It's April and spring is in the air, or if not yet in the air, at least at Moscow's concert halls. This will be a month for romantics.
Robbie Williams, Olimpysky Arena, April 12
Though Robbie Williams released a new album last December, he is coming to Moscow with his Let Me Entertain You tour, which mostly features his biggest hits. An alumnus of boy band Take That, Williams has had the most successful career of his former band mates. With 11 albums under his belt and 17 BRIT awards (more than any other artist) Williams is rightly considered one of the best-selling artists of all time. Olimpysky's stage will be completely transformed with more than 50 tons of equipment, so expect an incredible show.
OQJAV, 16 tons, April 16
One of the most original debuts of last year, OQJAV will present its new single "Kinoartistov," or Movie Stars, at one of the best medium-sized venues in Moscow: 16 tons. The trio consists of Katya Pavlova — frontwoman of another successful pop rock band, Obe Dve — as well as Vadim Korolev and Daniil Shaikhinurov. In little more than a year they have already managed to release a full-length self-titled album and to participate in numerous festivals. Their unique funky sound and lyrics, depicting the life of an urban poet with the usual excesses of sex and alcohol, attracts a young and hip crowd.
Yana Blinder, ArteFAQ, April 17
Blinder is a frequent guest at Moscow's music festivals, but rarely plays solo shows. After charging onto the Moscow indie pop scene in 2013, Blinder had a long hiatus, but in 2014 she released two EPs — First Blood and then Flowers. She will play tracks from these EPs and some new material as well, from the upcoming, as-yet untitled, debut full-length album. Her unique voice and style, part Nelly Furtado, part early M.I.A. with a dash of Kate Bush, make her stand out in the local music scene. Blinder hails from Rostov-on-Don, but grew up in Barcelona. She admits in interviews that her Russian is not perfect, which is the main reason she writes songs and sings in English.
Pompeya, Izvestia Hall, April 24
Pompeya just released a new album, Real, and will present it at Izvestia Hall in April. Pompeya is one of the most successful English-language bands in Russia, with regular tours in the Americas and Europe. Daniil Brod, the band's frontman, told website Afisha Volna that usually people think the band is from somewhere in Eastern Europe, not associating Pompeya with Russia. Real features 10 new tracks, and its style is very similar to the band's previous material. So no surprises there, but sometimes consistency is what the fans count on.
Mumiy Troll, YotaSpace, April 25-26
In December 2013 Mumiy Troll, probably Russia's most popular rock band, announced the last two concerts in the history of the band to support their 10th album, "SOS Matrosu." Ilya Lagutenko, the band's frontman, stated that Mumiy Troll would disband after 16 years together, but in January Mumiy Troll released an EP and announced a full-length album by spring. Both EP and album are entitled "Piratskiye Kopii," or Pirate Copies, and the new tracks sound promising enough to believe that "Piratskiye Kopii" might equal or even surpass "SOS Matrosu," which was hailed by critics as the band's most original album in years. On April 25 and 26 Mumiy Troll or Mumik, as the band is sometimes endearingly called, will give two large concerts at YotaSpace, formerly known as Glavklub, to support the new album.
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