Brian Eno announces ‘Together For Palestine’ London Wembley gig “gathering artists, musicians and people”

Brian Eno has announced a new one-off show at Wembley, which will see artists come “together for Palestine”.

The gig was announced today (July 31) on Eno’s social media pages, and will be held on September 17.

Titled ‘Together For Palestine’, the event will see Eno, Khaled Ziada, Khalid Abdalla and Tracey Seaward work as executive producers and enlist performances from “artists, musicians and people for whom silence feels impossible”.

Explaining why he is organising the event, Eno said: “I’ve had the good fortune to work with some of the world’s most remarkable artists for over 50 years. But one of my biggest regrets is that during that time so many of us have remained silent about Palestine.

“Often that silence has come from fear, real fear – that speaking out could provoke a backlash, close doors or end a career. But that’s now changing – partly because some artists and activists have lit the path, but mostly because the truth of what’s going on has become impossible to ignore.”

Highlighting the relief efforts made by Amnesty International and Doctors Without Borders, he added: “We can’t remain silent. Which is why I’m helping to organise Together for Palestine – a night of music, reflection and hope at Wembley Arena.

“Whether on stage or by video from around the world, this is a chance for us to stand together and say: this can’t continue.”

Also in the post, Eno confirmed that “every penny donated” will go to Palestinian partners through Choose Love, a UK charity supporting local humanitarians in conflict zones. Also, beyond financial support, he said the gig is about “sending a message of love and solidarity to the people of Palestine – that they haven’t been forgotten.”

“We see them, we hear them, and though we may be far away, we’re deeply connected – as we are to all humanity,” he concluded.

More details about the gig, including the artists included on the line-up, are set to be revealed at a later date. Tickets go on sale on Monday (August 4) at 10am BST, visit here for more information.

This won’t be the first time Brian Eno has used his platform to speak out in support of the people of Palestine. Earlier this year he urged Microsoft to cut ties with Israel in an open letter, and shared that he would be donating his fee from the Windows 95 chime (which he composed for them) to aid Palestine.

Before then, Eno was also part of a cohort of artists who signed an open letter to Field Day, urging it to distance itself from global investment firm KKR. The firm owns the festival’s parent company Superstruct Entertainment and invests “billions of pounds in companies which, for example, develop Israeli underground data centres, and advertise real estate on illegally occupied land in Israeli settlements in the West Bank”.

Last year, he implored the International Criminal Court to “exercise the mandate it has been given to prosecute war crimes”, joined forces with Nadine Shah, Maxine Peake and more in performing at a special benefit event in support of Palestine at London’s Union Chapel in April, and worked alongside members of Fontaines D.C., R.E.M, Bastille and more in reading out letters from Palestinians suffering in Gaza as part of a ‘Voices For Gaza’ initiative.

Earlier this month, he joined Kneecap, Fontaines D.C., Garbage and more in publicly supporting the alliance of musicians made by Massive Attack, which speaks out against “intimidations from within” the music industry against those speaking out in support of Palestine.