28.04.2006 Russia (St. Petersburg)

Report

As Yulia and Lena are normal girls, they strictly were late - 40 minutes each. As a result, the gig began at 8.20 PM instead of 7.00 PM. The list of the songs is above. All new songs were live. I felt a little pity for them - they looked tortured. I even thought for a moment that it would be better if they used playback. After a while, everything went better. They rocked it all. They didn't disappoint fans. Closer to the end Yulia declared: "Hey, sitting places! Stop sit there getting sore blisters on your asses! Get up now! You'll be singing now! Is it clear?" So we all sang "Nas Ne Dogonyat".

I was about to cry when they sang Gomenasai. They sang it with such a feeling...

At the end, they shortly said "Bye, bye. See you again" and left the stage. So, as we were damn stubborn as audience, we made them to come back for D&M and AAU. Then they could finally leave. We hope to see them here again.

What more? Well, I finally got to listen to Lena's singing Cosmos live. It was something! I heard this song only on a CD before and couldn't imagine how Lena would sing it. I mean, the images don't fit really but it was impressive!

Interview @ Fontanka

We won't kiss. Sex on stage is a way better
Singers from group Tatu gave an exclusive interview to Fontanka. Yulia Volkova and Lena Katina arrived to St. Petersburg with series of gigs. The whole bunch of friends arrived together with Tatu - it's interesting that half of the party is Japanese. Celebrations of the Russian parliament in St. Petersburg broke Tatu's plans to relax and take a ferry ride by closing part of water space in the city.

- How is your mood before the gigs here in St. Petersburg?
Lena: It's super! We are happy to see you all. We'll try to give it all. We won't go into details now but it'll be a fully live show. Many maybe noticed that we don't use playback at our gigs lately. We have less dancing on stage and, instead, we concentrate on singing.

- Did you perform with a playback before?
Yulia: Before, yes. Generally we had more popish shows before with lots of dancing and a dance group. How could you sing with all that? (sighs heavily). We decided that we need to advance. We still wear minimal outfits but the show in itself is closer to a rock gig now.

- Will there be old tricks with kissing on stage?
Yulia: For how long can we repeat all the same! It's better with sex on stage.

- There's a lot of talking about the idea of Mitrofanov's to honour you with Order of Frienship...
Lena: Why not? I think we have achieved something by now. We have definite results. Some people want to see these achievements and some people don't want to, no matter what.
Yulia: The whole world studies Russian language because of us. View on Russia is changing too. Many fans tell us they start to study Russian in order to understand our Russian lyrics.
Lena: Yulia even promised to Prince Charles to teach him Russian.
Yulia: People who don't want to recognise it are simply jealous. They say, "They are too young to get honoured". Generally there's a lot of jealousy in the Russian music circles. Everyone smiles to your face while thinking "She's such a bitch, she is such a dumbass".

- What about circles outside Russia?
Lena: I haven't noticed anything like that. They are simpler. They smile honestly. They don't have similar type of circles down there.
Yulia: The generally don't give a shit. They have nothing to fight about.

- You've spent much time in LA lately working with Western musicians.
Yulia: We've been there for half of a year recording our album. I feel well in LA. By the way, we found great professional musicians there. They arrive today to play a gig with us here.

- But is it better in Russia?
Yulia: Of course, it's better at home.
Lena: I like it everywhere.

- Yulia, you have a daughter now. How do you feel being a mother?
Yulia: I love her greatly! I can do anything for her but I don't manage to be always by her side. We need to tour. Should I drag her around with me? She's in Moscow with nanny now. It's okay. We have whole life ahead of us.

- They say you are about to launch solo projects, despite of lack of time.
Lena: We have different ideas but at the moment, all our time goes to Tatu. Wel, Yulia wants to become a fashion designer. There's so much creativity in her...
Yulia: Yes, I want to open my own fashion agency. We have already started casting of models. I love clothes. I can't draw myself so I get help with it but I have lots of ideas.
Lena: So, I'll be walking on stage dressed in Yulia's outfits soon.

- Do they invite you to play in movies?
Yulia: Yes, they do. You'll see me on a big screen next year in one of American block-busters. I won't go into details now but the movie will be rock.
Lena: They offer me not so interesting ideas at the moment. I don't feel anything for them.

- What else do you do? Fitness?
Yulia: Can't you see it?
Lena: Well, looking at me, maybe not.
Yulia: It's our schedule. We have lots of work to do and come home by the midnight. Whenever we find time and power, we do exercise.

- Do you have any power left for anything during the tour?
Lena: I read a book in a plane and it got all over me. It said that there are 4 types of women - "a creator", "an initiator", "a lover" and "a mother". So the question which I am is bugging me now. Maybe some fifth type. I don't fit all those four at all.
Yulia: I'm "a lover" and "an initiator" at the same time.

- What about "a mother"?
Yulia: I'm not much of a mother at the moment. I'm not ready to sit at home yet.

- And finally, where is meaning of life?
Yulia: I have no problems with finding meaning in life - I have my daughter, my family. I have some one to live for.
Lena: The meaning is to live a fully meaningful life.

This concert has been recorded and released as a DVD: The Truth

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