as a result of it’s non-controversial and relatively secure, it could be naive to assume our boycott would even register for them.”
“Relatively the alternative, if folks like that knew what we talked about on stage they might moderately have us keep house, and with the charred our bodies of Palestinians burned alive stacking up within the focus camp/graveyard that Gaza has turn out to be, we’ve determined to make some noise, to go meet our folks, to have fun the resistance and lift cash for the Palestinian trigger this summer season.”
They concluded: “To us, it’s the proper factor to do, to get on the market and be a thorn within the facet of Zionists, fascists, enterprise capitalists and to fire up discontent along with our brilliant, knowledgeable comrades throughout Europe. Quite a lot of you may have already purchased tickets and predict us, so we’d like to get ideas from native organizations and activists we might work with in all of the nations and cities we’re enjoying. Free Palestine!!!”
A number of of the festivals themselves have publicly addressed their issues about being related to KKR. Tramlines this week mentioned they might “by no means ship them a single Euro”, whereas Mighty Hoopla acknowledged their “clear opposition to KKR’s unethical investments”.
Boiler Room, which was additionally acquired by Superstruct, issued a press release in March stating that KKR “categorically don’t align with our values” whereas reiterating their allegiance to pro-Palestine organisations.
Superstruct can be the proprietor of Boardmasters, Y Not, Truck, Kendal Calling, Victorious, Move Sziget, Misplaced Village, Bennicassim and extra occasions throughout Europe.
Refused are enjoying their ultimate ever UK and European reveals this summer season after saying their break up in September final 12 months. See the total record of dates right here and discover any remaining tickets here.