Poland’s Unsound Festival has had to make some last-minute rearrangements following a few hefty accusations: some of the churches where shows were scheduled have pulled out of the festival because they believed Unsound to be “promoting satanism.”
Pitchfork reported this week that festival organizers have been forced to find new locations for concerts scheduled at St. Catherine’s Church and the Church of St. Peter and St. Paul in Krakow. The festival was scheduled to begin on October 11th and last until the 18t; on October 10th, Unsound released a statement that detailed the churches’ decision to pull out of the festival, which was in response to a letter sent to St. Catherine’s that initiated the accusations.
“These accusations, initially made in a letter to St Catherine’s Church, are completely unfounded, unreasonable, and slanderous,” they wrote. “We of course categorically deny that Satanism is now or has ever been promoted at our festival. The goal of the Unsound festival has always been bringing artists and audiences together in the promotion of art and culture.”
Unsound had also scheduled unannounced performances that would have been revealed as they happened – hence the themed name of this year’s festival, “Surprise.” But, organizers announced that three additional shows set to take place at Church of St. Peter and St. Paul had to be canceled due to the church’s accusations. Mat Schulz announced the lineup of the surprise shows as a result of the last-minute changes and cancelations in a statement:
We are sorry that these slanderous and untrue statements have caused such harm and disruption to the festival, especially considering all the work that so many people put into making very special events in beautiful spaces, something Unsound is known for.
I would like to reveal the surprise of who is playing these morning shows, in order to underline just how foolish this situation is:
* John Tilbury – One of the foremost pianists in the world in terms of experimental and improvised music. He is playing with one of Poland’s leading experimental musicians, Robert Piotrowicz, as part of a tour in Poland that is supported by Adam Mickiewicz Institute and presented with Bolt Records.
* Raphael Roginski – One of Poland’s most famous jazz and improv guitarists, who is playing the music of John Coltrane, as related to his recent Bolt Records release
* RRose plays James Tenney – The U.S. musician Rrose will play a piece by renowned American composer James Tenney on a 32-inch gong.”
Learn more about the festival, venue changes and cancelations on Unsound’s website.
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