LMHR-NI short film by Bandwidth

Last year Bandwidth films followed LMHR-NI around for a couple of months, filmed a few gigs, and then went off and made a wee film. Here it is, thanks to Will
and his team for doing such a great job, and to all the bands that agreed to be filmed! Bandwidth ROCK!

Love Music Hate Racism from Bandwidth on Vimeo.

http://www.bandwidthfilms.com/

Alternative Cabaret Friday 23rd April

The Melting Pot – ‘Alternative Cabaret’
Friday 23rd April

The Melting Pot returns on April 23rd with the ‘Alternative Cabaret’, a unique and modern take on the cabaret scene of Berlin in the 1920's and 30's. The notorious Weimar era where decadence and indulgence reigned and the spirit of "anything goes" took on new meanings.

The times were turbulent, across the globe. The world was on the brink of a major conflict, but didn't quite know it.

Berholdt Brecht and Kurt Weill lead the way in the new cabaret, featuring the lowest of lives, and the highest of political ideals. Brecht, a committed Marxist, would flee Berlin in 1933 when Hitler took power. His works had already drawn Nazi displeasure and a number of works were banned. Brecht finally moved to America in 1941, where he continued to write against National Socialism and Fascism.

Kurt Weill, Brecht's musical composer on a number of their operas, was born into a Jewish family in Dessau in Germany. His association with Brecht, their attempt to put "the communist party manifesto to music", put him under direct threat from the Nazis. He fled to Paris in 1933 and finally settled in America.

On the 23rd of April The Melting Pot will relocate for one month only to the Oh Yeah Centre where it will endeavour to give you a taste of Weimar cabaret with a new and modern twist.

Local musicians have been busy working on songs from the time as well as modern equivalents (featuring works from Nick Cave, Tom Waits and others) and original songs. The line-up is impressive: The Sons of Robert Mitchum, Katie and the Carnival, Velma, Rory Nellis, Tracey Dempsey, Sara Dylan. Joining them will be Clare Palmer of FirePoise and local legend Jitterbug Jackson.

The whole event will be deliciously MC'd by Berlin-based performance artist Keike Twisselmann.

‘Alternative Cabaret’ Friday 23rd April. The Oh Yeah Centre, 15-21 Gordon Street, Belfast. Doors at 9pm. Entrance £4. Bar available.

As always LMHR will have an information stall, including literature and flyers highlighting local organisations dedicated to fighting racism, and promoting diversity.

Hi everyone,
just want to wish you all a very happy, peaceful and diverse Christmas and New Year from team LMHR-NI

Thanks to all the groups, individuals, bands, artists and volunteers for your continued support and encouragement. Let's keep fighting the good fight, and work towards making our communities free of racism and sectarianism.

There's a lot of work to be done, including closing down the BNP Call Centre in Dundonald. It can be done, and the more people that get involved, the more awareness we can raise, and the more we can educate through the power of music and art.

The Melting Pot Christmas party last Thursday was the most amazing example of how music can bring people together. There were people from ALL communities having the most amazing time. We were so humbled by peoples generosity, and were able to donate boxes and boxes of gifts to the NI Community of Refugees and Asylum Seekers. We want to keep raising awareness about the great work that groups like NICRAS are doing, so get involved because there are LMHR groups all over Ireland and the UK.

"I think people ought to know that we're anti-fascist, we're anti violence, we're anti anti-racist and we're pro-creative. We're against ignorance". - Joe Strummer

See you all next year!
Lots of love from
Team LMHR

Christmas Party and Appeal for NI Community of Refugees and Asylum Seekers

Melting Pot Christmas Party, and Gift Appeal for NICRAS.

Imagine being alone, destitute, see your children go without, and feel lost in a strange place, it’s a heartbreaking thought, and at Christmas things can be even tougher.

Asylum seekers and refugees are one of the most marginalised, impoverished, discriminated against and lied about groups. The vast majority are here because they were forced to flee injury and death in their own countries. The three countries that most of them come from are Afghanistan, Iraq and Somalia - the most unsafe countries in the world. Many of them wait for years before their applications for asylum are decided. They are not allowed to work, and they are not allowed to claim benefits. If they can show that they are destitute then they are given 70% of the lowest rate of income support. If they are homeless then they are provided with accommodation - often a room in a shared house. They can be detained at any time by immigration officers. They are separated from their families and friends. Many do not speak the language and suffer desperate isolation and loneliness. They also suffer racist attacks often fuelled by the lies told about them. Many of them have children who suffer the same fate as their parents.

There comes a time of year in every faith when we are asked to stop and think about others, and since Christmas is the most recognised tradition for doing so locally, LMHR have launched an appeal for gifts for the NI Community for Refugees and Asylum Seekers to be distributed to the families they have been working with, and supporting over the last year.

Between now and the next Melting Pot gig which takes place on Thursday 17th December at The Menagerie, you can donate a Christmas gift by either bringing it along on the night or by dropping it into your nearest allocated drop in centre, which will be collected and donated to NICRAS on the 18th December. (details below).

The Christmas Melting Pot on the 17th will continue to celebrate the diversity of music and people, and for the month of December we will have an African vibe with performances from two of the North’s most popular Afrobeat bands, Talking Drum and The Afresh. There will also be a debut acoustic performance from Reggae artist Rassie Ai, plus some interactive drumming that will include you the audience (anyone with a drum bring it along), and as resident DJ Venus Rollergirl will be back in the driving seat she will be knocking out everything from dub to reggae and ska.

