Unsound Festival Concerts Canceled Following Accusations of Satanism
This year’s Unsound—the Krakow, Poland-based electronic music festival—starts tomorrow and continues until October 18. At the last minute, the festival’s organizers are being forced to find alternate venues for concerts scheduled at two churches: St. Catherine’s Church and the Church of St. Peter and St. Paul. Both churches decided to call off the shows after a letter sent to St. Catherine’s accused the festival’s organizers of promoting Satanism.
“These accusations, initially made in a letter to St Catherine’s Church, are completely unfounded, unreasonable, and slanderous,” reads a statement from Unsound. “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.”
Though it’s unclear why exactly Unsound’s organizers have been accused of promoting Satanism, the church apparently took issue with a Current 93 performance scheduled at St. Catherine’s on October 17. In a statement, the festival’s organizers said:
“We are especially sorry because David Tibet—the founder and leader of Current 93—sent us a statement in which he explains his faith as a Christian, as he has many times in interviews. This letter was forwarded to the church, but without effect. He is upset and hurt by the fact we are now forced to change venues.”
In a statement shared with Pitchfork, Unsound have also announced that three additional surprise sets at the Church of St. Peter and St. Paul have also been canceled because of those same accusations. During the three “Morning Glory” shows at 11 a.m., the audience would have discovered the lineup at the time of each performance. As a result of the cancellation, Mat Schulz at Unsound has revealed the lineup and clarified that they’re looking for alternate venues.
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.”
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