Green Day cancel Moscow show in response to Russian invasion of Ukraine
The U.S. rockers have pulled the only Russian gig on their European Tour
By Joe Goggins
Green Day have cancelled a planned show in Moscow in response to Russia’s ongoing invasion of Ukraine.
In a statement posted to their Instagram story yesterday (February 27), the veteran pop-punk trio called off the gig at the Spartak Stadium in the Russian capital, which had been set for May 29. Their message began: “With heavy hearts, in light of current events we feel it is necessary to cancel our upcoming show in Moscow at Spartak Stadium.”
“We are aware that this moment is not about stadium rock shows, it’s much bigger than that. But we also know that rock and roll is forever and we feel confident there will be a time and a place for us to return in the future. Stay safe.”
The rest of the band’s scheduled gigs on the long-delayed Hella Mega Tour, which will see Fall Out Boy and Weezer join them in support, will go ahead as planned, including three huge outdoor shows in the UK. The one-off show in Moscow was not set to see the other two bands in attendance.
The cancellation of the Moscow show comes as the entertainment world continues to respond to the unfolding situation in Ukraine.
The organisers of the Eurovision Song Contest have banned Russia from entering this year’s edition, while the Russian rapper Oxxxymiron pulled planned concerts in Moscow and St. Petersburg in protest of the invasion. The Russian State Ballet have had scheduled UK appearances cancelled by the theatres that were due to host them.
Meanwhile, Green Day continue to tease a new project, having released the latest in a series of cryptic clips last Tuesday (February 22) that all prominently featured the number ‘1972’. The chaotic ten-second video featured footage of the band driving around in a convertible, as well as numerous nods to ‘1972’, which some are speculating may be the title of the group’s first new album since 2020’s ‘Father of All Motherfuckers’.
They released three standalone singles last year, ‘Pollyanna’, ‘Here Comes the Shock’ and ‘Holy Toledo!’ The UK leg of the Hella Mega Tour is set for June – see the full dates below.
Green Day, June 2022:
24 – London, London Stadium
25 – Huddersfield, John Smith’s Stadium
29 – Glasgow, Bellahouston Park