'Intimidation' Band say cancelled gig 'a clear case of discrimination'

A JEWISH band has had its Bristol gig cancelled after the venue received complaints about the album artwork of one of its members, which it was claimed could be interpreted as “politically offensive”.

- Ellie KENDALL

British band Oi Va Voi were due to perform at Strange Brew in Bristol on Wednesday night, but just hours before the gig, the band took to their Instagram page to announce that the show had been cancelled by the venue due to 'pressure' from 'activist groups.

The band, who formed in London in 2000, perform music from the Klezmer genre - which is a type of folk music traditionally performed in the Jewish communities of Eastern Europe.

In the statement the band said the decision to cancel was a “clear case of discrimination” and due to the ethnicity of some of its Israeli members.

They described themselves as a “non-political band who plays to bring people together, not to polarise them”.

Issuing its own statement in response to the claims Strange Brew, which is located in Fairfax Street, said the decision to cancel the show was made following complaints over the album artwork of one of the band’s members which it said contained “politically loaded symbolism related to the people of Palestine”.