********UPDATE 1********
Facebook group just created for SLC venue
(RI, CT, ME, MA, NY, NJ...I'm looking at you. Where's your FB group?)
Stop Buju Banton from spreading hatred in SLC at the Urban Lounge on 10/8!
*************************
ACTION NEEDED - Please call to help get shows this week cancelled
Sept 15, Providence, RI
Sept 16, New Haven, CT
Sept 17, Portland, ME
Sept 18, Revere, MA
Sept 19, Rochester, NY
Sept 20, Newark, NJ
(information on promoters and venues below)
Let these promoters know that any company or person who makes money off of hate will be punished economically and shunned by civilized society.
There is no middle ground.
We will not forget the venues that care more for $ than the lives of GLBT human beings.
On June 24, 2004, six men were driven from their home on Carlisle Avenue in Kingston and beaten by armed assailants calling the victims "battymen" (slang for gays). Buju Banton was one of the alleged attackers as documented by human rights groups and verified by Amnesty International.He was acquitted of charges in 2006, however, because homosexuality is a crime in Jamaica, the police fail to protect LGBT people from hate crimes and fully prosecute those who commit them.
Just 2 days ago, The Independent published an article on yet ANOTHER anti-gay murder on the island of Jamaica, where Banton's lyrics and the hate behind them are openly celebrated and (according to Amnesty International) at least 35 gay men have been slaughtered since 1997.
"When [Human Rights Watch researcher Rebecca] Schleifer visited Jamaica in 2004, Brian Williamson, the country’s leading gay activist, was violently chopped to death with a machete in his apartment in Kingston. Schleifer walked to his street shortly after the murder and found a crowd of people gathered outside Williamson’s apartment singing and celebrating his murder and shouting the chorus of 'Boom Bye Bye,' a popular Buju Banton dancehall hit about shooting gay men: 'Boom bye bye, in a ******’s head. Rude boys don’t promote nasty men, they have to die.' Others were laughing and yelling, 'Let’s get them one at a time,' and, 'That’s what you get for sin.'"
Now this man is bringing this "murder music" to the USA.
Lyrics to Boom Bye Bye (with standard English translations under), which is still on sale @ Amazon and still being performed by Banton in concert, despite lies from his management company to the contrary
Boom bye bye
Boom [as in gun sound] goodbye, goodbye
[as in we won’t be seeing you again, you’re dead]
Inna batty bwoy head
In a queer’s head
Rude bwoy no promote no nasty man
Rude boys don’t promote no queer men
Dem haffi dead
They have to die
Send fi di matic an
Send for the automatic [gun] and
Di Uzi instead
The Uzi instead
Shoot dem no come if we shot dem
Shoot them, don’t come if we shoot them
[as in don’t come to help them]
Guy come near we
If a man comes near me
Then his skin must peel
Then his skin must peel
[as in pour acid over him]
Burn him up bad like an old tyre wheel
Burn him up badly, like you would burn an old tyre wheel
First, the good news: as reported at the L.A. Gay Center's website:
"We did it - hundreds of you responded within hours, emailing, calling, encouraging your friends to join this group and signing the petition! Thank you!
After receiving a flood of e-mails and calls, Live Nation, which operates the House of Blues, AND AEG/Goldenvoice have now cancelled all their Buju Banton concerts."
Now the bad news:
"Our work is not yet finished -- other promoters and concert venues around the country have not followed Live Nation and AEG's lead. We must also let them know that performers like Banton should not be given a stage on which to perform!"
Please join the FB group.
(venue info and updated list on group page)
Please make the phone calls.
(to venues and promoters)
Please show up to local concerts to protest.
