SXSW: Irish showcase events cancelled as all artists withdraw amid ongoing boycott
Soda Blonde, Sprints and Kneecap have withdrawn from the SXSW Festival in Texas.
The entire lineup of Irish artists scheduled for appearances at 'official' state showcases at the South by Southwest (SXSW) music and technology festival in Austin, Texas, have withdrawn from the event.
The withdrawals are happening in protest at event sponsorships by the American military, and major sponsorships from military-industrial companies, with specific reference to their involvement in the situation in Gaza.
Event organisers Music from Ireland, representing artists based in the Republic of Ireland, have subsequently cancelled their scheduled programming, with artists already in the area set to briefly appear at venues and issue a joint statement on their objections.
Showcasing bands Gurriers, NewDad, and Cork post-punks Cardinals jointly announced their withdrawals from their bookings on Tuesday afternoon, following a meeting with organisers Music from Ireland on Tuesday morning.
Northern Irish-funded artists Enola Gay and Conchur White have also pulled out of their respective events.
On Monday night, Cork singer-songwriter Mick Flannery pulled out of the events, joining Gavin James, Robert Grace and Chalk in their cancellations that day, following those of Kneecap, Soda Blonde and Sprints on Sunday.
Blarney native Flannery stated: "I do not wish to be associated with weapons manufacturers."
The Department of Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media on Tuesday confirmed Minister Catherine Murphy's intention to attend events in Austin, Texas.
"The Minister spoke this morning to many of the musicians who have withdrawn from the SXSW Festival," read a statement released by the Department.
"She outlined that she has the utmost respect for their freedom of expression as artists and reassured them that she will use every opportunity available to her to make clear her revulsion at the devastation that has been unleashed on Gaza.
"This includes the St Patrick’s Day consular reception in Austin tonight where she will outline to attendees the Irish Government’s calls for an immediate ceasefire, the unconditional release of all hostages and a massive and sustained increase in humanitarian aid, food and medicine to the people of Gaza."
The showcases were to be organised by Music From Ireland, with funding from state body Culture Ireland, who updated their prior statement on Tuesday evening.
"The Irish artists who met this morning have released a joint statement and have indicated that they will not be participating in any official SXSW shows and that they will be making a joint statement together.
"Music From Ireland and Culture Ireland respect their decision and are cancelling the Music From Ireland Ireland official showcase, as well as the Full Irish Breakfast official daytime showcase.
"Minister for Arts Catherine Martin met with the bands this morning and expressed her respect for their artistic freedom of expression.
"In lieu of showcases, the artists will make a joint statement at the Velveeta Room at 8pm on Thursday 14th and again at the Flamingo Canteena on Friday 15th at 1pm."
Scheduled for appearances throughout the festival, including at the Music from Ireland showcase event, Belfast act Kneecap issued a statement on Sunday night confirming their cancellations.
We will not be appearing at @sxsw festival. 👇 pic.twitter.com/nt5hEMH2GM
— KNEECAP (@KNEECAPCEOL) March 10, 2024
"We have made the decision to cancel our three shows at SXSW and not travel to Austin as planned on Tuesday," the hip-hop trio say. "It is done in solidarity with the people of Palestine, and to highlight the unacceptable deep links the festival has to weapons companies and the US military, who at this very moment are enabling a genocide and famine against a trapped population."
Kneecap point out that the tally of 31,000 Palestinians killed - over 21,000 of them women and children - in the past five months is 10 times the number of people killed in the Troubles in Northern Ireland over 30 years.
SXSW can be a major showcase for emerging artists, and the northern rappers stressed they hadn't taken the decision lightly.
"This decision will have a significant financial impact on Kneecap, both in lost income and logistical costs already incurred, but it isn't an iota of hardship when compared with the unimaginable suffering being inflicted every minute of every day on the people of Gaza."
Soda Blonde also mentioned the significant financial loss they had incurred because of the withdrawal, but stated they didn't want music to be used to normalise "the machinery of war".
Posts on the band's social media channels said: "The decision to involve entities directly linked to the global arms trade, and by extension the ongoing atrocities in Palestine, is not just tone-deaf; it's morally reprehensible."
We have officially withdrawn from @sxsw pic.twitter.com/8TxWaOMQOz
— Soda Blonde (@sodablonde) March 11, 2024
Dublin punks Sprints, who are currently touring in the US, stated: “In solidarity with the Palestinian people and as a stand against the US Army sponsorship and Defence contractor involvement in this year’s festival, we will no longer be performing at SXSW or taking part in any official SXSW showcases or shows."
Singer and songwriter Gavin James has also withdrawn from the event, as per a statement on his Instagram.
The Irish acts join a small number of American and international musicians who have withdrawn from the event. In total, SXSW is expected to feature more than 2,000 performers.
SXSW was founded in Austin in 1988, and has grown through the decades to become a multi-faceted event that had approximately 345,000 attendees last year.
