14 DAY TRIAL // You can now add the name of Peter Gabriel to the ever-growing list of musicians that have been forced to cancel performances in the Ukraine due to political civil unrest. The rocker has decided that it would be for the best to cancel the performance he was supposed to give on Saturday, May 10, in Kiev, because of the current tensions between Russia and the Ukraine.
The “Sledgehammer” singer had a date set for tomorrow in Kiev as part of his Back to Front tour, but he's opted to skip the concert for safety reasons. Peter has dutifully explained the issue on his website, claiming that the rest of his tour would be at risk of continuing if his equipment got damaged while in Ukraine.
His statement reads, “It is with great regret that today the decision has been made to cancel the forthcoming Peter Gabriel show in Kiev on 10 May.”
He explains that “Due to the on-going unrest in Ukraine it has become clear that the security of the touring personnel and equipment cannot be guaranteed during the planned visit to the country and this has presented us with significant logistical difficulties that we have been unable to resolve.”
Those who have purchased tickets for the concert have been promised they would get their money back, as Peter Gabriel turns his attention to the next gig on his tour. His next scheduled appearance is to take place on Monday, May 12, in Poland.
Peter Gabriel is by no means the only musician to be affected by the local Ukrainian crisis. Other acts that have been forced by circumstances to cancel out on their performances include rock band The National and Depeche Mode.
So far, only a couple of artists have dared perform in politically unstable Ukraine. Among the ones that made headlines with their performance are 30 Seconds to Mars, who came with their frontman Jared Leto shortly after he won his Oscar for Best Supporting Actor.
During the performance, Jared paused to talk about the political situation in the country and praised those that were fighting for freedom and democracy. He told audiences that he wouldn't have missed the opportunity to play for them, despite the dangers it entailed.
“You guys are in the midst of something really beautiful and it may be difficult, but there’s no price too high to pay for the privilege of owning yourself,” said Leto when he spoke with crowds at the Kiev Sports Palace back in March.