South Carolina bands fundraise for family in Gaza

Music has long been a means of political expression and peaceful protest.

“We saw the protest of the Vietnam War from artists like Hendrix and Lennon. We are trying to do the same thing with metal,” said Andrew Moak, songwriter and vocalist for the Midlands’ “Sent to Slaughter.” 

Several South Carolina rock bands are performing a show on Saturday to raise money to aid a Palestinian family displaced by the year-old Israel-Hamas conflict in Gaza. 

The cover fee for the New Brookland Tavern show will be a $10 donation to the family. The Clemson-based punk band “The Deadnecks” also is selling merchandise at the show and giving all proceeds to the donation fund. The event’s donation website features a breakdown of how much has been donated and how all donated funds will be used.

“Deadnecks” guitarist Sean Adams identifies with an obligation to use the band’s music as a vehicle for activism.

“We’re a punk band,” Adams said. “That’s kind of the whole point. A lot of punk music is all about activism, and all about the realities of life and the problems that affect not just us but other people who aren’t as privileged as us.”

Grant Carter, manager and vocalist of the Columbia-based goth rock band “Nightsweat,” said music is an effective tool for political action because it can foster empathy in listeners.

“I feel like music is one of the best platforms for activism because it’s the closest thing we have to magic,” Carter said. “You can feel the rage or sadness or joy when listening to a well composed piece of music. And that, in conjunction with powerful lyrics, can bring about serious change in people.”

Event organizers hope to combat the feeling of powerlessness that can arise in the face of international issues. The musicians playing the show want locals to know that they can help in times of crisis.

“The Deadnecks” guitarist Liam Forde sees the show as an opportunity to raise awareness for other displaced Gaza families.

“Someone who doesn’t have a million dollars sitting around to go lobby has very little material ability to change what is going on,” Forde said. “But we can raise money. We can do shows like this. We can write songs. It’s about as much as we can do given the amount of power that we actually hold in the system.”