Former leader of the rock band Cockroach, Dmitry Spirin, has claimed that Bi-2 did not leave Russia and continued touring only because of multimillion-dollar debts. Spirin argues that the group carried on with performances despite financial pressure, a choice he attributes to the scale of their obligations rather than a simple decision to stay abroad. His remarks paint a picture of an industry under strain, where tours and schedules can be disrupted for months or even years, creating a ripple effect that touches every corner of a concert ecosystem from artists to promoters, managers, and venue owners.
According to Spirin, Bi-2 and Spleen are currently facing substantial debt. He cites the pandemic as a primary catalyst that magnified the problem, arguing that the global health crisis not only halted numerous shows but also created a backlog of commitments that could not be easily met once the world began to reopen. In his view, the economic fallout from lockdowns and reduced touring capacity left many musicians, managers, and organizers grappling with overdue payments and reorganized budgets, forcing difficult financial decisions for parties involved in live music production.
Spirin notes that the sheer scale of the liabilities is a consequence of repeated postponements of concerts caused by the coronavirus outbreak. The postponements, he explains, accumulated into a credit burden that extended to organizers and venues, creating a chain reaction across the touring circuit. With current conditions reportedly not imposing anti-COVID restrictions, he suggests a path to settlement: the debt could be paid back to the organizers, co-producers, and the venues responsible for hosting these acts. The perspective implies a broader recovery narrative for the live-music sector, where players are attempting to stabilize cash flows after two years of disruption and uncertainty.
Spirin reiterates that groups like Bi-2 and Spleen, along with other large-scale productions in the rental market, had already issued concert dates that were repeatedly pushed back due to the health crisis. The repeated cancellations and reschedulings, he argues, created a financial strain that extended beyond the performers themselves to include crews, rental equipment providers, and event staff. In this context, sustaining compensation arrangements and honoring previously contracted terms becomes a key measure of responsibility for everyone involved in the touring ecosystem.
While Bi-2 previously denied rumors that they were planning to leave Russia, Spirin’s statements invite a closer look at how artists navigate a volatile environment where revenue streams can be unpredictable and debt levels can escalate quickly. The broader conversation touches on how bands, promoters, and venues balance artistic ambitions with the economics of live entertainment. It also underscores the importance of transparent accounting, fair contracts, and proactive financial planning to ensure that performers can continue to connect with audiences without compromising the viability of the industry as a whole. The situation serves as a case study in resilience, illustrating how cultural acts adapt to shifting conditions while attempting to preserve the integrity of their work and the livelihoods of dozens of collaborators who depend on successful tours for income and exposure. It remains to be seen how the parties involved will resolve outstanding debts, what role public statements will play, and how industry practices might evolve to prevent similar strains in future touring cycles.