M'Lou Elkins
Pussy Riot: Riot Days – Tulips in Fort Worth, TX on 11/26/23.
Let’s get one thing straight: though widely misunderstood as a punk band, Pussy Riot wants you to know they are not a band. Their performances may have a punk rock vibe complete with head-banging, crowd-surfing music, but they are actually a Russian feminist protest and performance art group best known for their provocative activist punk performances that speak out against the government of President Vladimir Putin. In Riot Days, their story is presented as an innovative multi-media experience that’s told through a combination of live music, theatre, and video.
Of their name’s significance, they have stated, “We called ourselves Pussy Riot because the first word denotes a sexist attitude towards women. Our ‘riot’ is our reply to that attitude.”
Pussy Riot began in 2011, and the group quickly gained global prominence after a performance at Moscow’s Cathedral of Christ the Saviour led to the imprisonment of three of its members – Maria (Masha) Alyokhina, Nadezhda (Nadya) Tolokonnikova, and Yekaterina (Katya) Samutsevich.
“Riot Days” was initiated by Maria Alyokhina, along with music producer Alexander Cheparukhin, and is based on Alyokhina’s book. After Alyokhina’s 1.5-year detention and house arrest in 2021-2022 for a single social media post supporting Russian opposition leader Alexey Navalny, she escaped Russia in May 2022 disguised as a food courier. This escape has allowed “Riot Days” to spread its message globally.
With over 400 performances around the world to date, “Riot Days” chronicles Alyokhina’s experiences with Pussy Riot, from their iconic protests to their court trials and prison sentences. The content is ever-changing to reflect current events like political prosecutions and the Russian aggression against Ukraine.
Their spoken word, electronic punk rock opera was unlike any performance I have witnessed before. The hard-hitting audio-visual experience was part gig, part art show, and part political protest, and completely convoluted my senses. English subtitles helped convey the story and the imagery added to the show’s strong dynamics. Their powerful delivery held the audience captivated and made us feel as though we were part of their rebellion. We could feel what they felt at every turn.
The current “Riot Days” team consists of Maria (Masha) Alyokhina, Diana Burkot, Olga Borisova, Alina Petrova, Vasily Bogatov, and Alexander Cheparukhin.
Maria (Masha) Alyokhina is the text author and voice. Diana Burkot provides voice, electronic programming, keyboards, and drums. The Moscow-born drummer, singer, and electronic musician is a founding member of Pussy Riot since 2011 and participated in the Punk Prayer in the Cathedral in 2012, but escaped arrest.
Olga Borisova provides voice and joined Pussy Riot in 2016. A former policewoman from St.Petersburg, she contributed to the Riot Days book as a creative editor and has been involved in various protest actions with Masha.
Alina Petrova provides the electric violin, drums, keyboards, and voice. As a recognized musician in Russia and Europe, she graduated from Moscow Tchaikovsky conservatory (viola), and has participated in various experimental music projects (post-minimalism, electronic music, sound art, improvisational music etc) as a composer and instrumentalist.
Vasily Bogatov provides video, and is a filmmaker and human rights activist, creating iconic Pussy Riot videos from 2011 to 2015 and is responsible for all “Riot Days” video content. Alexander Cheparukhin is the show’s producer and responsible for the subtitles. As a festival and record producer, he coordinated the international musician support campaign for Pussy Riot in 2012, and conceptualized and co-produced the “Riot Days” show alongside Maria Alyokhina.
The group is now on a tour of North America that wraps December 8th in Brooklyn, NY.
Check out the complete photo gallery from Pussy Riot: Riot Days below:
