Earlier this year, dozens of bands pulled out of SXSW in protest of the festival’s backing of the US army and, by extension, the killing of Palestinians in Gaza by the state of Israel. Now, more than 100 artists on the lineup of the UK’s The Great Escape Festival have followed suit, courtesy of the campaign Bands Boycott Barclays.

The Brighton-based festival focuses on showcasing new and emerging talents, beginning today (May 15) and running until Saturday (May 18). Around a quarter of its lineup has walked out at the last minute, however, due to its major partnership with Barclays, which – as reported by the Palestine Solidarity Campaign – has invested billions in companies that supply weapons and military technologies to Israel, such as Elbit Systems and General Dynamics.

“The Great Escape is a treasured fixture on the UK festival circuit and a company bankrolling genocide has no place there,” says a spokesperson for Bands Boycott Barclays. “Our demand was simple: cut ties with Barclays.” So far, however, the festival has remained silent on its partnership, providing cause for further action. “The fact that a quarter of the lineup has since dropped out in solidarity with Palestine is indicative of how strong musicians’ principles are,” says the campaign spokesperson, “and how powerful collective action can be.”

As of writing, the number of dropouts stands at 126, including Cryalot, Coupdekat, Alfie Templeman, Picture Parlour, Cordelia, Hongza, Avije, Bo Milli, Beetlebug, BODUR, Bug teeth, C Turtle, Delilah Bon, Delilah Holliday, Graft, Hang Linton, Jianbo, Kerensa, Lewis G Burton, Message From The Ravens, Pem, Pop Vulture, Projector, Smoke Filled Room, Sophia Ryalls, Steven Bamidele, Sunday Club, The Halfway Kid, Tony Njoku.

More established musicians have also showed their support for the campaign from afar. “We’ve endless, special respect for younger artists... who choose to take a stand against corporate support for apartheid, and now genocide in Palestine,” writes Massive Attack in a statement posted to X. “It’s extraordinary to think that in 2024, promoters and festivals still don’t understand that as artists, our music is for sale but our humanity and morality is not.”

“The truth is, while the boycott of events sponsored by toxic corporations like Barclays is courageous, the motives behind it are totally uncontroversial: everyone can see what’s happening in Gaza and no one should accept it. Whether it’s apartheid and genocide in Gaza, or the funding of new fossil fuel extraction worldwide, Barclays has repeatedly proven it is without conscience. Barclays therefore has no place in any music festival or any cultural event. Solidarity with and total respect to all musicians who’ve taken this stand.”

Amid the backlash, alternative music events have also popped up across Brighton, in many cases offering a stage to the performers who’ve dropped out. Among these are events like The Safe Escape, a May 15 show in support of Palestine by Safenath, where all ticket ticket sales will go to Save the Children UK. Elsewhere, the likes of Offie Mag and Platform B have set up alternative events, building on a smaller history of pushback against The Great Escape for its industry-heavy focus. (Note: The Alternative Escape is actually an offshoot of The Great Escape, so... not that alternative really.)

As The Great Escape kicks off (or fails to) in Brighton, we hear more from some of the musicians who have dropped out of the festival, in their own words. The Great Escape Festival did not respond to our request for comment.

HANG LINTON

“I will be pulling out of my showcase in solidarity with the boycott. I can only urge us all, as grassroots musicians and organisations, to collectively remove our labour. Performing at The Great Escape this year will not define our careers. Without us there will be no festival, we have the power to say no. Free Palestine and boycott Barclays.”

KING ISIS

“As The Great Escape has yet to address the petition signed by over half the acts booked to cut ties with Barclays, I have chosen to no longer play my scheduled sets at this festival. Although I am a smaller act and will be losing money I don’t really have due to this decision, I cannot consciously participate in an event where our presence as artists is used to help promote and contribute funding to a company like Barclays that willfully participates in Israel’s genocide on Palestine. We as artists, no matter how small, have a choice to use our collective voices to make an impact – these festivals need us to function, and collectively our voices have power. I cannot in good conscience participate in a festival of fake smiles and handshakes for the chance of ‘exposure’.”

COUPDEKAT

“I hope that future festivals take note that artists will not be ignorant and complicit to such atrocities. There is absolutely no place for war in music.” 

HONGZA

“Supporting the people of Palestine is more important than my music career. As artists our collective voices and actions are the most powerful tools we have, with our voices we have been able to spread awareness through the boycott about the genocide taking place in Palestine. We urge artists who are still playing to reconsider their position and stand in solidarity with Palestine.”

MARTHA MAY & THE MONDAYS

“We create music to make political statements, vent our feelings and hopefully inspire others to do the same – remaining complicit with The Great Escape and Barclaycard in funding Israeli weaponry used against innocent civilians would be immoral and counterproductive to our cause.

“As a punk band in the public eye, we have a moral responsibility to stand firm in our values which do not align with Barclaycard or anyone associated with them.

“This boycott is not a trend or a get out of jail card, this is about standing up to social injustice and being able to recognise when to step down from a festival/event that does not recognise actions having consequences. We are very well aware that festival opportunities are few and far between for most UK artists, but this goes far deeper than that. The opportunity to perform a festival will arise again but the devastation in Gaza must end now.”