Brikkuni Teatru Rjal concert rescheduled to September 28

Brikkuni frontman Mario Vella this morning announced that a previously cancelled concert at Teatru Rjal, Valletta is now back on track, albeit pushed back to 28 September from the originally scheduled 7 September date.

"We will be able to shed more light on the 'truce' pretty soon," Vella wrote on a celebratory Facebook post announcing the rescheduled gig - which is set to be the main summer concert for the cult-favourite folk-pop band.

According to Vella, the development is "confirmation that public disourse can in some cases lead to sobering discussions based on solid facts, figures and above all respect towards the band's ethos," which "fills [him] with hope for the future".

The cancellation was the focus of a raging online discussion last week, as Vella announced that the venue had requested a prohibitive €2,000 rental fee for the band.

READ MORE: Brikkuni Teatru Rjal outrage recalls performance venue problems

The fee was deemed excessive by the band, who claimed that given their usual attendence numbers, the ability of recouping expenses was a slim, over and above the fact that it would most probably result in the musicians not receiving any sort of renumeration. 

"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 on 15 August.

However, following negotiations with the board responsible for Teatru Rjal - headed by veteran jazz drummer and Malta Jazz Festival founder Charles 'is-City' Gatt - Vella revealed to MaltaToday that Teatru Rjal has agreed to "assimilate some of the costs" of the concert, while still ensuring that the venue "will be making a reasonable profit" .

"Hopefully this will put the politicial powers that be under more pressure to provide spaces for bands to perform in, and persuade the police to adopt a more relaxed attitude towards permits, since not all bands would be able to afford a venue like Teatru Rjal anyway," Vella added.