Rage Against the Machine and Conor Oberst and the Mystic Valley Band will play a benefit concert at the Hollywood Palladium in Los Angeles on July 23rd to support the Florence Project and Puente in our work with immigrants impacted by SB1070 and similar enforcement measures in Arizona. The concert is the first time Rage Against the Machine has played in their hometown of Los Angeles in 10 years and is being organized by The Sound Strike, a musician boycott of Arizona led by RAM front man and activist Zack De La Rocha. Other musicians joining the boycott include Steve Earle, Billy Bragg, My Morning Jacket, Maroon 5, Kanye West, Gogol Bodello, and Ben Harper.
The Sound Strike was launched in response to the signing of SB1070 with joining musicians refusing to perform in Arizona until the law is repealed. From the outset, Conor Oberst of Bright Eyes approached the Florence Project to lend support to our work on the ground with people being impacted by the legislation and similar enforcement actions in Arizona. We admire and appreciate this targeted support of our direct service work and the symbolic message our musician friends are making through their boycott. We equally applaud companion movements by other artists speaking out in response to SB 1070 and supporting work on the ground to improve the climate in Arizona for immigrants including Viva Arizona Artists for Action. The benefit concert on the 23rd will kick off a week of action by Sound Strike, culminating on July 29th, the day the legislation is slated to turn to law.
For more information about the Sound Strike, visit www.thesoundstrike.net. You can read more about the benefit concert in this recent rolling stone magazine article: http://www.rollingstone.com/music/news/17386/181363.
We hope all of our friends and supporters in the LA area attend the show!
