Batushka (“Faketushka” Bart Version) Issue Statement on North American Tour Cancelation

As MetalSucks was first to report yesterday, Batushka’s upcoming North American tour — the version of the band featuring vocalist Bartłomiej Krysiuk, often referred to by the band’s original fans as ‘Faketushka’ or ‘Poseur Batushka’ — has been canceled. The tour was an ambitious undertaking to begin with, scheduled to play large venues for a band at Batushka’s level, and reliable sources had been telling MetalSucks for weeks that ticket sales had been weak. Fans had also been relentlessly destroying that version of Batushka on the internet, which certainly didn’t bode well for the outfit. The band had already quietly canceled their planned Australian tour earlier this month.

Now Krysiuk has issued an official statement on the matter in which he blames the cancelation on the ongoing legal battle over the band’s name between he and founder/songwriter/guitarist Krzysztof Drabikowski, citing “massive financial and bureaucratic undertakings.”

Which is fine and valid, except here’s the thing: if the lawsuit is the primary motivator for canceling these tours, why will the band continue to tour in Europe? Sure, it’s less expensive for the band to tour in Europe since they live there, but Krysiuk’s statement unequally assigns blame, overemphasizing one admittedly very legit reason (the lawsuit) while underemphasizing all the others.

So let’s call a spade a spade: ticket sales fucking sucked, and that’s why these tours were canceled. Ticket sales sucked because very few people care about this version of the band; the word is out, people aren’t falling for the charade under the hoods, and the band and their handlers are out tens of thousands of dollars on the whole thing (maybe more). The fans support Drabikowski’s Batushka overwhelmingly — not the least of which is because his album, Панихида, was fantastic — and unless some kind of bombshell revelation comes out as a result of the lawsuit that paints him in a terrible light, that isn’t going to change any time soon.

Anyway, here’s the statement, posted via Facebook:

“As has been reported, we have cancelled all up and coming international touring until a time where the dispute between Derph and myself is resolved.

“Massive financial and bureaucratic undertakings are required to make international touring at this scale work, coupled with the daily firefighting of Batushka’s day-to-day business, it has taken it’s toll and we have reached our limit.

“There is plenty to be positive about with regards to the legal situation surrounding Batushka – however, we expect a lengthy process and despite mediation with Derph and I, we are no closer to resolving our differences.

“We plan to reconvene and carry on preparing new music. Our European dates will continue on – naturally a lot less stressful. We apologise to our international fans but we hope you understand!