Seize The Day + support

18th November, 7pm, The Old Fire Station, Bridewell Island, Bristol

Benefit for coal train blockaders and Nottingham 114 defendants

£3/£4 Tickets available from Bristol Ticket Shop and Kebele Infoshop

Seize the Day - A tremendously vibrant and ultra-energetic 9-piece acoustic band whose songs draw on many popular traditions, but have a radical new content, reflecting the political and personal struggles of our times. In both their music and activism they tackle issues as diverse as climate change, worker struggles, animal rights and Palestine in fresh and very human ways. Seize The Day inspire, enlighten and entertain; they make you laugh, they make you cry and they empower you. One of those acts that simply must be experienced.

Voted winners of the BBC World Music Audience Award 2003, they are now celebrating the release of their new album, Standing Strong. www.seizetheday.org

Clayton Blizzard - "Rapid-fire agit-prop from one man, a guitar and the truth. Effortlessly gliding between songsmith and rapper, it's ferociously sharp and funny" - Venue

Ceilidh Minogue - Stomping folk band, with banjo, accordion and beautiful harmonies.

DJ Krackpotkin - Playing klezmer/ska/swing/beats

Arrive early for puppet show telling the story of the coal train blockaders.

+ cake, radical bookstall and raffle!

Back Story:

Last April a group of individuals who met through Bristol & Bath Rising Tide, in a series of bold blockades stopped a coal train from leaving Ffos-y-Fran open cast coal mine in Merthyr Tydfil on its way to nearby Aberthaw power station. The result was thousands of pounds of economic damage to Miller Argent who own the mine and the arrest and subsequent trial of the activists. Although the charges against those involved were eventually scaled down, 13 were still convicted of Section 36 of the malicious damages act 1861 and ordered to pay court costs and in some cases damages to Miller Argent. The activists are also still fighting a restraining order imposed upon them indefinitely banning them from entering a large area encompassing Ffos-y-Fran, Aberthaw and the adjoining railway.

This month also sees the start of the month long trial of 20 of the 114 activists arrested in a school in Nottingham, April 2009, on suspicion of conspiring to shut down Ratcliffe on Soar Power Station. The activists are pleading Not Guilty on the grounds of necessity. This means they are admitting they planned to shut the power station down in order to prevent loss of life and serious injury caused through climate change.

They have been through an 18 month mentally, emotionally, and financially grueling experience in the lead up to this month's trial. Any support people can give will be enormously appreciated.

Check out the campaign support group's website http://ratcliffeontrial.org/ for the background story and full details of how you can get involved in supporting them.

Come and show your support on the night and have a good old jig too!