Don't Hate, Gyrate

When the EDL visits Manchester on Saturday 16 August it won’t be to spread hatred and fear, but instead the opposite will be true. Two years ago, with EDL protests grabbing headlines in the national media, Alex Jones and some friends joked about the idea of claiming the acronym back from the clutches of racism and violence. Today their joke has developed into a positive movement aiming to promote community spirit and diversity under the heading of English Disco Lovers.

Beginning with social media and search engine optimisation to link the ‘EDL’ acronym with their own English Disco Lovers title, they then set about creatively and humorously deflating the negative right-wing messages by arriving in fancy disco dress, aiming soundsystems at English Defence League demonstrations and turning Gloria Gaynor's ‘I Will Survive’ up to 11. Elsewhere, the Disco Lovers have pointed their soundsystems at various dancefloors across the country by arranging clubnights whose proceeds fill the pockets of charities that work towards greater social cohesion.

Jones will first pay a visit to the People’s History Museum for a 60 minute talk as part of the venue’s Work in Progress exhibition and workshops series. His talk will cover the array of tactics used by the alternative EDL to combat and subvert the far right EDL group.

Later on, the Manchester division of the English Disco Lovers will be on the turntables at the Roadhouse to deliver an earful of soulful grooves. Jonny Shire of Oui Dig fame and Zero are the resident EDL tune selectors, while guests this time around are from the Hi Ku and Full Stop Manchester clubnights.

Ian Pennington

The English Disco Lovers talk at People’s History Museum begins at 2.30pm and the suggested donation on entry is £3 in order to support the museum.

The clubnight is from 11pm til late on Saturday 16 August at Roadhouse. Tickets are available via the ethical ticketing agency, Party For The People, who donate a cut of their sales to selected charities.

NOISEstock feat. Sam Duckworth @ People's History Museum 18.05.13

Surprises can be nice, such as finding an unlikely setting for a gig that works beyond expectation, and tonight’s events are such an occasion. Sam Duckworth is providing a contribution to the Noisestock Festival, an initiative that’s celebrating the art of protest. The People’s History Museum in Manchester is as significant a location as any, with the site of the Peterloo Massacre being not far away. There’s no massacre tonight, everything being conducted in a civil yet relaxed manner, even allowing alcohol to be purchased. The brick lined room is laden with all manner of items from the current exhibition entitled ‘The Art of Protest’, including a sign informing us that ‘The Plebs Are Coming’. Mind you, with notable contributors to the NOISEstock festival including Billy Bragg and Mark Thomas, I’m on the side of the plebs.



To emphasise the informality of the event, chairs are missing and the relaxed atmosphere leads to a mixture of people sitting in small groups whilst others stand or lean against the walls. The performance featured songs from his Get Cape. Wear Cape. Fly. era, supplemented with other, later musical musings.

At times Duckworth supported other artists on the line up such as Josiah Mortimer and Mushana, a female vocalist from London.

Between songs, Duckworth outlines his personal political views. Coming from Southend via Burma, it’s pleasing to note that Duckworth doesn’t just ask the standard, “How’s Manchester tonight?” question, but is aware of local issues. He displays his pleasure that the last elected BNP Councillor has gone, losing his seat from the nearby area of Oldham.



The standout moments are when he is accompanied by the violinist, Tristan Parsons. The tall, open spaces of the venue lend themselves well to allowing the mixture of guitars, violins and voices being crisply delivered. Each song is received in silence and rewarded with warm applause.

When he recites “Tired of the sound? / Don’t let it get you get you down” from his GCWCF repertoire – ‘Once More With Feeling’ – the consensus is that the crowd isn’t and, for this evening, it hasn’t.

Words & photography: Ged Camera.