«Kubana – it is still okolomorskoy Festival” – BBC

Producer Kubana Ilya Ostrovsky told “Gazeta.ru” to move the festival from Kaliningrad to Riga.

Kubana Music Festival in 2015 will be held in Riga – Mayor’s Office of the Latvian capital allocated to its holding Lucavsala island in the city center. Kubana, the first six years held in the Krasnodar region, this year, had to move to the Kaliningrad region, but last week the regional government announced the rejection of the event. Festival-2015 will last four days – from 6 to 9 August; it was declared part of the Finnish band HIM, Zemfira, “Leningrad”, “naive”, “Bravo», Trubetskoy, «Animal Jazz” and other musicians. Producer Kubana Ilya Ostrovsky told “Gazeta.ru” about why the choice fell on Riga, what a place – an island on the River Daugava, and about whether there will arrive to Latvia guest of honor open-Air Leshchenko.

– How was it Riga?

– The motion vector of our festival this year has already been chosen – in the direction of the Baltic coast. And when we were talking about abolition Kubana in the Kaliningrad region, we reviewed all proposals that we received. But most competitive option was to stay in the same region, the Baltic region – Riga, and was for us the most preferred destination.

I will not prevaricate, talk of the festival were held in Riga before, was chosen as the Kaliningrad region. We then stopped the economic situation in our country, the growth of the euro – we were afraid that the Russian audience will not be able to afford to come to the Baltics.

– And now?

– Now the ruble strengthened, everything looks more realistic, and after the failure of the authorities of the Kaliningrad region of the Riga talks resumed again.

– The Riga proposal was better than the proposals of any Russian sites?

– First, we were offered a fantastic site – an island in the river Daugava in the center of Riga. It is brand new, equipped as a park – with lighting, paved walkways and entrances. Golf is certainly not conceived as a festival, but perfectly suitable for him. Secondly, the city hall offered us full support, which is a must during this major event.

– And what the Russian site?

– all more or less realistic proposals from Russia focused festival in the forests of the middle band. A Kubana – it is still okolomorskoy Festival. And let us not now directly on the Baltic coast, but still close to the sea; and on the island there is a beach.

– How many viewers expect on this island?

– In recent years, people have had a lot. Naturally, some of the audience Kubana lose, and a new, possibly acquire. Until something concrete to talk early, everything will be clear when we actually hold the festival.

– much changed line-up of the festival in connection with the move?

– We will try to keep all the announced artists. Probably, some losses will be, but we are sure something will compensate.

– Latvia last year has made to the list of banned several Russian musicians – Iosif Kobzon, Valery, Oleg Gazmanov. Do not fear similar problems this year? For example, Lev Leshchenko, the guest of honor Kubana this year, too, signed the same letter the Ministry of Culture on the Crimea.

– I am very far from all the sanctions and political scandals in the field of culture, and Leo Valer’yanovich He has confirmed his visit to Riga.

– You have concerts in the Kaliningrad …

– Yes, for those viewers who are not ready to go to Latvia, we will hold a concert marathon participants Kubana in Kaliningrad, on the club grounds. We are working on those who will participate in it and in what form this action will take place.