Noize MC, “Nogu cramped!”, “Pornofilms” and other musicians demanded to stop “pressure and cancellation of concerts” for political reasons

A petition has appeared on the Change.org website, which demands that the Russian authorities abandon the practice of canceling concerts and other methods of putting pressure on musicians for political reasons.

The petition was posted on behalf of Novaya Gazeta, but written on behalf of the musicians. It was signed by Noize MC, Vasya Oblomov, the groups “Pornofilmy”, “Nogu Svolo!”, “Yorsh”, “Rabfak”, “Arkady Kots”, the leaders of the groups “Cockroaches!” and “Accident” by Dmitry Spirin and Alexey Kortnev, member of the Barto group Maria Lyubicheva.

Pressuring musicians and canceling concerts by 2021 have become common practice in Russia. Every week we read this news: the concert of Noise MC, “Nogu Svelo!”, “Pornofilms” was canceled... There are dozens of such examples, and hundreds throughout the country. Various reasons are given: propaganda of drugs, violence, same-sex relationships, use of obscenities, disrespect for the feelings of believers. Recently, covid restrictions have been added to this list, which can be used to justify anything.

But no one dares to say out loud the true reason: the artists’ disagreement with the political situation in the country and their active civic position. We who dare to express our opinion are under pressure from all sides. Security forces intimidate us, our concerts are turned into police raids, local officials call clubs and strongly recommend not to contact us. Thus, entire tours of musicians known throughout the country were disrupted, and they generally do whatever they want with less famous ones.

In an interview with Novaya Gazeta, the leader of “My leg cramped!” Maxim Pokrovsky stated that “now we can only fight back together.”

I believe that if all the musicians, okay, maybe not all, maybe fifty percent, stand up and calmly, peacefully, but firmly say no, this should work. They won’t cut off oxygen to everyone at once, otherwise concert life in the country will stop.

• In the spring of 2021, authorities disrupted a Noize MC concert in Orenburg. In Chelyabinsk, after a letter from the police, the performance of the Pornofilmy group was canceled . And the group “My leg cramped!” was forced to postpone her tour of Siberia due to pressure being put on the concert organizers.
• Noize MC, leaders of “Porno Films” and “My Leg Cramped!” spoke out in support of politician Alexei Navalny after his detention in the winter of 2021.