Montreal vs. Racisme gathers over a dozen local acts for a free show in NDG Park this weekend

With the increasing visibility of extreme-far-right groups around the globe, including in our own backyard, the danger of violent racists has unfortunately become a tangible threat once again, one that demands an equally visible counter-response.

In light of the rise of these local extremist groups, Montreal singer-songwriter Paul Cargnello has put together Montreal vs. Racisme, a free outdoor concert in NDG Park meant to send a message that racism and intolerance has no place in our city. Featuring a wide array of local acts including Creature, Jah Cuttah, The Stomp All-Stars, AIZA, and over a dozen more, the event speaks to the multi-cultural mix-up of both NDG and this city’s diverse music scene.

We caught up with Cargnello to discuss how the concert came about, and his hopes for the future of Montreal vs. Racisme.

Montreal vs. Racisme takes place Saturday, September 15th, from 5:00 – 8:00 pm at NDG Park, Rue Sherbrooke / Avenue Girouard in Montreal. For more information visit the show’s Facebook event. For further updates, follow Montreal vs. Racisme on Facebook and Twitter.

Bad Feeling Mag: What prompted the creation of Montreal vs. Racisme?

I originally posted about my idea on social media, just asking the question: would artists and/or fans be into the idea of an anti-racist concert? The response was resoundingly positive. It was very encouraging, and I guess I saw it as a kind of personal mandate to make it happen for my community. Also, I’m pretty plugged into the musical community in MTL, so it wasn’t hard to find talented people who would take part. The hard part was narrowing down the lineup, and having to say no to the litany of artists who wanted to lend their voice to the cause. My personal goal was to find a musically diverse lineup, and I think that I succeeded. I love when a show is artistically eclectic, and that’s often the kind of show where concertgoers will discover something new.

What links these performers together?

They’re all amazingly talented and compassionate people. They serve up a great show, with a little social justice on the side.

Are you planning any further events?

It can be fun, but there’s a lot of pressure and responsibility putting on events like this. Plus I’m getting old, and I’m a white-cis-gendered-straight guy, it’s definitely time for me to shut the fuck up and let a younger more vivacious generation of activists kick against the pricks for a while. My entire adult life, and in all of the art that I create, and in all the events that I organize or lend my voice, I’ve tried to weave my politics into it. So I’m not planning anything per se… but whatever I do will be soaked in advancing the cause of social justice. It was Toni Cade Bambara who said that the “role of the artist, is to make the revolution irresistible,” and it’s become my mission statement as a human being. So yes, nothing in the works just yet, but more to come. I would love to see this show become an annual reminder of how it’s always worth speaking out against systemic racism, and the extreme-right.

Montreal vs. Racisme takes place Saturday, September 15th, 5:00 – 8:00 pm at NDG Park, Rue Sherbrooke / Avenue Girouard, Montreal, QC H4C 1P4. For more information visit the show’s Facebook event. For further updates, follow Montreal vs. Racisme on Facebook and Twitter.