KRAMA's concert banned "due to low art quality"
The launch of KRAMA's new album, scheduled to take place on May 30 at the NIGHT STAR club in Minsk, has been banned by the city authorities, the European Radio for Belarus has learned from Pavel Kashyryn, the band's manager. He said the club management was forced to refuse the venue for the concert after having received a phone call from "a higher authority".
Pavel believes the phone came in from the ideolody departmemt of the Minsk city hall.
The band's manager met last week with the chief of the culture department at the Minsk city hall, Viktar Kurash, trying once again to get a one-time license for the KRAMA's concert. The license was nevertheless was not issued. Ideology officials justified the denial by the low art quality of both the musiciains and their songs. On the same evening, NIGHT STAR manager called the band to say sorry about the ban.
On Monday, May 15, Pavel Kashyryn wrote a new application for a one-time license for the concert and came to the office of the deputy cheif of the culture department of the Minsk city hall, Anatol Sabitau. A European Radio for Belarus's correspondent was accompanying him on the visit. This time, we learned that application alone was not sufficient.
Anatol Sabitau: “You are required to bring both an application and an agreement with the management of a club where you are going to stage your concert, stating that they do not object to hosting you at a certain time and date. Otherwise, I could give you a license, while the management of the club you are mentioning in your application knows nothing about the concert in their premises. They could later call me complaining, you know”.
Pavel Kashyryn: “The club's director has agreed to give us his premises. Yet, they could sign an agreement only if we have been granted a license for this concert”.
Анатоль Сабітаў: “This is your problem. I cannot issue a license without an agreement signed by you with the management of the club”.
Pavel Kashyryn: “If I come tomorrow again both with the application and the signed agreement, will I have any problems with obtaining the license for the concert?”
Anatol Sabitau: “I don't know. You bring, and we will review your application and make a decision”.
Pavel Kashyryn: “Are there diffirent possible options?”
Anatol Sabitau: “Yes, there are”.
Pavel Kashyryn: “What does it depend on? Is this someone's personal view?”
Anatol Sabitau: “Decisions are always taken in a collective way, because the situation is vey serious regarding the organization of concerts in Minsk. You'd better stage your concert without any permit. Some people do it. Yet, the whole band was arrested...”
Pavel Kashyryn: “Are you encouraging us to stage the concert without permissio?”
Anatol Sabitau: “It is up to you. I cannot tell you to violate the Council of Ministers' resolution. When you obtain a license, make advertising and sell tickets, you step on the official path. Otherwise, you gather somewhere with your freinds and present your program without any tickets. My freinds often come to my house and play music there, for example”.
Pavel Kashyryn: “You said that the decision would be taken collectively. Who else will be part of the decision-making process?”
Anatol Sabitau: “I don't know. If we have any questions regarding the repertoire or the art quality, we could set up a commission. Ideology is the not the least issue in this country. Ideology is the basis of the society. I didn't listen to your new album. I don't know your political views. I know only that you are the patriots of your Motherland, just like me. So, bring an agreement with the club, and we will review this issue”.
Photo by photo.bymedia.net
Pavel believes the phone came in from the ideolody departmemt of the Minsk city hall.
The band's manager met last week with the chief of the culture department at the Minsk city hall, Viktar Kurash, trying once again to get a one-time license for the KRAMA's concert. The license was nevertheless was not issued. Ideology officials justified the denial by the low art quality of both the musiciains and their songs. On the same evening, NIGHT STAR manager called the band to say sorry about the ban.
On Monday, May 15, Pavel Kashyryn wrote a new application for a one-time license for the concert and came to the office of the deputy cheif of the culture department of the Minsk city hall, Anatol Sabitau. A European Radio for Belarus's correspondent was accompanying him on the visit. This time, we learned that application alone was not sufficient.
Anatol Sabitau: “You are required to bring both an application and an agreement with the management of a club where you are going to stage your concert, stating that they do not object to hosting you at a certain time and date. Otherwise, I could give you a license, while the management of the club you are mentioning in your application knows nothing about the concert in their premises. They could later call me complaining, you know”.
Pavel Kashyryn: “The club's director has agreed to give us his premises. Yet, they could sign an agreement only if we have been granted a license for this concert”.
Анатоль Сабітаў: “This is your problem. I cannot issue a license without an agreement signed by you with the management of the club”.
Pavel Kashyryn: “If I come tomorrow again both with the application and the signed agreement, will I have any problems with obtaining the license for the concert?”
Anatol Sabitau: “I don't know. You bring, and we will review your application and make a decision”.
Pavel Kashyryn: “Are there diffirent possible options?”
Anatol Sabitau: “Yes, there are”.
Pavel Kashyryn: “What does it depend on? Is this someone's personal view?”
Anatol Sabitau: “Decisions are always taken in a collective way, because the situation is vey serious regarding the organization of concerts in Minsk. You'd better stage your concert without any permit. Some people do it. Yet, the whole band was arrested...”
Pavel Kashyryn: “Are you encouraging us to stage the concert without permissio?”
Anatol Sabitau: “It is up to you. I cannot tell you to violate the Council of Ministers' resolution. When you obtain a license, make advertising and sell tickets, you step on the official path. Otherwise, you gather somewhere with your freinds and present your program without any tickets. My freinds often come to my house and play music there, for example”.
Pavel Kashyryn: “You said that the decision would be taken collectively. Who else will be part of the decision-making process?”
Anatol Sabitau: “I don't know. If we have any questions regarding the repertoire or the art quality, we could set up a commission. Ideology is the not the least issue in this country. Ideology is the basis of the society. I didn't listen to your new album. I don't know your political views. I know only that you are the patriots of your Motherland, just like me. So, bring an agreement with the club, and we will review this issue”.
Photo by photo.bymedia.net
