Pistols fired up for Russian Roulette!

30 years ago Russia was the enemy of the British establishment. So were the Sex Pistols. Now, in 2008 the Pistols travel to Russia for the very first time. The June shows in St Petersburg and Moscow promise to be THE event of the 'Combine Harvester Tour'. Mr Rotten can't wait to get to the Russian Front and he knows the Russian people are equally as excited about finally getting to see the Sex Pistols!

Back in 1988 PiL played behind the Iron Curtain in the "Soviet Socialist Republic of Estonia", headlining the Tallinn Summer Rock Festival playing to over 120,000 people. Sex Pistols and PiL records were officially blacklisted by Soviet authorities, however, people still travelled hundreds of miles to see the band; fittingly PiL included a version of 'Holidays in the Sun' in their set. The concert and the people made such an impact on John that at the time he was quoted as calling it PiL's "Major achievement so far… ". In a twist of fate the Pistols play the now independent Estonia virtually 20 years to the day PiL first played there.

Before that, they travel into the heart of Russia. It says so much about how things have changed that the Russian people have invited a band that represents free speech and anti-censorship to play in the former motherland of Communism. In the UK the Pistols were once described as a "bigger threat" than Russian Communism, while Soviet authorities later labelled them fascist! They're both wrong, but it proves the Pistols were doing something right…

Russia can expect a crash course in British culture when two English football teams compete in the Champions League Final in Moscow – and Zenit St Petersburg travel to Manchester for the UEFA Cup Final – but they will soon get to see the ultimate British export up close and personal. Welcome to the Sex Pistols. God save your mad parade… 

Quote from John Lydon: "Russia is a very nice place".
THE END.

Sex Pistols in Russia 2008
Saint Petersburg, Jubeleyny Arena, Russia: Monday, June 23rd
Moscow, SSA Luzhnik, Luzhniki, Russia: Wednesday, June 25th

Follow this link for a full list of confirmed "Combine Harvester 2008" live dates…