Garik Sukachev stopped gig in Minsk to defend audience from riot militia
- 2.03.2009, 9:04
The famous musician was shocked with orders in the Minsk Palace of Republic.
On March 1, popular Russian rock-musician Garik Sukachev and his group “Neprikosaemye” played a concert in the Minsk Palace of Republic. In spite of high cost of tickets (from 50 to 100 dollars), not all people who wanted to visit the concert were able to get in the palace. People at the entrance to the concert hall were asking to sell a spare ticket.
Concerts in the Palace of Republic are notable for their academism. Traditionally, attempts to dance near the stage and in aisles were suppressed by the securities, and the audience had to sit and listen to the first songs as if they had attended a performance of Wagner’s symphony. This fact surprised Sukachev, who noted: “I have an impression that people here work in a standing position.”
The musician called on the audience to be more open and free, he added that people were “even allowed to dance” at his gigs. However, first “heroes”, who tried to go to the stage and dance in aisles, were met by strict securities. Then Garik ordered to put on the lights and tried to inflame the audience with hits “What’s the Guitar Singing about”, “Oh, Bella, Ciao”, “Freedom for Angela Davis!” The audience became more alive and during playing of “I Recognize my Sweetheart by his Walk” all people stood up and a real gig began.
Securities of the Palace of Republic didn’t surrender and continued suppressing of all attempts to dance near the stage, but during the song “My Grandma Smokes a Pipe” a mighty riot militiaman in a cold-weather cap and a jacket tried to take away one of the viewers. Sukachev stopped singing and said: “Do not touch people. Or we’ll stop playing. Don’t mix fun with a protest demonstration,” he addressed the securities and riot militia. “There won’t be any barricades here.”
The audience roared with delight in support of the musician. The man was set free, and the concert turned into a normal rock gig. The Belarusian audience was in euphoria: Garik Sukachev and his musicians showed a high quality concert and what mean to be free people.