As I walked down to the Maidan Nezalezhnosti metro stop to head to the office this morning there were a couple of things I noticed as I walked down by the Conservatory. There were all these barricades up from just below Mr. Snack... not that all of you know where that is, but if you do it will help you orient yourself geographically. As I walked closer to Maidan I could hear music from the conservatory, some discordant arpeggios, some trombone and some woman's voice! I thought for a second and the Lennon/McCartney song which I have titled this blog entry came to my head.
I thought back to a week ago when the semi's rolled in and the cranes were assembling the stage, and let me tell you its a kick-ass stage, I'm sure the first one of its type in Ukraine. For the last three days Khreshchatyk in front of Maidan has been closed to traffic, and finally its the big day. Paul McCartney will be playing in Kyiv. As I got closer to the entrance to the metro, the barricades began to remind me more and more of what I saw on Bankova on those November and December days of 2004, but there was no (R)evolution going on. Though no riot geared goons but a lot of smartly uniformed security watching the perimeter from the stage... At least 60 meters is barricaded off. What I guess is that one the VIP zones is set up on the other side of Khreschatyk, barricades run parallel with the curb two rows deep. While I couldn't see any seating closer to the stage I'm sure that that has been set aside for the special VIP members of Ukrainian society. Yes, nothing like bring one of the legends of contemporary music to Ukraine and closer to Ukraine's people, Mr. Pinchuk!
Well Mr. Pinchuk you have done it again... First Sir Elton now Sir Paul, you are trying to change your world, your Ukraine and the way people see you. "We all want to change the world." But everyone knows how you got your money, that is not a secret here, though Sir Paul may not be aware of it. You tell us that its evolution, but that actually happened in 2004. So you Mr. Pinchuk are mistaken!
Last night as we drove from the Riffmaster gig, I could hear the clearest sound of music coming from Maidan, in fact I could hear it from European Square as if it were right in the vehicle we were driving in. After seeing what I had seen this morning I thought about whether I really wanted to be right there on Maidan to see Sir Paul McCartney live...
I thought about it for some time, and then came to a conclusion. I will not even make an attempt to be on Maidan to see Sir Paul McCartney live on Maidan in what is dubbed as his Independence Concert. Easy for you Mr. P it was Ukraine's independence which allowed you to accumulate what you have, then you hired some nice suits to take care of you and sanitize you and your money. Dang, I have digressed...
So why will I not be there to see Sir Paul live. Firstly, I despise the rudeness of most Ukrainians who attend such free events who haven't an inkling of knowledge about music, nor manners. Secondly, Maidan to me is a symbol, that goes back to the student hunger strike of 1990, and then the protests of Ukraine without Kuchma, and the events of 2004. Actually the reconstruction of Maidan during the UBK protests and the real estate that was to be developed underneath, in my estimation was an attempt to change the vision of what the square looked like from those early protests of 1990, and also for the incumbent mayor at the time to line his pockets with some money. But I digress... When I had to be out there I was there along with thousands of other Ukrainians back in 2004, those who clearly know how Mr. Pinchuk made his money.
Ah the expected rain has started... whether it will continue for another 9 hours is uncertain, but this is one more reason to not go to the show tonight. Besides, there won't be a rain check. You lose Mr. Pinchuk.
I'm not sure how much the concert tonight is costing Mr.Pinchuk, but like concerts in the past on Maidan they are broadcast live, so I can sit and watch it in the comfort of some local with friends, a bevy and no people stepping all over me. The people out tonight will not be of the same ilk as those who were out in 2004.
Besides, given that the concert is being broadcast on Noviy Kanal, owned by Pinchuk, I'm sure that the concert isn't going to really cost him all that much. The advertising revenues for the broadcast, I estimate that they will be about at least USD 30K per minute, will probably cover a good part of his costs and increase his channel's ratings.
