Kaiser Chiefs headline Rotherham indoor carnival for Love Music Hate Racism

Love Music Hate Racism have announced that the Kaiser Chiefs will headline their Rotherham indoor carnival which takes place on Saturday 6th September at the Magna Centre, Rotherham, South Yorkshire. Other bands confirmed to play include Reverend & the Makers, Roll Deep, The Courteeners, and Richard H Kirk of Cabaret Voltaire, along with a line-up of top DJs (still to be announced). Over 4,000 are expected to attend the event.

Tickets have been sold only to residents of South Yorkshire - the final batch of 500 will go on sale this weekend in Rotherham and Sheffield, where people have to collect them in person.

Love Music Hate Racism in Rotherham and 'The Reverend' Jon McClure, lead singer and frontman of Reverend and the Makers, have been working together to put on the event. Activists and musicians in Rotherham want to halt the fascist BNP in its tracks and prevent them gaining a foothold in South Yorkshire.

The carnival is being put on in response to the fascist BNP winning two seats in Rotherham at the council elections in May this year - the first to be elected in South Yorkshire (in Brinsworth and Catcliffe and Maltby wards). Love Music Hate Racism wants show the BNP and any would-be supporters that they are a minority and they are their racist, homophobic and generally discriminatory, repugnant views are not welcome in Rotherham, or anywhere in South Yorkshire.

Other actvities on the day will include a free event outside the Magna Centre, put on by Rotherham LMHR. The event will include local bands, a fun fair, kids' soccer and other activities. There will also be a press conference, rally and workshops inside Magna where supporters can plan an ongoing campaign to oppose the BNP, leading up to a big Northern Carnival next year to coincide with the European elections. Speakers addressing the event will include trade union, faith and community leaders. These events are free and open to all.

The major sponsor of the event is Unite the Union, whose General Secretary, Derek Simpson will be speak at the event about trade unionists opposition to the fascists.

John McClure, The Reverend (Reverend and the Makers), said: "You think how music has changed in the last 50 years and we would have none of that mixture of music and culture if the likes of the BNP had their way. People seem to be wanting to vote almost as a protest, but they don't want to get into the hands of the BNP. So we thought rather than do the event in Sheffield we would do it in Rotherham and say to these people 'We don't want you here, we don't want your fascist s**t."

John Healey MP, Minister of State and MP for Rotherham said: "I am pleased to back what promises to be a great event with such an important message. It is great to see big names in music coming to Rotherham and I hope as many local people as possible will go along, enjoy themselves and show their support."

A spokesperson for Rotherham LMHR said: "This is a chance for people in South Yorkshire to say loud and clear that the BNP and their disgusting policies of hatred and division are not welcome here."

The Kaiser Chiefs are also on a tour of the country and tickets are available tomorrow for the following tour dates:

Wed 08 October Leeds Academy, Leeds
Mon 13 October Manchester University Academy, Manchester
Wed 15 October Guildhall, Southampton
Thu 16 October Rivermead Leisure Complex, Reading
Fri 17 October Barrowland (1 & 2), Glasgow
Sun 19 October De Montfort Hall, Leicester
Mon 20 October Kentish Town Forum, London
Tue 21 October Kentish Town Forum, London

To buy tickets when they go on sale, click here.

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