Sergei Shnurov, the frontman of the rock group Leningrad, is touring St. Petersburg for the first time in years. He graced the stage in the city during a recent performance at the Jagger club, as reported by Fontanka.ru. The concert was part of a show by the Zoya group, and before finishing his set, Shnurov couldn’t resist delivering his satirical track in the hometown venue that night.
That single, released in 2022 along with a video, quickly drew attention online. The clip places the Leningrad singer in the role of a civil servant who files a complaint against city authorities, with the lyrics directed at the current administration in St. Petersburg, led by Governor Alexander Beglov.
In response, Beglov labeled Shnurov’s St. Petersburg-themed songs as provocative material, criticizing lines about the city’s litter and winter conditions as inappropriate. He also noted that not every governor encounters songs written about them, but he respects everyone pursuing their livelihood, and that artists should be free to express themselves.
On July 7, Beglov announced that Leningrad would not perform at the Russian Super Cup. The event proceeded with performances by the bands Bi-2 and Tantsy Minus in place of Shnurov’s group. The choice highlighted tensions around artistic expression and public celebration in the region.
Earlier, the performer Slava—a pseudonym associated with Shnurov’s act—made a remark about waking up to a cannon shot in Vladivostok, underscoring the various personal anecdotes surrounding the artist’s public appearances and the broader cultural climate surrounding his work.