Rockers
from Laibach have held a rare concert in North Korea, becoming the first
Western band ever to perform in the isolated country. The group is famous for
sparking controversy and toying with authoritarian symbols.
Deutsche Welle, 19 Aug 2015
The
avant-garde Slovenian band, known for its provocative style and growling music,
only performed one of their own songs during the 45-minute concert in Pyongyang
on Wednesday.
Instead,
Laibach played cover versions of songs from the "Sound of Music" and
even a Korean folk song Arirang, accompanied by a North Korean pianist.
The band
was warmly received by the crowd of some 1,500 North Koreans and 150 diplomats,
NGO workers and other foreigners, witnesses say.
"They
seemed to really enjoy it. It wasn't an audience pulling faces of distrust or
confusion," said Simon Cockerell, general manager of Beijing-based Koryo
Tours which arranged a special trip for foreign tourists to see the show.
'Big step
for humanity'
Laibach has
often stirred controversy for allegedly praising fascism and communism, wearing
military uniforms and Marxist symbols during their performances. At the same
time, fans argue that their work is a critique of totalitarian ideology.
Before
arriving to the world's most isolated country, the band promised a
"gentle" version of themselves for the North Korean audience.
"I
think we did more than we expected in the end," Laibach member and band
spokesman Ivan Novak said after the Wednesday show. "I don't know how
much, what kind of trace that will leave here, but, you know, it's a big step
for - no, it's a small step for Laibach, and a big step for humanity."
"Of
course this is different to our taste," Pyongyang resident Hwang Yong Ran
said. "But it was quite nice to hear Arirang.'"
'Rich voice
and skilled rendition'
The band is
set to perform again on Thursday, as part of their "Liberation Day
Tour" marking the 70th anniversary of the Korean Peninsula's liberation
from Japan.
North
Korean state agency KCNA praised the performance, saying that the performers
showed off "the artistic skill of the band through peculiar singing, rich
voice and skilled rendition."
The North
Korean mini-tour is set to be the subject of an upcoming documentary film,
according to Laibach's website.
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