Fontaines D.C. cancel show in Istanbul as BDS movement calls for boycott of venue

Music
02 Aug 24

Fontaines D.C. at Electric Picnic 2022. Copyright Miguel Ruiz.

"We were really looking forward to visiting and playing beautiful Istanbul," the band wrote online, "however in this instance, we must be clear in our convictions and put solidarity with the people of Palestine first."

Fontaines D.C. have cancelled their upcoming headline show at Zorlu PSM in Istanbul, Turkey, following the BDS movement's call to boycott the venue.

BDS Turkey have claimed that Turkish multinational conglomerate Zorlu Holding provides "economic and logistical support for the Israeli occupation regime."

In a statement shared on their Instagram Stories, addressed to their "wonderful fans in Turkey," the Irish band said that they decided to cancel the show – which had been set to take place on Tuesday, August 20 – following "conversations with Palestinian artists and human rights activists".

"The global Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions (BDS) movement, led by the largest Palestinian coalition, has called on artists to refuse to play Zorlu PSM until Zorlu fully divests from the supply of energy to Israel while it carries out what the International Court of Justice now agrees is plausibly a genocide," the statement continues.

"We were really looking forward to visiting and playing beautiful Istanbul, however in this instance, we must be clear in our convictions and put solidarity with the people of Palestine first. We promise to play in Turkey as soon as we can make it possible."

They signed off the statement "with love" – as well as the hashtags: #EndIsraeliGenocide, #EndIsraeliApartheid, #SupportBDS and #FreePalestine.

Full ticket refunds for the cancelled show will be available from the point of purchase.

Today, Fontaines D.C. have also announced their biggest ever headline show to date, at Finsbury Park in London – where they'll be joined by special guests KNEECAP and Amyl and the Sniffers.

On August 23, the band are set to release ROMANCE – their first album with producer James Ford, as well as their first to be released through XL Recordings. Described as Fontaines D.C.'s "most ambitious, expansive record yet", ROMANCE follows 2022's Skinty Fia, 2020's A Hero's Death, and 2019's Dogrel.

This year has also seen the band team up with Massive Attack and Young Fathers for the special ceasefire vinyl record, released in support of Médecins Sans Frontières / Doctors Without Borders' emergency operations in Gaza and the West Bank.