Alcopop! and Big Scary Monsters record labels join The Great Escape boycott over Barclays sponsorship

Two record labels, Alcopop! and Big Scary Monsters, have joined the mass exodus of artists from The Great Escape over its ties to Barclays bank.

The Brighton music festival is sponsored by Barclays/Barclaycard, which has been a source of controversy amid the ongoing violence in Gaza because of its financial investment in companies that supply arms to Israel.

The issue was first highlighted in a petition started by the promoter How to Catch a Pig and Bristol queer punk band The Menstrual Cramps, and has been signed by artists including Lambrini Girls, Alfie Templeman, Wunderhorse and others.

Several Irish musicians have signed the petition against as well, including KNEECAP, Big Sleep, Cardinals, CHERYM, Ciara Tracey, Fräulein, Siobhán Winifred, Amble, and Soft Launch.

It reads: "A bank that is involved in Israel’s genocide has no place at The Great Escape, which is a fixture of the independent music scene and has a prized place in the industry. We refuse to let music be used to whitewash human rights violations. We cannot let our creative outputs become smokescreens behind which money is pumped into murdering Palestinians.” You can read the petition here.

Now, Alcopop! and Big Scary Monsters have severed ties with the festival. In a statement on X, Alcopop! said: “To be associating with Barclays doesn’t sit right with our ethical standpoint, and if we can do anything to help raise awareness, and ultimately highlight the corporate greed at the heart of this horrendous genocide in Gaza, we will.”

To confirm, we won't be at The Great Escape this year https://t.co/OTjiBermYF pic.twitter.com/fw9NGo8tnV

— Alcopop! Records (@ilovealcopop) April 12, 2024

We've pulled our The Great Escape showcase with @ilovealcopop @OtherHalfUK @Orchardslive and @M_cramps & join the call for the festival to drop Barclays as a sponsor.

Read on for more & if you're an artist who would like to sign the pledge, do so here - https://t.co/zrTgjFRLVS pic.twitter.com/240edkBj9L

— Big Scary Monsters (@bsmrocks) April 10, 2024

A few days ago, Derry punk band CHERYM, who are signed to Alcopop!, announced their withdrawal from The Great Escape, stating via Instagram: “Barclays/Barclaycard are responsible for investing over £1bn+ into companies that are arming the IDF and providing weaponry that enables the ongoing atrocities against Palestinians to continue.

 

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A post shared by CHERYM (@cherymofficial)

Due to The Great Escape’s connection with Barclays/Barclaycard, we feel, in good conscience, we cannot go ahead with our scheduled performances at The Great Escape. We have been told by The Great Escape that the festival has no affiliation with Barclays/Barclaycard directly this year, but due to the refusal to remove them as a sponsor from their advertising we simply cannot take part.”

The boycott comes a month after multiple artists withdrew from SXSW Festival in Austin, Texas due to its connections with the US Army and weapons suppliers amid the Israel-Gaza conflict. The decision saw every Irish act sever ties with the festival, including NewDad, Cardinals, Sprints, KNEECAP, Mick Flannery and several others.

At present, one third of the acts announced to perform The Great Escape have called on organisers to drop its sponsorship with Barclays, How to Catch a Pig stated on Instagram.

 

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A post shared by How To Catch A Pig - 🇵🇸 🏳️‍⚧️ (@howtocatchapigacab)

“Our numbers are growing. With 1 in 3 acts pushing for the festival to drop Barclays, and over 1000 signatures to our statement in total, the pressure is on! A venue has also now pulled out of the festival! With a month to go, TGE still has time to do the right thing and drop Barclays,” the statement read.