Pussy Riot is an entity that is shrouded in mystery, particularly to American audiences. In only their second show ever on United States soil (the first of which being at The Lodge Room in Los Angeles the night before), there was a sense of wonder at the sold-out Bootleg Theater on Wednesday night.
In the past, they’ve been more a performance art group than actual band, so what would the show even look like?
It was definitely a special night, as the entrance to the venue was basically a bazaar filled with merch tents, pop up thrift shops and even a temporary tattoo station.
When it comes to age, race and style, this was truly an eclectic audience. However, when it comes to politics, clearly not so much. Camoflauge, anarchist symbolism, and pink knit pussy hats were prevalent. This group definitely leans slightly to the left. This of course, was something that was to be completely expected when it comes to Pussy Riot’s political profile and media presence.
Drinks in hand, everyone piled in and waited in front of a stage hidden by a giant black curtain.
The curtain opened at 9:59, to a single member of the group, in the back on a DJ setup wearing a colorful plague mask and four body bags on the ground. The DJ played a heavy industrial beat over a sample of a drill sergeant barking orders. The four body bags on the floor suddenly came to life and started dancing. After a brief routine, the band popped out wearing the iconic balaclavas, thus signaling the beginning of the spectacle.
They started with a new song, possibly titled “Bad Apples.” The crowd was seemingly in shock but was brought to life toward the end of the track when the band took off their balaclavas, to a huge applause. Nadya Tolokonnikova was front and center the rest of the group in face paint and pink wigs, mirroring the fact that Nadya has become the face of the group when it comes to the media.
In a thick Russian accent, she thanked everyone for coming, before seguing into “Police State,” a song with a sugary sweet chorus and production, juxtaposing the overall message of mass surveillance.
Nadya took her time to introduce the Russian track “Chaika,” explaining that they wanted to write “real gangster rap, because we have real gangsters running the Russian government.” The gravity of the lyrics was made even heavier by the fact that they were translated and projected on the stage as the band performed, this time in black robes and police hats.
“Punk Prayer” was next, the infamous track that the band performed at Christ the Savior Cathedral in Moscow, which led to their two years of imprisonment and their prevalence in the public eye. The performance had an ominous tone, filled with religious symbolism and simulated self-flagellation with colorful whips.
The DJ took center stage and vocals for the next track introduced as “I’m in Jail Again,” revealing, surprisingly, a male voice. He rapped alone on stage, until he was rejoined by the rest of the band, who spent the song walking around the stage smoking cigarettes through their masks, before the song transitioned into a full throated thrash show.
A news bulletin styled announcement kicked off the next track, declaring that Donald Trump was impeached and pending criminal trial, which set the venue off. The energy in the crowd was palpable and carried through the rest of the set, with highlights “Make America Great Again,” and “Straight Outta Vagina,” closing it out.
As the band left the stage, any sense of confusion by the crowd was replaced with genuine enthusiasm and support, begging for an encore. The band did come back out, but not for an encore. To ominous music and waving flags, they proclaimed one final time, “Defeat Putin. Defeat Donald Trump!”
And as the curtains closed, it became a little more apparent why Pussy Riot waited so long to come to the United States. At the height of their fame and attention, Americans could only empathize with their message. Now, they can relate.
Additional Photos:
Leave a Comment