DOWNLOAD THE WE SHALL OVERCOME PRESS RELEASE PDF

We have issued the following press release today (3rd September). If any of you can help get this to people, please feel free to download and email to all and any contacts you might have.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE 03.09.15

‘We shall overcome’ say community minded musicians

200 gigs to take place across UK on October 2,3,4

Thousands of people in communities across Britain are coming together to organise a weekend of live music and arts events that will give much needed support to foodbanks and other causes. ‘We Shall Overcome’ is a community effort led by musicians and music promoters who want to do something practical to help people being hit hard by homelessness and poverty.

On the weekend of October 2-3-4 around 200 gigs will take place across the UK under one unified banner – We Shall Overcome. The organisers hope this show of solidarity will also highlight the human cost to the politics of austerity. Several thousand musicians will perform as audiences are encouraged to bring food for foodbanks or make donations to homelessness and other projects.

Musician Joe Solo from Scarborough, one of the organisers, said “We Shall Overcome is an anti-austerity movement but it is also very much pro-community. From a handful of musicians organising just two or three gigs We Shall Overcome has already grown into a movement”

Amongst the performers lending their support are punk veterans like TV Smith of The Adverts (Hitchin) and Steve Ignorant from Crass (Southend). Folk legend Roy Bailey is performing as well as newer voices like Grace Petrie (Cambridge) Chris TT (Brighton) and Louise Distras (Barnsley). Indie band The Darling Buds (Newport) are one well known name and other gigs will feature musicians from bands like Inspiral Carpets, Gorkys Zygotic Mynci and The Rockingbirds. In Liverpool alone there are 22 gigs taking place featuring performances from Henry Priestman (The Christians) and Ian Prowse (Pele).

Social media has helped the word spread overseas too with solidarity events being organised in the Republic of Ireland, USA and Australia. It’s not just confined to music too with poetry, snooker tournaments and history walks also being organised.

ENDS

1. For an interview or for more information contact 

Email weshallovercomeweekend@gmail.com

2. Full gig listing and more information at www.weshallovercomeweekend.com

3. Hi-Res photo of the logo and of Joe Solo are available on request

4. Gigs are confirmed in 106 towns with more being added. The following all have events taking place.

ASHTON-UNDER-LYNE, BAGTHORPE, BARNSLEY, BELFAST, BELPER, BERWICK-ON-TWEED, BIRMINGHAM, BLACKPOOL, BOLTON, BRADFORD, BRIDPORT, BRIERCLIFFE, BRIGHTON, BRISTOL, BRIXTON, BROMSGROVE, CAMBRIDGE, CAMDEN, CARDIFF, CHESTER, CLAPHAM, CLEETHORPES, COLCHESTER, CONISBROUGH, DARLINGTON, DEWSBURY, DONCASTER, DUNSCROFT, DUBLIN, DUNDEE, ESSEX-LEIGH-ON-SEA, EUGENE-OREGON, FILEY, GATESHEAD, GLOSSOP, GRIMSBY, HACKNEY WICK, HALTON, HORSFORTH, HARROW, HARTLEPOOL, HEBDEN BRIDGE, HEXHAM, HIGH WYCOMBE, HITCHIN, HUDDERSFIELD, HULL, IPSWICH, KENDAL, LANCASTER, LEEDS, LEICESTER, LEVENSHULME, LEYTONSTONE, LINCOLN, LIVERPOOL, LONDON, LUTON, MANCHESTER, MELBOURNE-AUSTRALIA, MIDDLESBROUGH, MORECAMBE, NEWCASTLE-UNDER-LYNE, NEWPORT, NORTHALLERTON, NOTTINGHAM, OLDHAM, OTLEY, PLYMOUTH, PONTYPOOL, POOLE, PORTSMOUTH, PRESTATYN, PRESTON, PRESTWICH, RAMSGATE, ROCHDALE, ROTHBURY, SCUNTHORPE, SHEERNESS, SHEFFIELD, SKELMERSDALE, SOUTHAMPTON, SOUTHEND, SCARBOROUGH, SPITTAL, STOCKTON-ON-TEES, STOKE NEWINGTON, SWINDON, THE SNIG WEST BANK, TIPTON, TODMORDEN, TOLPUDDLE, TOTTENHAM, ULVERSTON, WAKEFIELD, WALLASEY, WALTHAMSTOW, WARRINGTON, WELLINGTON, WHITBY, WILMSLOW, YORK