(concerts still scheduled for FL, CO, MA, NY, NJ, NH, CT, MD, OH, ME, NC, SC, VA, MN, UT, GA, and NM)
Please spread the word
(even though the word is upsetting)
(And I would ask those who think that Banton has distanced himself from the hate of his song "Boom Bye Bye," why then he is still selling it on Amazon.com)
Pastor Durell Watkins of MCC Sunshine Cathedral asks parishioners to take action against hate
From Facebook group: Cancel Shows for "Faggots Must Die" Singer
and blog
http://cancelbujubanton.wetpaint.com/
**Updated List**
September 15th:
City: Providence, RI
Venue: Lupo's Heartbreak Hotel
Owner: Claude Giltlewski
Call: 401.331.5876
Email: Info@lupos.com
Website: www.lupos.com
September 16th:
City: New Haven, CT
Venue: Toad's Place
Owner: Brian Phelps
Call: 203.624.8623
Email: hollis@toadsplace.com
Website: www.toadsplace.com
September 17th:
City: Portland, ME
Venue: The Asylum
Call: 207.232.9767
Email: justin@portlandasylum.com
Website: www.portlandasylum.com
September 18th:
City: Revere, MA
Venue: Club Lido
Call: 781.289.3080
Email: office@clublido.com
Website: www.clublido.com
September 19th:
City: Rochester, NY
Venue: Water Street Music Hall
Owner: John Chmiel
Call: 585.546.3887
Email: waterstreetmusic@aol.com
Website: www.waterstreetmusic.com
September 20th:
City: Newark, NJ
Venue: Riverfront Stadium
Call: 973.848.1000
Website: www.newarkbears.com
September 23rd:
City: Charlotte, NC
Venue: Amos' South End
Call: 704.377.6874
Website: www.amossouthend.com
September 24th:
City: Raleigh, NC
Venue: Lincoln Theatre
Call: 919.821.4111
Email: info@Lincolntheatre.com
Website: www.lincolntheatre.com
September 25th:
City: Norfolk, VA
Venue: The Norva
Call: 757.627.4547
Email: questions@thenorva.com
Website: www.thenorva.com
September 26th:
City: Richmond, VA
Venue: The National
Call: 804.612.1900
Website: www.thenationalva.com
**CANCLLED**
September 27th:
City: White Plains, NY
Venue: Westchester County Center
Call: 914.995.4050
Email:countycenterres@westchestergov.com
Website: www.countycenter.biz
**CANCELLED**
October 2nd:
City: Cincinnati, OH
Venue: Annie's
Owner: Pete Georgeton
Call: 513.321.2572
Email: events@anniesentertainment.com
Website: www.anniesentertainment.com
**CANCELLED**
October 3rd:
City: Columbus, OH
Venue: Lifestyle Communities Pavilion
Contact: 614.461.5483
Email: feedback@promowestlive.com
Website: www.promowestlive.com (then click "lifestyle pavilion" )
**CANCELLED**
October 4th:
City: Minneapolis, MN
Venue: First Avenue
Contact: 612.338.8388
Email: Booking: nate@first-avenue.com
Website: www.first-avenue.com
October 6th:
City: Denver, CO
Venue: Cervantes Masterpiece Ballroom
Owner: Jay Bianchi & Scott Morrill
Call: 303.297.1772
Email: jbird@quixotes.com, & scott.prettylights@gmail.com
Website: www.cervantesmasterpiece.com
October 7th:
City: Aspen, CO
Venue: Belly Up Aspen
Owner: Michael Goldberg
Call: 970.544.9800
Email: booking@bellyupaspen.com
Website: www.bellyupaspen.com
October 8th:
City: Salt Lake City, UT
Venue: The Urban Lounge
Call: 801.746.0557
Email: theurbanlounge@gmail.com
October 11th: - REPORTEDLY CANCELED
City: Eureka, CA
Venue: Nocturnum
Owner: Gil Miracle
Call: 707.499.0163
Website: www.myspace.com/nocturnumlive
October 19th:
City: Albuquerque, NM
Venue: Sunshine Theater
Call: 505.764.0249
Website: www.sunshinetheaterlive.com
October 24th:
City: Atlanta, GA
Venue: Center Stage Atlanta
Call: 404.885.1365
Email: Booking: lucy@rivalentertainment.com
Website: www.centerstage-atlanta.com
October 27th:
City: Charleston, SC
Venue: The Music Farm
Owner: Craig Comer, Yates Dew & Riddick Lynch
Call: 843.577.6989
Email: info@musicfarm.com
Website: www.musicfarm.com
October 29th:
City: Jacksonville, FL
Venue: Plush
Call: 904.743.1845
Email: Form email available @ plushjax.com under "contact us".
Website: http://plushjax.com
October 30th:
City: Ybor City, Fl
Venue: The Ritz
Call: 813.247.2555
Email: okesene@theritzybor.com
Website: www.theritzybor.com
October 31st:
City: Miami, FL
Venue: James L. Knight Center
Call: 305.416.5970
Email: reste@jlkc.com
Website: www.jlkc.com
November 1st:
City: Orlando, FL
Venue: Hard Rock Live
Owner: Seminole Tribe
Call: 407.445.7625
Email: customer_care@hardrock.com
Website: www.hardrock.com/LIVE2/live.asp