Tull in Israel - Dates no longer on Website

Hey, Marcie

Initially when I read your post and saw that the three Israel shows were no longer on the official website, I thought that it could only mean one thing, i.e. cancellation. And it is a depressing thought, because I always thought Ian was smart enough to think for himself and not be influenced by the bash-Israel crowd, and also because, if true, it would mean the end of my interest in Jethro Tull. The end of my going to Tull shows, the end of my listening to Tull, the end of my posting on this, or any other, Tull board.

But then I found this, from June 8th:

Cultural Terrorism: Brit Bands Cancel Israeli Concerts; But Rihanna, Elton John, Jethro Tull Still Making Israeli Dates

Several lame British alternative groups have canceled their upcoming participation in an Israeli music festival over Israeli soldiers defending themselves from the barbarians on the HAMAS Gaza flotilla. The Pixies, the Gorillaz, and the Klaxons (none of whose music I would recognize or care to) canceled. They join dhimmi cowards Elvis Costello and Santana in boycotting Israel. Although they didn’t specifically attack Israel, they made their feelings known through this statement from The Pixies:

“We’d like to extend our deepest apologies to the fans, but events beyond all our control have conspired against us,” the group [the Pixies] said in a statement. The bands Gorillaz and the Klaxons have also withdrawn from the festival after the raid by Israeli commandos on a Gaza-bound flotilla. . . . After the announcement of the Pixies’ cancellation, Shuki Weiss, the promoter of the Pic.Nic festival, said in a statement, “I am full of both sorrow and pain in light of the fact that our repeated attempts to present quality acts and festivals in Israel have increasingly been falling victim to what I can only describe as a form of cultural terrorism which is targeting Israel and the arts worldwide.”

I wonder if any of these hipster frauds would just sit around and take it, if they were stabbed with knives and hit with iron pipes. Somehow, I doubt it.

But there are some acts who are courageous and stand with what’s right and just.

Upcoming concert appearances in Tel Aviv from the likes of Elton John, Jethro Tull, DJ Shadow and Mike Patton are still scheduled to go on as planned.

Also, Rihanna performed in Israel, just prior to the HAMAS Gaza flotilla’s provocation (see the photo, above).

Show your support for these artists, by buying their DVDs and other items.

Let's hope this is true, Marcie, but I fear that there may have been some re-thinking, otherwise why would the dates have been taken down? I have a bad feeling that an announcement cancelling the Israel shows is imminent. And if that happens, I will totally lose all respect for Ian Anderson.

current.com/entertainment/music/92479293_cultural-terrorism-brit-bands-cancel-israeli-concerts-but-rihanna-elton-john-jethro-tull-still-making-israeli-dates.htm

Jeff

Hi, Marcie,

I was upset by the removal of the Israel dates from the official site, and as I said in my previous post, it didn't bode well despite the June 8th item that I had found, which seemed to suggest that the dates would not be cancelled.

So I sent the following email to David Coursey:
-----------------------

Sent: Friday, June 18, 2010 8:23 PM
To: webmaster@jethrotull.com
Subject: Israel dates

Why have the three Israel dates been dropped from the tour schedule listed on the site?

Please advise.

Thank you,



He responded as follows:

There are some questions surrounding conducting those dates. There should be more information soon.

regards,

David Coursey
Tull web admin
---------------------------

So I presume there soon will be an official announcement cancelling the shows. I am writing David Coursey back, requesting the nature of those "questions" and in my email I will include those quotes from Elton John. However, I will also prepare to say kaddish for Tull, because if the shows are cancelled they will henceforth be forever dead to me.

I actually won't say kaddish for them, but I will erase any trace of them from my life, and that includes getting rid of all their CDs, all of my Tull memorabilia, etc., and I will cease being a fan of theirs in any way, shape or form, and will no longer be able to participate in any discussions about them.

