Ticket links for Bohlen’s Lithuanian shows disappeared from sale platforms. Organizers confirmed Kaunas cancellation while Klaipėda dates remain unannounced.
At the start of this week, in Lithuania, concerts by Dieter Bohlen, the well-known German musician and former member of the duo Modern Talking, were announced, but, unfortunately, they will not take place. According to preliminary information, Bohlen together with the Blue System band was to perform on November 20 at Klaipėda’s Švyturio Arena to celebrate the 15th anniversary of the local scene, and on November 21 at Kaunas’ Žalgiris Arena.
However, ticket sale results indicate a lack of information: links to the concerts disappeared from the ticketing system, and the corresponding announcement on the websites of both arenas has also been removed.
Confirmation that tickets would not be sold was provided to LRT.lt by the organizing company.
Yes, the Kaunas concert has been canceled. We agreed with the organizers and reached a consensus that such an event should not take place in our arena.
– Mantas Vedrickas
Context of Cancellations and Organizers’ Reaction
The Žalgiris Arena in Kaunas confirmed the decision to cancel the Bohlen concert after joint consultations with the event organizers. Meanwhile, information about canceling the second leg in Klaipėda has not yet been officially issued, and no new date has been announced. In this situation, promoter Spark Live, which was supposed to organize Bohlen’s concerts, remains without an official explanation from the organizers.
Note that Bohlen’s concerts were planned through the Spark Live agency, which this year is also responsible for other projects, notably a major concert by Modern Talking member Thomas Anders in Palanga this summer.
Although there have been no official explanations for the cancellations, among industry sources there are rumors about a possible link to the musician’s statements regarding the state of relations between Russia and Europe. In his public interviews Bohlen has repeatedly touched on topics of sanctions, energy dependence, and mutual partnership between countries, which could influence the anticipated tourist flow and the image of events abroad.
Another case in this timely week – Hauser in Lithuania
This week also brought news that this year’s previously scheduled performance by Croatian cellist Hauser in Vilnius’s Kalnų Park, which was to take place in August, has also been canceled. Against this background, Ukrainian fans voiced complaints and criticism on their social media pages.
According to reports, as part of the project “Music Unites the World” Hauser performs melodies from various countries, but at the beginning of the social media posts a Russian composition titled Kalinka appeared, which sparked a wave of outrage among Ukrainian followers. In between posts, a Ukrainian motif also appeared, but the audience’s reaction remained mixed. Such actions often undermine initially peaceful concert announcements and spark discussions about projects where art intersects with politics.
In the context of Vilnius, it was announced that Hauser plans to perform a Lithuanian song as well, but the first released track was a Russian composition, and later a Ukrainian melody appeared. This confirms the tension in audience reactions and underscores the relevance of political moods in the world of music, which seeks to unite different cultures.
To sum up, these cases demonstrate the region’s sensitivity to political contexts around touring of foreign stars. Fans hope that future concerts will stay out of politics, but the reality shows that public sentiment can sometimes be a significant factor in planning cultural events.