Massive Attack announce support acts for Hoping Foundation gigs

Massive Attack have announced some very special guests for their sold out Hoping Foundation benefit gigs next week. Spiritualized will play an acoustic mainline show, featuring Jason Pierce accompanied by strings and gospel singers.

The London shows will also feature Trio Joubran, who hail from the Israeli / Arab city of Nazareth and are led by Samir Joubran, one of the best oud players in the world.

All shows will also feature a DJ set by Checkpoint 303, from Palestine and Paris . They take field recordings from the occupied territories and combine them with cutting edge electronica.

HOPING stands for Hope and Optimism for Palestinians in the Next Generation. Established in January 2003, the charity is supported exclusively by private donors and public fundraising events, such as concerts and auctions.

The charity was launched in order to offer support and encouragement to Palestinian children living in refugee camps in the West Bank, Gaza, Jordan, Syria, Lebanon and elsewhere in the Middle East. HOPING’s aim is to help generate possibilities, giving refugee children a belief in the promise of a better future, and show them that their struggle to transform their lives is encouraged and supported by people in Britain and throughout the rest of the world. HOPING is a small charity with minimal administration, which insures that funds raised are given directly to local Palestinian community projects that work with children in the refugee camps. It focuses specifically on small grassroots organisations, such as youth centres, local committees, and disabled centres, and supports libraries, summer schools, as well as theatre, music, art, and dance groups.

Details for the dates are:

6th February 2007 – Birmingham Carling Academy (0870 771 2000 / 0870 151 4444)

7th February 2007 – London Brixton Academy (0870 771 2000 / 020 7287 0932 / 0870 151 4444)

8th February 2007 - London Brixton Academy (0870 771 2000 / 020 7287 0932 / 0870 151 4444)