Dec. 5: Benefit for Three Cities Against the Wall

DEC. 5, 8 P.M.

BENEFIT FOR “THREE CITIES AGAINST THE WALL”


TONIC,
107 Norfolk St.
(between Delancey & Rivington Sts.)
(F train to Delancey St. or J/M/Z trains to Essex St.)

Donation: $12 to $20.


Palestinian, Israeli, American artists work together for a just peace; lineup to include Seth Tobocman, ex-Lion Tamer, Bonfire Madigan, and Wharton Tiers Ensemble

Three Cities against the Wall, which opened Nov. 9 in Ramallah, New York, and Tel Aviv, is an historic show by 56 artists from all three nations that includes painting, sculpture, illustration, graphics, video and performance
art. Each artist exhibits a work in each city and most are present at the exhibition in one of the three locations. The artists and organizers are united in opposition to the “Separation Wall” that Israel is constructing in the Occupied Territories of Palestine.

This benefit is being held to raise funds for travel, transportation, and other expenses related to the show. In New York City, Three Cities Against the Wall is exhibiting through Dec. 8 at ABC No Rio, 156 Rivington St. (between Clinton & Suffolk) and Sixth Street Community Center, 638 East Sixth St. (between Aves. B & C).

Artists performing at the benefit are:

Seth Tobocman (9 p.m.), author/ illustrator of three graphic books: YOU DON’T HAVE TO FUCK PEOPLE OVER TO SURVIVE, WAR IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD, and PORTRAITS OF ISRAELIS AND PALESTINIANS. Multi-media show using slides, music, spoken word.

Ex-Lion Tamer (9:30 p.m.), band from Tel Aviv combining noise, shoegazer, and broken-pop into a melodic stew. Frontman Assaf Tager (guitar and vocals) is a London Music Academy graduate. After playing second guitar for the late Elliot Smith during the XO tour, he went back to his homeland to “make some noise.” Now recording their debut album with producer Wharton Tiers.

Bonfire Madigan (10:30 p.m.), Kill Rock Stars recording artist. San Francisco-based chamber-punk band with two releases on Kill Rock Stars. “Easily drawing comparisons to the dramatic, fearless artists Tori Amos and PJ Harvey, Ms Madigan belts out her songs with such abandon, so high on emotion, that it's just as much a cathartic experience for the listener as it seems to be for her. ­ Aquarius Records.

The Wharton Tiers Ensemble (11:30 p.m.), experimental guitar orchestra. “Onetime Glenn Branca collaborator Wharton Tiers’ enduring claim to fame is his role as Fun City recording studio guru, the man behind the dials on key releases by Sonic Youth, Dinosaur Jr., White Zombie and Helmet. Tiers began to put together something of a guitar orchestra with an evolving, revolving roster of players bolstered by his own puissant drumming and the sax bleats of Fletcher Buckley.” ­ Trouser Press.

Art has the possibility to unite different cultures into harmony and to create new options for individuals, in order to live and work together for justice, equality and peace.