POSITIVE POWER: SHELTER AGAINST RACISM
1 June 2026
The global legend of the New York hardcore music scene, Shelter, will perform at the Alternatywna Zdunska Wola festival in Poland, organized in partnership with the ‘Music Against Racism’ campaign of the ‘NEVER AGAIN’ Association.
Shelter are pioneers of the krishnacore genre and draw their inspiration from Indian philosophy and culture, particularly the Hare Krishna spiritual tradition, based on respect for all living beings. The band combines these themes with the message of the straight edge movement, promoting a drug-free lifestyle. The band’s frontman, Ray Cappo, aka Raghunath Das, is a renowned teacher of meditation and mindfulness.
The alternative music festival is held in Zdunska Wola, a city in central Poland. Its programme fits perfectly with the message of the ‘Music Against Racism’ campaign, as it combines urban culture with musical phenomena that straddle various genres and diverse sounds. The opening concert will take place on 14 June 2026, with the remaining events – concerts, meetings, talks and exhibitions – scheduled on 18-19 June. The festival will feature an inspirational lineup of guests from several countries.
Anja Huwe, the former lead singer of Hamburg's Xmal Deutschland - one of the most influential bands of the German post-punk and gothic rock scene - will also be performing in Zdunska Wola. On her 2024 solo album ‘Codes’, Huwe addressed the theme of war. In an interview with the SztukMix portal, she said, ‘How is it possible that, having been so affected by previous conflicts, we are all once again on the brink of war? Ukraine, Gaza – it’s happening right on our doorstep’.
Other festival highlights include leading New York hardcore band Madball, formed in 1988, and the renowned Dutch dark wave group Clan of Xymox. The line-up will also feature Lockdown, a band of teenagers from Poznan who have taken the Polish punk scene by storm, among other notable acts.
The ‘NEVER AGAIN’ Association is an independent organisation founded in 1996 which runs the campaigns ‘Music Against Racism’ and ‘Music Against War’, combats hate speech and hate crime, and supports initiatives promoting peace and intercultural dialogue.
The ‘NEVER AGAIN’ Association encourages musicians, promoters and fans of all musical genres to use the ‘Music Against Racism’ and ‘Music Against War’ symbols. They can be placed on posters, flyers, album covers, and in music videos, or shared on social media. Email contact: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..
More information:
www.NeverAgainAssociation.org
www.nigdywiecej.org
www.facebook.com/Respect.Diversity
www.twitter.com/StowNIGDYWIECEJ
www.linkedin.com/company/never-again-association
https://bsky.app/profile/neveragainnw.bsky.social
https://www.instagram.com/stowarzyszenie_nigdy_wiecej