With everything this oligarch is trying to do to improve his image not a soul who is at the concert tonight will in three years remember who brought McCartney to Kyiv, nor will they give a damn. So if Mr. P is really trying to turn into a philanthropist I'm going to ask him the same questions that were put to the politicians of the time by Lennon and McCartney:
"You say you got a real solution
Well you know
We'd all love to see the plan
You ask me for a contribution
Well you know
We're doing what we can"
So Mr. P, its easy for you to flaunt what you stole from the people of this country... but give it back to those who need it most... Not to your image, nor to your media holdings. While, I will probably watch the concert on Noviy Kanal... I will have to remind you Mr. P... I will make a note of the advertisers during the show and make every attempt not to purchase their products...
Everything is constantly in flux, from the music we listen to, to the politics and society around us. uaMuzik is a reflection on Ukrainian music, politics, society, the food I create and technologies.
Showing posts with label Paul McCartney. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Paul McCartney. Show all posts
Saturday, June 14, 2008
Monday, June 9, 2008
The Town's a Buzz with Sir Paul playing Kyiv on June 14th, 2008
Kyiv has not seen the likes of this much hype on a concert ever before, this I am certain of. As I walked across Maidan Nezalezhnosti there were three cranes working on the assembly of the stage for the Sir James Paul McCartney concert to be held Saturday June 14, in Kyiv.
Reports have it that there are 80 semi's of equipment being shipped into Kyiv for the gig. Yesterday I aw at least 12 of them and that was just for the stage, all the bulky stuff, being transported buy firms that soley transport equipment for such shows. One the trailer of one of them I could see an A4 sheet taped with the name Springsteen in large letters.
It was clear who the non-Ukrainians on the site were. They were wearing work boots, and hard hats - clearly these guys know something about safety on the job.
A little later on I had to stop by the third line of the Globus shopping complex which is located behind the "chick on the stick" on maidan, and there were at least a dozen people in the span of about ten minutes that I overheard mentioning to friends that they were going to the Paul McCartney show next Saturday. In all honesty I think they should start squatting now if they want to have a decent view of Sir Paul. On the other hand with the peformance being broadcast live on Noviy Kanal somehow I feel there will be much more comfort to be had at a local bar in front of the tele.
Later on that evening I walked down Prorizna Street and up in front of the golden arches was a big tower already assembled. I'm not sure how much oligarch Pinchuk is paying for this gig, but it is clearly a lot more than he paid Sir Elton John last year.
Well I'm sure a very small proportion of those who intend on going to the show will actually get a glimpse of Sir Paul... but one thing is clear, people are definitely going to be able to hear him.
It's too bad that an old friend of mine still doesn't work at the Central Post Office, his office window was in clear view of where the stage is being set up.
Reports have it that there are 80 semi's of equipment being shipped into Kyiv for the gig. Yesterday I aw at least 12 of them and that was just for the stage, all the bulky stuff, being transported buy firms that soley transport equipment for such shows. One the trailer of one of them I could see an A4 sheet taped with the name Springsteen in large letters.
It was clear who the non-Ukrainians on the site were. They were wearing work boots, and hard hats - clearly these guys know something about safety on the job.
A little later on I had to stop by the third line of the Globus shopping complex which is located behind the "chick on the stick" on maidan, and there were at least a dozen people in the span of about ten minutes that I overheard mentioning to friends that they were going to the Paul McCartney show next Saturday. In all honesty I think they should start squatting now if they want to have a decent view of Sir Paul. On the other hand with the peformance being broadcast live on Noviy Kanal somehow I feel there will be much more comfort to be had at a local bar in front of the tele.
Later on that evening I walked down Prorizna Street and up in front of the golden arches was a big tower already assembled. I'm not sure how much oligarch Pinchuk is paying for this gig, but it is clearly a lot more than he paid Sir Elton John last year.
Well I'm sure a very small proportion of those who intend on going to the show will actually get a glimpse of Sir Paul... but one thing is clear, people are definitely going to be able to hear him.
It's too bad that an old friend of mine still doesn't work at the Central Post Office, his office window was in clear view of where the stage is being set up.
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