Another chance for Lincoln to rock against racism

Lincoln’s Christopher’s bar is hosting the year’s second Rock Against Racism gig on Sunday, November 14th.

The night aims to raise awareness of racism and generate funds to try and combat it.

One of the organisers, Emma Woodhall, says: “We heard the EDL were coming to do a protest in Lincoln and we wanted to do something to show them that they aren’t welcome here.”

Rock Against Racism’s last gig was a protest against the BNP’s presence in Lincoln ahead of the general election. This time, however, Emma says: “This one’s just about raising awareness against racism, it’s not got any politics involved at all.”

Laurel Dearing, who also helped organise the previous Rock Against Racism, says: “The EDL sparked us this time, it’s difficult to tell with a group like this, one minute [we think] they’re going away becoming less popular, next thing you know they’ve brought loads and loads of people out.

“I think we’re worried about them because they’re at such a street level, at least with most of the BNP they weren’t physically going out and beating people up.

“I’ve seen people being physically beaten up from the EDL demos,” she continues. “I’ve seen someone try and punch one of my friends. I’ve seen about 20 running after one person saying words that do not even come on after 9 o’clock.

“They couldn’t have mistaken these people for radical Islamists, there was at least three or four unveiled ladies with signs that they were chasing after as well.”

Playing the show this weekend are some of Lincoln’s best and most-loved artists including Elliott Morris, The Living Daylights, and Liberty Strike. There will also be a hip hop DJ downstairs throughout the night, so you can still listen to music in between the bands upstairs.

All of the bands are playing for free and the venue is also not charging for the night. So where does all the money raised go?

Laurel says: “A lot of it goes back into doing more gigs because it’s quite expensive, even though the bands and the venue have been kind enough to do it for free, you’ve got to pay for sound and things.

“So far what we’ve spent it on is things like transport to anti-EDL demos, some of us mixed groups have been doing things by showing solidarity with the locals or distributing information about how racism occurs and how we can combat the things that cause racism; whilst others have been a little more militant in combating it.”

The last Rock Against Racism show raised around £400 (as well as drinking all the taps dry at the bar). “I’d like to say we could get close to that again,” Emma says.

“Hopefully this one should  equal the last one, we haven’t had as long to advertise but we have got a very good line-up this time of local Lincoln bands, and they are well known so hopefully we’ll have the same sort of turn-out.”

Tickets for the gig are priced at £3 in advance or £4 on the door. Advance tickets are available from Christopher’s. Doors open at 7.30pm. For more information visit the Facebook page.