Barbara Muldoon who is a Spokesperson for the Anti Racism Network and an Asylum and Immigration Law Practitioner says “In 2009 LMHR was one of the foremost groups in Northern Ireland highlighting and challenging the deeply poisonous effects of racism and promoting and celebrating the strength and cultural enrichment of a multi-cultural and diverse society. This is a fitting event to end the year and a particularly fitting event to have at Christmas. It reminds us that the men, women and children who live in Northern Ireland as asylum seekers and refugees are the innocent victims of the violence and wars raging across the planet. They don’t deserve condemnation and racist abuse - they deserve our heartfelt human solidarity”.

You can bring your unwrapped gift along on the night or you can drop it in to one of the following allocated drop in centres.

NICRAS, One Vision Offices, 129 Ormeau Road, Belfast, BT7 1SH

www.nicras.org.uk

Community Arts Forum, 15 Church Street, Belfast, BT1 1PG

www.caf.ie

The Beat Initiative/Belfast Carnival Office, 11-47 Boyd Street, Belfast, BT13 2GU

www.belfastcarnival.com

Oh Yeah Music Centre, 15-21 Gordon Street, Belfast, BT1 2LG

www.ohyeahbelfast.com

Feile An Phobail, 473 Falls Road, Belfast, BT12 6DD

www.feilebelfast.com

Windsor Womens Centre, 133 Broadway, Belfast, BT12 6HY

www.windsorwomanscentre.co.uk

Any business's that would like to donate any stock, please e-mail us at

love_music_hate_racism_ireland@yahoo.co.uk  - and we will arrange collection

Thank you everyone, and we hope you can help, and don't forget the Christmas gig on Thursday 17th at the Menagerie!

www.myspace.com/talkingdrumireland 

www.myspace.com/sekuruandtheafreshband 

www.myspace.com/rassieai2

Rockin against Racism at The Menagerie

Last week’s Melting Pot was another rockin night.

We loved The Swell Time Western Swing and Country Jazz Band. Watching them was like stepping back in time, their sense of style, attitude, and originality of a particular era of music, is something that no other local band we know of has tapped into or experimented with. Guitar and vocalist Hornby is a fan of American trio Hot Club of Cowtown and in particular their guitarist Whit Smith, who is also influenced by Bob Wills, a musician of the 1930's and 40's that is widely considered as one of the fathers of Western Swing.

It was a pleasure working with them and we salute them for bringing something old fashioned yet entirely fresh to live music in Belfast.

Here Comes The Landed Gentry were in fine form as always, they ripped through their rockabilly garage blues set with the usual confidence and swagger that we have become accustomed to, then jetted off for a three night date with the good people of London.

The Bonnevilles are a two piece from Lurgan that manage to create the energy of a five piece with devastating effect. They are loud, raw, and influenced by the roughest, baddist, and most defiant side of rock and roll. The ultimate garage punk blues mavericks that sit comfortably alongside fellow preachers of the faith such as The Black Keys, Souldad Brothers, T Model Ford or The Reverend Horton Heat. It was a rare treat from a band that doesn’t play half enough gigs in Belfast for our liking.

The Bonnevilles will be appearing at Sandinos in Derry on December 23rd. They have an album out called ‘Good Suits & Fightin’ Boots’ and they are currently working on new material that includes a song dedicated to the immigrant community in Ireland, so keep your ears peeled for that.

Another great night, thanks to all that came down, and thanks to everyone who put their name to the petition against the BNP call centre in Dundonald.

The next Melting Pot is back to a Thursday at The Menagerie on 17th December. It's the LMHR Christmas Party - more info very soon, but it's going to be different and it's going to be interactive and fun.

November Poster

The Melting Pot Present
The Bonnevilles
Here Comes The Landed Gentry
Swell Time
Wednesday 18th November
The Menagerie


Love Music Hate Racism is committed to combating racist ideas and stopping racist attacks. There were almost 1000 racist attacks in Northern Ireland last year, beyond that there were the specific attacks on the Roma families and the setting up of a British National Party (Nazi BNP) call centre in Dundonald.

LMHR is part of the campaign to welcome immigrants, to support communities like the Roma people who have been under attack, and to support the ARN's petition to close down the call centre.

The Melting Pot, our monthly club night, continues to celebrate the diversity of music and people - this month we're showcasing the incredible sounds of rockabilly, garage blues, and country swing on Wednesday 18th November.

Featuring three of the hottest bands around

The Bonnevilles
Here Comes The Landed Gentry
Swell Time
+DJ

Doors 9pm
4 quid in

November Melting Pot Wednesday 18th

The Melting Pot returns to The Menagerie on Wednesday 18th November, with a fantastic mix of garage blues, rockabilly and cowboy country.

Featuring:
The Bonnevilles
Here Comes The Landed Gentry
The Swell Time (Western Swing and Cowboy Jazz Band)

This one is gonna be hot and sweaty!

Melting Pot: celebrating the diversity of music and people.

Doors 9pm
£4

The Bonnevilles

Here Comes The Landed Gentry Myspace

Swell Time Myspace