Some time ago, the only bands touring Russia were those popular at least a decade earlier. And even when you bought a ticket, there was still a good chance the concert would be canceled a couple of weeks in advance, with security cited as the main reason. Those days are gone.
Now, not only do we get the A-list acts like Madonna and Lady Gaga, but also up and coming artists who only shot to fame a couple of years ago. Below are some of the more interesting concerts this summer, which is gearing up to be really hot, at least in terms of music.
Two Door Cinema Club, May 30, Stadium Live,
This indie rock band from Northern Ireland will be in Moscow for the second time, but it will be their first solo show. Two Door Cinema Club made a breakthrough when they only had one EP to their name. Hits like "Undercover Martin" and "Do You Want It All" exploded across dance floors around the world. Since then they released two full length albums — "Tourist History" and more recent "Beacon." The Moscow show is part of the tour in support of the later album, featuring such hits as "New Year" and "Handshake," the video for which is banned on MTV.
Lana del Rey, June 8, Crocus City Hall,
This is arguably the most anticipated concert of this summer. In just a couple of years, Lana went from internet oddity to a fully-fledged diva adorning the covers of major magazines. She started out with a couple of homemade videos uploaded to YouTube. "Blue Jeans" and "Video Games" gathered millions of views, and Lana became a star without releasing even an EP. Her newly found stardom annoyed many people, and Lana faced possibly the largest online backlash in pop history. But once she started touring, the backlash died down. Her first single, "Born to Die" from the eponymous highly anticipated album, became an instant hit. She's currently touring with an updated version of her debut album: "Born to Die: Paradise Edition." While "Born to Die" is largely a PG-13 album, the supplemental disc of the Paradise Edition is definitely rated R.
Die Antwoord, July 3, Arena Moscow,
Die Antwoord is a white electronic rap act from South Africa singing in a mix of English and Afrikaans. Known for lively performances, they call their style "zef" which is a non-offensive Afrikaans word for "common," used to identify white lower-middle-class people who like a bit too much bling. Die Antwoord already visited Moscow last December, in a highly publicized invitation-only party organized by Bacardi Breezer. A lot of Die Antwoord's fans were disappointed that they couldn't come to the concert, but now they will finally have a chance to see them.
The XX, July 23, Crocus City Hall,
The XX put their band together in 2008 and released their first record in 2009. Their beautiful, haunting melodies, such as "Shelter," "Crystalised," and "VCR" made them world famous. Its hard to encapsulate their music in a sentence, but for me, it's like a slow immersion into refreshing water, a welcome respite on a hot summer day. Their new album came out last year and was lauded by both critics and fans.
It's that rare case when the second album is just as good as the first, if not better. There are songs that you just can't get out of your head, especially "Angels" and "Chained."
Combined with the wealth of music festivals spread over the summer, there will be little time for anything but listening to music.
Contact the author at artsreporter@imedia.ru
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