43: Should dance music boycott Boiler Room over Palestine?

There was only one topic we could tackle this week. The argument boiling over around Boiler Room and the BDS movement is one of the most divisive and emotionally charged intra-scene disputes we’ve seen in a long time.

There’s a lot being said in public and in the comments, with much of it relegated to Instagram Stories with a 24-hour timer. So in the spirit of our mission statement – chronicling underground music culture – we’ve attempted to document what’s been going on, provide some vital additional context, and offer our own thoughts on what’s at stake.

In this episode we look at the relationship between Boiler Room and its owners – the global events company Superstruct and the private equity giant KKR – and their connections to Israeli tech firms and the Palestinian-led boycott movement. We talk about Boiler Room’s recent statement of solidarity with Palestine and the resulting backlash from fans, DJs and former BR employees, as well as Ben UFO’s defence of the platform, which triggered its own, unusually fierce backlash.

Can Boiler Room consider itself part of the boycott on Israel? What’s the right way for DJs, fans and BR employees to show solidarity with Palestine? Why has BR received so much flak compared to the 70-odd other brands and festivals in Superstruct’s portfolio? Can dance music be mobilised into a force for change? And what can Boiler Room – or any of us – practically do in a landscape where private equity firms have their claws in everything?

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