Jeff

Hi Jeff,

Not a lot I can say or add to what you've already written. I'm very sorry you feel that way too. I guess I've become numb to all this Israel-bashing because I've seen this happen so many times before and as I'm "in it", I've developed a thick skin. The thought of Tull joining in all of that does upset me though, because like you I thought Ian was smarter than that.

As of now (9:55am Israel time) I have checked the ticket sales website - see the link, and check out some other interesting shows - and they're still listed for coming.

We'll have to wait and see on this one. I think they're still deliberating, and possibly agonizing over this decision. Otherwise, why wouldn't these shows have been immediately cancelled here?

www.aurismedia.com/

Take care Jeff..
Marcie

Here are the latest email exchanges I had with David Coursey.
------------------------
First my follow-up questions:

David, I cannot tell you how upset I am about this. May I ask what are the nature of the questions? I can only presume that there soon will be an official announcement cancelling the shows in Israel. If so, I would be extremely surprised and disappointed at Anderson's decision. I really thought he was smart enough to think independently, and not be influenced by the bash-Israel crowd. He has never done anything like this before, single out and boycott a country in this way, and if he cancels these shows as some kind of protest about the flotilla incident, Tull will henceforth be forever dead to me.

Anderson should consider the following quotes from Elton John, who played in Israel last night:

“I have always believed that music inhabits a world set apart from politics, religious differences or prejudice of any kind. Throughout my career I have made a point of playing concerts in challenging places, such as the USSR and Northern Ireland in the 1970s, Israel in the 1990s and very recently Morocco.

Music is, and always will be, a universal language, free from boundaries. It can and does inspire unity and builds bridges between people, and I will continue to play concerts anywhere in the world where I can encourage that unity.”

Amen to that.

David Coursey's response:


Jeff,

I understand your concern and frustration but again, the concerts are in limbo, not officially cancelled. But, our policy is not to list a concert unless everything is signed, sealed, and delivered on a venue and at the moment, it isn’t. Sorry, I cannot comment on the business issue.

regards

David Coursey
Tull web admin

And my reply:

David,

How could it possibly be that the deals are not signed, sealed and delivered??? Tickets for the shows have already been sold, and even now the shows are still listed on Israeli ticket-selling websites! If the shows are indeed to be cancelled, as seems likely, the reasons are obvious and IA should at least be forthright about it.
------------------

The fact that the Israel dates WERE listed on the official site up until a week or two ago clearly indicates that the deals were in fact "signed, sealed and delivered," especially in view of the policy which Coursey just got through explaining!!!

Who does he think he's kidding? The fix is in. The deals were done, but are apparently about to be broken.

The further reply I sent to David Coursey:

Hold on a second there, David, you just stated that it is the policy of the official website "not to list a concert unless everything is signed, sealed and delivered." But the Israel concerts WERE listed on the official website for many months, up until as recently as a week or two ago, meaning that according to the policy that you just explained, the deals were in fact signed, sealed and delivered.

It is unfortunate that those deals are apparently about to be broken for political reasons, and even more unfortunate that Ian would stand on the side of the Israel-bashers and the flotilla thugs who started to lynch the Israeli soldiers as soon as they boarded the ship.

To IA, I would say this. If you are about to boycott and blacklist Israel, why didn't you do the same with respect to the U.S. and U.K. during the Bush/Blair era? You certainly were an outspoken critic of their policies, and in a recent long-winded response to an interview question you accused them both of having a lot of blood on their hands. But it didn't stop you from doing tons of shows in the U.S. or U.K while they both were in office, did it?

Jeff,
This website says the Tull Shows are cancelled but the post was by a first time contributor and I'm not sure if it is correct.
You may try to PM her and find out where she got the info.
www.fasterlouder.com.au/news/international/24102/Pixies-cancel-performance-in-Israel.htm

I think you should try to contact the Israeli Promotor, Shuki Weiss and try to confirm and perhaps ask if he got a personal reason from I.A. for the possible cancellations.
I tried to do some legwork for you and find a contact address for him but I have been unable to.

Dan