Arts & Culture
Cultures of Resistance
Monday 7 July, 7pm till late
Astoria 2, 165 Charing Cross Rd, London WC2.
Special offer: only £5 for Marxism ticket holders
Dance to some of the best rebel music from 1978 to now
Jerry Dammers
Legendary founder of The Specials (famous for tracks like “Ghost Town”) will be churning out a vibrant mix of radical Black reggae and soul music.
Linton Kwesi Johnson
Revered as the world’s first dub poet, LKJ will perform the words that gave voice to a generation faced with racism and police brutality in Thatcher’s Britain.
Bashy
Hip-hop artist, MC and LMHR supporter whose track “Black Boys” caused controversy simply for challenging stereotypes of young black men.
The Neville Staple Band
Neville Staple, former lead singer of The Specials, performs with his new ska band.
Michael Rosen
Renowned for his humorous performance poetry about modern life and politics, Rosen will be writing a special set for this evening’s event.
Jazz and the civil rights movement
With Omar Puente and Martin Smith
Sunday 9pm, Jeffrey Hall
The exhilarating electric violinist Omar Puente joins up with Martin Smith, author of John Coltrane – Jazz, Racism and Resistance, to celebrate jazz and the civil rights movement.
Ireland: a history of struggle in song
Friday, 9pm, Jeffery Hall
Musicians Alistair Hulett & Jimmy Ross explore the role of folk music in Ireland’s struggle against imperialism.
Rebel music: RAR to LMHR
Saturday forum and gig
In the wake of the 100,000 strong LMHR carnival we host a round table discussion of activists and musicians to discuss the role of music in the movement against racism and fascism. Followed by LMHR gig.
Lemn Sissay, Adrian Mitchell, John Hegley
Saturday, 8.45pm
The hard hitting Lemn Sissay, shadow poet laureate Adrian Mitchell and fabulously funny John Hegley perform spoken word.
Poems, stories and songs at tea time
Saturday, 5pm, JCR, SOAS
With Liz Bentley & Rachel Pantechnicon
Theatre double bill
Sunday, 7pm Rikki Beadle Blair
Critically acclaimed for his plays Stonewall and Bashment, Rikki hosts a forum on making a theatre of resistance possible.
Saturday, 7pm Michael Billington
The Guardian theatre critic joins with actors, writers and directors to discuss theatre as a guide to “the state of the nation”.
Left in Vision
Exhibition from artists on the left
Following its success last year this show will be bigger, better and more international, with artists such as David Garner and Yasser Alwan from Egypt. To submit work email john@molyneux8652.freeserve.co.uk.