Features
Another Ariz. Show Bites The Dust
Los Lobos has joined the group of artists protesting Arizona’s new immigration law by canceling next week’s scheduled performance in Scottsdale, Ariz.
The show would have taken place June 10 at The Talking Stick Resort.
“We support the boycott of Arizona,” the Grammy-award winning roots-rock band said in a statement on its website.
“The new law will inevitably lead to unfair racial profiling and possible abuse of people who just happen to look Latino. As a result, in good conscience, we could not see ourselves performing in Arizona. We regret the inconvenience this may have caused the Salt River Pima Maricopa Indian Community, Casino Arizona, Talking Stick Resort and our fans, but we feel strongly that it is the right thing to do.”
Photo: Doug Seymour
Keswick Theatre, Glenside, Pa.
The New York Times describes the new law, SB 1070, as “the nation’s toughest bill on illegal immigration,” explaining that “its aim is to identify, prosecute and deport illegal immigrants.” Police in the border state will be required to ask people about their immigration status if officers suspect they are illegal immigrants. Gov. Jan Brewer signed the law April 23 and it goes into effect in late July.
In May both Pitbull and Cypress Hill canceled shows in Arizona to make a statement against SB 1070. Last week Rage Against the Machine’s Zack de la Rocha announced he had formed a group called The Sound Strike to boycott booking any gigs in Arizona. Artists joining the strike include Sonic Youth, Joe Satriani, Kanye West, Juanes, Conor Oberst, Los Tigres Del Norte, Café Tacvba, Calle 13, Serj Tankian, Ozomatli, Rise Against and Tenacious D.
The New York Times pointed out that the Sound Strike list was “light on mainstream ‘big tent’ performers who can fill stadiums, and included no country music performers.” On the other hand, some Latin artists who’ve publicly spoken out against the law, including Shakira and Larry Hernandez, have not added their names to The Sound Strike. (Although neither artists have any upcoming shows in Arizona.)
According to the paper, Arizona’s Hispanic population is estimated at nearly one-third of the state’s six million residents.
Click here for Los Lobos’ website.
Click here for Sound Strike’s website.