Big Thief Call Off Israel Concerts

Big Thief have called off a pair of concerts next month in Israel, apologizing for the “recklessness and naivete” of their statement defending the decision. “Our intent in wanting to play the shows in Tel Aviv, where Max [Oleartchik, bassist] was born, raised, and currently lives, stemmed from a simple belief that music can heal,” the band said in a new statement. “We now recognize that the shows we had booked do not honor that sentiment.”

“We oppose the illegal occupation and the systematic oppression of the Palestinian people,” Big Thief also wrote. They apologized for writing the original post “unclearly” and rowed back their claim of being “well aware of the cultural aspects of the BDS boycott.” Find the full post on Instagram.

In a reaction statement, the Palestinian Campaign for the Academic and Cultural Boycott of Israel (PACBI) said they “warmly welcome this decision,” adding, “We salute Big Thief’s courage and their willingness to listen to the oppressed. We recognize, too, the clear position of a majority of the group’s fans of principled support for BDS.” PACBI also condemned the venue, Barby, for a statement criticizing the band. 

In last week’s statement—a near verbatim copy of one issued in 2020—Big Thief had said: “In terms of where we fit into the boycott, we don’t claim to know where the moral high ground lies and we want to remain open to other people’s perspectives and to love beyond disagreement. We understand the inherently political nature of playing there as well as the implications. Our intention is not to diminish the values of those who support the boycott or to turn a blind eye to those suffering.” Profits were to go to “NGOs that provide medical and humanitarian aid to Palestinian children, including joint efforts between Palestinians and Israelis working together for a better future.”

The July shows were not the first the band had booked in Israel. They played Barby in Tel Aviv in November 2017, and planned to return in 2020 before the pandemic shut down touring.

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