On a recent summer night, hundreds of young Russians assembled on St. Petersburg’s main street to hear songs that the government had banned. It was the latest gathering of the country’s musical underground, and anger at the Kremlin was on full, and loud, display.
A rock group named Stoptime played recent anti-war songs as well as an old anthem—originally by the Soviet-era band Kino—that has become a symbol of political resistance. “Changes! Our hearts demand changes,” the vocalist sang. “Changes! Our eyes demand changes!” A few bikers paused their deliveries to join the chorus.
Stoptime and many of its underground peers perform out in the open despite the threat of prison. Last month, the group played a song by the rapper Noize MC that imagines Russia’s future after President Vladimir Putin: “Somebody good will come to power. He will fix everything, unexpectedly; he will punish the bastards, nobody will get away.” A few days later, police detained members of the group. They were released and back performing again soon after.
View: Anti-war protests in Russia
Street concerts and underground gatherings offer a rare hint of hope for the many young Russians who have grown dis
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