With just four weeks to go until Friday November 16th 2012, when musicians and trade union members will gather in Joe Strummer’s spiritual stomping ground of Notting Hill to remember a true rock rebel, organisers announced today that Hard-Fi have been added to the line up and will play a special, one-off, stripped down set.
On November 15th 2002, Strummer (with his band the Mescaleros) played his last London show, supporting striking fire fighters at Acton Town Hall. As Acton Town Hall is now sitting empty and derelict and no longer available to hire, the Tabernacle in Notting Hill, with its connections to Joe and the community where he cuts his political and musical teeth, has been selected as a suitable alternative venue to remember the legendary Acton show.
The event will begin with ‘4 Songs From Acton’, a unique filmic art-instalation that brilliantly captures the highlights of the Acton Town FBU from a decade ago where Joe is joined on stage by Mick Jones for the first time in almost two decades
Along with Hard-Fi, live music will be headlined by legendary cow punks, The Men They Couldn’t Hang. Also saddling up to salute Joe will be long-time Strummer collaborator and sometime Mescalero, Tymon Dogg, New Town Neurotics frontman, Steve Drewett and the top-rated Clash tribute band, Take the 5th . There will also be a DJ set by former Clash and Mescaleros DJ, Barry ‘Scratchy’ Miles. Other very special guests are expected to be present with further announcements in due course.
The event will also promote and support the Strummerville Foundation for New Music and Jail Guitar Doors, the initiative set up by Billy Bragg with the aim of providing musical equipment for the use of inmates serving time in her majesty’s prisons.
Matt Wrack, the FBU’s general secretary, said: “Firefighters are immensely proud of our links with Joe Strummer and what he stood for politically and as a musician.
“We’re delighted to have helped support the 10th anniversary memorial.”
Tickets are available from www.armsaloftinactontown.com and from the Rough Trade shop.
