‘White Riot’ Doc Shares The Clash Live At Rock Against Racism

It’s Britain, late-1970s. The country is deeply divided over immigration. The National Front, a far-right and fascist political party, is gaining strength. Countering this was Rock Against Racism, a movement that swept across the UK and Europe and culminated in a 100,000+ person march and a legendary concert event, Woodstock meets the March on Washington, punk-style. Capturing this incredible moment in time, when music changed the world, is “White Riot” from director Rubika Shah, a timely, impactful and message-driven documentary being released via Virtual Cinema on October 16th. Ahead of the release the documentary has released a clip featuring The Clash performing ‘White Riot‘ with Jimmy Pursey of the Sham 69 which can be viewed below.

Rubika Shah’s energizing film charts the rise of Rock Against Racism, formed in 1976, prompted by “music’s biggest colonialist” Eric Clapton and his support of racist MP Enoch Powell.  The brisk, informative documentary blends fresh, engaging interviews with Rock Against Racism staff and musicians with archival footage to recreate a hostile environment of anti-immigrant hysteria and National Front marches.  As neo-Nazis recruited the nation’s youth, Rock Against Racism’s multicultural punk and reggae gigs provided rallying points for resistance.   The campaign grew from “Temporary Hoarding”, the movement’s fanzine to 1978’s huge antifascist concert in Victoria Park, featuring X-Ray Spex, Tom Robinson, Steel Pulse and, of course, The Clash, whose rock star charisma and gale-force conviction took Rock Against Racism’s message to the masses. “White Riot” chronicles this “extraordinary fusion of culture and politics that changed society for the better.