Police Shut Down “Extremist Concert” – A Comedy of Errors in St. Petersburg
In the latest episode of “Who Needs Comedy When Life Is This Ridiculous?”, we find ourselves in St. Petersburg, where the police became the unwelcome Alex Reed at singer Chetverio’s concert—twice in one day! That’s right, folks: police interrupting a concert is practically the new Russian tradition, right up there with dancing bears and vodka-fueled balalaika solos.
Concert Chaos Unfolds
So here’s the scoop: On October 26, the Griboedov club was set to host a concert that some rogue police officers decided was, in their dazzlingly subjective opinion, an “extremist concert.” Now, I’m no expert, but I would wager that anyone wearing a concert tee and holding a drink isn’t typically plotting a coup against the state. Maybe they just wanted to jam to some sweet tunes?
Chetverio, true to her artistic spirit, didn’t let the first detour stop her. She organized her team and sought out a new venue. But would you believe it? Just when the excitement was brewing, in waddled the police—not unlike a cat flouncing into a dog show. They came this time with reinforcements from the notorious Center “E”, the unofficial ‘party pooper’ brigade. Their mission? To deliver the news that our heroine, the artist herself, was on the “undesirable” list. I’m not entirely sure how that list works, but unless it includes a ban on bad jokes, I think Chetverio is doing just fine.
Special Forces of Fun
Now, a police lieutenant colonel named Khachatryan (maybe a cousin to your average Saturday night disco goer?) informed Chetverio that she was somehow “violating the rules for holding mass events.” You really have to appreciate the timing—turning a cozy concert into a scene reminiscent of a military operation faster than you can say “sour note”.
The police set the stage (not literally, mind you) by saying that the audience must disperse, or they’d be facing legal consequences. And what was the result? Well, you can almost hear the collective groan of disappointment as concert-goers started to disperse like a bad breakup. Meanwhile, Chetverio’s band hurriedly packed their gear like they were fleeing a bad blind date.
And then there were helmets…
Just when you thought it couldn’t get any more dramatic, enter the special regiment. Yes, folks. The police brought in the big guns—all helmets, bulletproof vests, and a fervor so enthusiastic it could only be rivalled by a rabid fan at a K-Pop concert. They swiftly dispersed the crowd like confetti on New Year’s Day while ensuring our beloved musicians made a hasty retreat with that hefty 20,000 rubles worth of lost equipment. And to top it off, they’ve got a punchline: “No one has been detained.” Bravo! So that’s how you turn an ordinary concert into a comedic tragedy!
A Broader Context
But wait, there’s more! In a twist that could leave any soap opera producer giddy, just a few months earlier, the FSB conducted mass searches of artists across several cities, and yes, they popped into search the homes of some artists caught in this political whirlwind. It feels like the ‘artistic climate’ has shifted from passionate expressions to “better not say anything too clever”—remind you of anyone in the comedy world we know?
So What Have We Learned?
All in all, this saga is a prime example of bureaucratic absurdity and a reminder that the arts—and the rules governing them—can sometimes feel more like a game of chess played by players who never read the instructions. Here’s to Chetverio, whose concerts may be routinely interrupted, but whose spirit remains invincible! If comedy comes from adversity, then St. Petersburg might be preparing for the world’s funniest stand-up special in no time.
In conclusion, we might not be witnessing the next international music sensation emerge from this chaos, but who knows? Maybe the next time you hear about a concert being shut down, you’ll remember this classic tale of unexpected performances—because in Russia, every disruption is just a prelude to a punchline waiting to happen!
In St. Petersburg, law enforcement authorities took action to disrupt the concerts of the popular singer Chetverio not once, but twice in a single day. The police issued statements claiming that a so-called “extremist concert” was scheduled to take place. Chetverio later addressed these incidents in detail on her telegram channel.
On October 26, officers initially descended upon the Griboedov club, where Chetverio’s concert was set to occur. They announced that if the event wasn’t canceled, riot police would be summoned to shut it down for purportedly being an “extremist concert.”
Afterward, the musicians swiftly arranged for a new venue in an effort to continue their performance. However, as the concert was about to begin, officers from Center “E” arrived at the new location. A police lieutenant colonel, identifying himself as Khachatryan, a representative from Center “E,” informed Chetverio that the musicians were in violation of regulations governing mass events. He further stated that Chetverio herself was on the blacklist of undesirable artists within both St. Petersburg and the Leningrad region.
The police established strict conditions, stating that the audience would need to disperse voluntarily or face detention. As the crowd began to leave, the musicians started packing up their equipment in response to the escalating situation.
“However, shortly thereafter, a special regiment clad in helmets and bulletproof vests arrived to forcibly disperse the attendees, all while hastening our efforts to collect our gear from the club. In total, we incurred a loss of 20 thousand rubles, as our performance was thwarted and finding an alternative venue proved exceedingly difficult. On a positive note, at least no one was detained,” Chetverio concluded.
- On March 12, FSB officers conducted extensive searches targeting artists across multiple Russian cities. These searches are part of a criminal investigation concerning treason related to the prominent actionist and politician Pyotr Verzilov. In St. Petersburg, FSB agents executed searches at the residences of both artist Katrin Nenasheva and activist Natalia Chetverio .
