Following Vladimir Putin’s invasion of Ukraine, almost the entire world has given support to Ukraine, whether it be supplies or prayers. Many artists have shown their disgust for Putin's treachery by calling off shows scheduled to be performed in Russia. Some popular artists include Green Day, Louis Tomlinson, AJR, and Slipknot. Here are their heartfelt messages regarding shows in Russia.
Green Day
Green Day was planning to perform at Moscow’s Spartak Stadium on May 29, 2022. Following their decision to cancel the show, they released a statement via Instagram Story. In the video, the band stated, “With heavy hearts, in light of current events we feel it is necessary to cancel our upcoming show in Moscow at Spartak Stadium. We are aware that this moment is not about stadium rock shows, it’s much bigger than that. But we also know that rock and roll is forever and we feel confident there will be a time and place for us to return in the future.” The band also made refunds available upon purchase following the cancellation.
Louis Tomlinson
Originally, Tomlinson was supposed to perform in Kyiv and Moscow only days apart, first in Kyiv’s stereo plaza on July 4th and Moscow’s Circus City Hall on the 6th. Tomlinson took to Twitter with a short statement regarding his shows. “Due to the recent events in Ukraine, I have to sadly announce that my tour shows in Moscow and Kyiv are canceled until further notice.” He proceeded to say that the safety of his fans is his top priority and sent his prayers for everyone in this “needless war.”
AJR
The Indie-Pop trio out of America was set to perform in Moscow in October but decided to cancel due to recent events. In their statement, they honored Russian citizens that are against the war along with their apology. The group delivered their message via Twitter, saying, “We are sad to announce that we will be canceling our upcoming show in Russia. Thank you to our Russian fans who oppose their country’s unprovoked and criminal behavior. Our hearts are with the people of Ukraine. At this point, the best thing you can do is share ACCURATE info.” It is unclear whether the show will be rescheduled in the future.
Slipknot
Among other big artists’ canceling shows in Russia is the heavy-metal band Slipknot. Scheduled to perform in Moscow on July 15 and Kyiv on July 17, the band called off both shows. The band gave a heartfelt message to their fans Via Twitter, stating, “We had looked forward to reuniting with our fans in these incredible cities, coming back together after global lockdown, but we take this step in support of our community and in solidarity with the people of Ukraine, for whom the struggle continues, in a new and more terrible form. We also acknowledge that our Russian and Belarusian fans are overwhelmingly united with the Ukrainians in their fight for peace.” The band confirmed the concerts will be scheduled and performed during times of peace, but it is unclear when.
Numerous other artists and bands have canceled or postponed shows in Russia and Ukraine, for not only their fans and their safety, but also out of spite for Russia’s leader. They all hold Ukraine along with innocent Russian citizens in their prayers amidst this tragedy.