DUBAI: The Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions movement this week called for a boycott of Radiohead after the British band announced its first tour in seven years, accusing them of “complicit silence” over the war in Gaza.
The band — made up of vocalist Thom Yorke, guitarist/keyboardist Jonny Greenwood, guitarist Ed O’Brien, bassist Colin Greenwood and drummer Phil Selway — has 20 shows on the books, taking place in five cities across Europe: Madrid, Bologna, London, Copenhagen and Berlin this November and December. They will perform four nights in each city.
Radiohead last performed in 2018, in support of their last album, 2016’s “A Moon Shaped Pool.” It is unclear if the band is preparing a new release of original material, but earlier this month, they did announce a new live album, “Hail to the Thief — Live Recordings 2003-2009,” arriving Oct. 31.
“Last year, we got together to rehearse, just for the hell of it. After a seven-year pause, it felt really good to play the songs again and reconnect with a musical identity that has become lodged deep inside all five of us,” Selway said in a statement. “It also made us want to play some shows together, so we hope you can make it to one of the upcoming dates. For now, it will just be these ones but who knows where this will all lead.”
The movement’s Instagram post read: “Even as Israel’s genocide against Palestinians in Gaza reaches its latest, most brutal and depraved phase of induced starvation, Radiohead continues with its complicit silence, while one member repeatedly crosses our picket line, performing a short drive away from a livestreamed genocide, alongside an Israeli artist that entertains genocidal Israeli forces.”
The post was referring to guitarist Greenwood and his recent performances with Israeli musician Dudu Tassa in Tel Aviv last year.
“Palestinians reiterate our call for the boycott of Radiohead concerts, including its rumoured tour, until the group convincingly distances itself, at a minimum, from Jonny Greenwood’s crossing of our peaceful picket line during Israel’s genocide against Palestinians in Gaza,” the post read.
