Brikkuni cancel Royal Theatre concert after demand for €2,000 rental
Culture ministry’s demands ‘too onerous for any band except for cultural prostitutes’ – Mario Vella
A concert planned for September at the Royal Theatre in Valletta was cancelled, after Brikkuni frontman Mario Vella claimed a €2,000 rental charge and insurance demands from an administrative board in the culture ministry were too onerous for the band.
Vella, who complained on his Facebook wall that the board had shown "a lack of will" in recognising the band's own material limitations.
In a barbed salute to culture minister José Herrera, Vella said that the new government had proved that the arts and culture were the "dominion of the elite".
Vella said the board only supplied a list of terms a full 45 days after making his request, which includes a €2,000 rental fee, obligatory insurance, and payments for security officers.
"Nobody can afford such terms, except for those few bands who have the necessary social connections to win sponsorships and those cultural prostitutes who are ready to affiliate any sort of product or service to the arts just to sell tickets," Vella said on his Facebook wall.
"Although having met many people from the board responsible to explain the logistical difficulties of such concerts and to explain the importance of having this theatre accessible to musicians from different niches who don't get the support of sponsors."