Dave Clarke joins voices condemning Saudi festival Soundstorm

“Who here would play an event funded by the Tories” asks Clarke

Dave Clarke has joined the chorus of disapproval over Saudi Arabia government-funded festival Soundstorm.

Fans were in uproar over the announcement last week that the festival had confirmed Carl Cox, Jess Mills, Charlotte De Witte, Adam Beyer, Purple Disco Machine, Sven Vath and David Guetta for the event in Riyadh in December. Many claim the event is a smokescreen designed to get positive PR for a regime whose human rights record is among the worst in the world.

A statement on Clarke’s Facebook page said: “Music, whatever genre, can indeed change regime, it may take time but it can help aid a more egalitarian society. I saw how Punk music in the UK, along with Ska taught and educated us youngsters all the things that were not on the school curriculum, later Hip Hop taught us based in the UK about US politics. Then along came House Music which helped fuel a movement of a more tolerant society. Music indeed can be a powerful change facilitator, even if it takes ages.

“Why do I start with this? Well this morning I was passed a flyer alongside a response from a Michail Stangl* that stated that a Rave/ Party in Saudi Arabia in Riyadh this December is in fact entirely paid for and arranged by the Saudi Government. In many cases you can think if it is a local promoter trying to get music into a country (no matter what genre, EDm or Business Techno) that they are trying to shape things towards a more positive future no matter the human rights record of that country, but if the event is funded entirely by the regime’s own money from a government organisation you might think it would be wise to in fact decline.

“I further researched this article and found Michail Stangl to be correct. The event is organised by “The General Entertainment Authority” founded in May 2016 headed by Turki Al-Sheikh, criticised by Madawi al-Rasheed in an article headed “Will Feminism be a Crime in Saudi Arabia” 15/11/2019 : “His portfolio is to entertain Saudis, but he is doing it with bad taste, excessive hype……”

“It didn’t take long to research these things, everyone has to be answerable to themselves, but who here would play an event funded by the Tories for example? Anyone up for a Brexit Festival? An HS2 promises promises party? Also let us remember in other musical scenes where standards are still high they forced an event in the north of the UK sponsored by BAE to in fact drop their sponsorship.” This refers to the withdrawal of arms firm BAE Systems from sponsorship of Great Exhibition of the North in 2018 after widespread criticism along the arts community.

Clarke signs off with: “We are living in strange times, from a scene that prided itself on PLUR (peace, love unity and respect) but now shuts down dissent online with “Good Vibes Only” and threatening DM’s behind the scene.”