Most of us will probably be busy with other things less than a week before the local elections, but there is something going on in Trafalgar Square on Saturday, April 29th from 12 noon.

It is a rally against racism and fascism, presented by the UAF and Love Music Hate Racism. It does sound a bit like stepping back to the 1980’s with a long list of trade union officials giving speeches and “dance/poetry/open mic/singers/street theatre from schools, colleges and youth groups”, but I always found the atmosphere at ANL rallies to be a good one, and there is also a wide range of live music.

The music is provided by:

Belle & Sebastian , Roll Deep , Lethal Bizzle , Boy Kill Boy , Kray Twinz , The Paddingtons , Get Cape Wear Cape Fly , Heartless Crew , Mecca2Medina , Akala , Metro Riots , Emmanuel Jal , The Mentalists with Poly Styrene , Emeson, Bigga Fish

plus very specials guests.

Obviously at my age I don’t know who any of these people are, with the exception of Belle & Sebastian, Poly Styrene and Emmanuel Jal, but then I had never heard of Amazulu and Bad Brains before seeing them at similar events in the 80s.

If it was on a week later I would certainly go, but then I guess the whole point of it is that it happens before the elections, and especially the ones in Barking.

It is worth checking out the LMHR website. It has details of concerts and events all over the place, and a page to help you organise your own events.