Shortparis

This five-person collective from Saint Petersburg combines dance grooves with an energetic, theatrical performance and exalted vocals, in Russian, French and English. A contrarian band, who likes to play in supermarkets and empty factory halls, and have already announced their farewell to music in 2020. The band therefore counts fellow townsman Sergei Kuriokhin, the avant-gardist who once argued on live television that Lenin was a mushroom, to one of their influences. Shortparis itself brings a mix of Greek tragedy and the sensuality of puberty: exactly what you’ve never been seen before. Their live shows go far beyond the boundaries of a regular performance, where you are completely absorbed in dark soundscapes full of electro, catchy postpunk and noise.

We saw Shortparis in January at showcase festival MENT in Ljubljana and we were sold immediately. They are part of the curatorial program that Koen ter Heegde compiles for us with the most exciting new bands from the scenes in Central and Eastern Europe.