This Friday, Zemfira, Pyotr Nalich, Vyacheslav Butusov and other top local rock stars will perform for free at a concert to help Dr. Liza and her organization, Spravedlivaya Pomoshch, or Fair Help, a fund that helps the neglected terminally ill and the homeless in Moscow.
"We happily agreed to take part in the concert because we knew that it's organized by wonderful people who really help those in need," said Nalich.
Spravedlivaya Pomoshch was set up by Yelizaveta Glinka, now better known by her LiveJournal nickname of Dr. Liza.
As executive director and chief doctor, she helps the terminally ill who have been refused access to hospitals or medical aid for financial or other reasons as well as providing food and medical help to homeless people.
Glinka trained in the United States as a palliative oncologist and writes a frank and often-heartbreakingly sad diary about her work on her LiveJournal blog -- Doctor-liza.livejournal.com -- which is read by more than 5,000 people daily.
 MT Zemfira will play a 20-minute set at DK Gorbunova at the gig on Friday. |  |
| |
The fund relies heavily on volunteers to help out by working and donating goods and money. Every Friday from 4 p.m. to 10 p.m. people can come to her office on Pyatnitskaya Ulitsa to donate clothes and food.
"We should thank those who join me at the railway stations, those who help our patients voluntarily, often without revealing their names ... doing things without which we can't work," she writes on her blog.
Among the artists due to play at the concert are some of the biggest stars of the Russian rock scene, such as Zemfira and Vyacheslav Butusov. Both rarely perform in Moscow but agreed to support the event with 20-minute performances. Billy's Band, The Musical Collective of Pyotr Nalich and Pelageya are other big names that will take part in the concert.
One of the most interesting performers is Nalich, a Russian YouTube phenomenon who became famous in 2007 after recording an amateur music video of himself and friends singing in their dacha and posting it online. Since then, the former architect began on a musical career and has won instant popularity on the Moscow music scene.
The concert for the support of Dr. Liza's Spravedlivaya Pomoshch fund will take place on Feb. 20, at DK Gorbunova Concert Hall. Lineup: Zemfira, Vyacheslav Butusov and U-piter, Billy's Band, the Musical Collective of Pyotr Nalich, Pelageya, Irina Bogushevskaya, Surganova and Orchestra, Elena Pogribizhskaya. 27 Novozavodskaya Ulitsa. Metro Bagrationovskaya, At 8 p.m. Tel. 979-9221. Spravedlivaya Pomoshch is located at 17/4 Pyatnitskaya Ulitsa. Tel. 589-7792.
A Message from The Moscow Times:
Dear readers,
We are facing unprecedented challenges. Russia's Prosecutor General's Office has designated The Moscow Times as an "undesirable" organization, criminalizing our work and putting our staff at risk of prosecution. This follows our earlier unjust labeling as a "foreign agent."
These actions are direct attempts to silence independent journalism in Russia. The authorities claim our work "discredits the decisions of the Russian leadership." We see things differently: we strive to provide accurate, unbiased reporting on Russia.
We, the journalists of The Moscow Times, refuse to be silenced. But to continue our work, we need your help.
Your support, no matter how small, makes a world of difference. If you can, please support us monthly starting from just $2. It's quick to set up, and every contribution makes a significant impact.
By supporting The Moscow Times, you're defending open, independent journalism in the face of repression. Thank you for standing with us.
Remind me later.