On Wednesday, September 17, the lights of Wembley Arena will dim not for spectacle, but for solidarity. Brian Eno’s ‘Together For Palestine’ fundraising concert, now sold out and set to livestream globally on YouTube (via NME). The newly revealed final lineup is nothing short of monumental, featuring Florence Pugh, Paul Weller, and Benedict Cumberbatch, alongside powerhouse performers like Damon Albarn, Bastille, Rina Sawayama, and Sampha.
Comedian Guz Khan, the evening’s host, admitted (via NME):
When you see kids in Gaza facing bombs instead of books, you realise this can’t be normalised. That silence isn’t an option. That’s why this concert matters. Together For Palestine is about solidarity, love – and saying we see you, we stand with you.
Also confirmed to perform or appear: Khalid Abdalla, Ruth Negga, Amena, Neneh Cherry, Lana Lubany, Madame Gandhi, Sura Abdo, Yasmeen Ayyashi, Ysee, the London Community Gospel Choir, and broadcaster Laura Whitmore.
The full lineup for Together For Palestine:
So, why are artists doing this now? And what has finally cracked the silence?
‘Together For Palestine’: What Guz Khan, Neneh Cherry, Sama’ Abdulhadi & Others Said About the Event
With war-torn Gaza plastered across headlines and genocide accusations mounting from multiple UN bodies and human rights groups, artists are increasingly abandoning silence like a sinking ship. As already mentioned, Guz Khan, known for his humour and heart, will serve as the night’s host and conscience (per NME):
When I got the call asking me to host, it was a no-brainer. This is about using my platform to back justice, and reminding people that standing up for humanity is everyone’s job.
Neneh Cherry’s words didn’t arrive dipped in niceties either, as she confessed:
Right now I feel helpless, guilty, angry, ashamed, and a million feelings beside. All of us across the world have a collective responsibility to do what we can to stop the bombs and bullets.
Sama’ Abdulhadi, set to perform with Jamie xx, gave her perspective as a Palestinian:
I’ll use [my platform] at Wembley to amplify Palestinian voices and make space to grieve, unite, and recharge. For a free Palestine.
Tickets for the physical event have long vanished into sold-out status, but the livestream opens its virtual gates via YouTube on Wednesday. The concert’s merchandise is also available online, with proceeds channeled into Palestinian-led aid.
Why Artists Are Joining the Together For Palestine Concert Despite Backlash
Earlier this month, when Hugh Bonneville interrupted the red carpet fluff at a Downton Abbey premiere to call Gaza “indefensible”, it was clear: the culture industry’s mask of neutrality is cracking (via The Guardian).
That crack has grown into a collective cry. Hundreds of actors, including Mark Ruffalo and Olivia Colman, have pledged not to work with Israeli-backed institutions. Musicians like Massive Attack and Albarn, long vocal on Palestine, are now joined by artists newer to the cause, like PinkPantheress, who admitted (via The Guardian):
There’s been this shift where artists see that their platforms actually matter – and that it is their responsibility to amplify the call for justice. Neutrality shouldn’t be an option.
PinkPantheress continues:
One voice can get ignored, but when it’s a chorus it’s way harder… This isn’t just a political issue but a human one.
That chorus will echo in Wembley, where artists like Benedict Cumberbatch, Louis Theroux, Paloma Faith, Riz Ahmed, and Hot Chip will perform side-by-side with Palestinian musicians Faraj Suleiman and Nai Barghouti. Brian Eno reportedly spent 18 months trying to make this concert happen.
Venues hesitated. Artists hesitated. Fear choked the movement. But no longer. Eno, once cautious, now says:
It’s immoral and repulsive… I think on that point, everybody can at least agree.
His views transformed after seeing the “relentless humiliation” of Palestinians in the West Bank:
Continually demeaning… pretending there’s a peace process when there’s no intention whatsoever to achieve peace.
Still, he is quick to clarify that this is not a political rally. To quote him:
We want it to be seen as an occasion in which people work together, regardless of their particular faith or ethnic affiliation
So, is this concert a turning point? Or just the start of something far louder? Would you watch more concerts like this? Should artists speak out more, even at the cost of their careers? Is neutrality the new complicity? Drop your thoughts below!
