The agency that organised the concert of Polish dark metal band in Belgrade’s Dorcol Platz has stated on Facebook that it has been forced to cancel a planned concert because it could not guarantee the safety of the audience, the band or the employees of the club.
“Tickets purchased through Gigstix can be returned in the following days at the place where they were purchased, as well as those purchased online. Thank you for your understanding and all your support,” Hangtime agency stated.
The controversy started after a Serbian Orthodox Church abbot of a monastery near Mionica, in western Serbia denounced what he called “a satanic group coming to Belgrade”.
In the video published on his social networks, he claimed “the group on stage [would be] performing a kind of desecration of holy places”.
A conservative citizens’ association, “Orthodox culture”, from Valjevo, also announced earlier that it would file a criminal complaint and a request to cancel the concert, “which insults the public morality, tradition, culture and faith of our people”.
The band in the hot seat, Batushka, was formed in 2015 in eastern Poland. They combine black metal sounds with churchy chants and often wear monks’ garb and hoods on stage. Despite being called “satanic”, they claim to be inspired by the music of the Orthodox Church.
Ironically, a spin-off band with the same name and similar antics already performed in Belgrade in October – without raising a rumpus.
